A work in progress
The new F.C.C. radio history project is a good start at portraying American radio development: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/history/ (external link)
The pages are easy to read and well illustrated. But with all first drafts, there are some mistakes. Perhaps members of the wireless community, supplying corrections, can help them develop a truly accurate story. They first need to correct the record about themselves, then others. This statement is totally inconsistent with the historical record:
"The FCC is pleased to have played a historical role in fostering the innovative atmosphere that enabled creative minds and led to technological breakthroughs. The FCC remains committed today to further fostering innovation in communications ."
Nonsense. From relegating broadcast FM to a high frequency band, almost killing it, hoping to keep Armstrong from developing it, working in league with RCA to keep it suppressed, to delaying cellular deployment for at least 10 years, possibly 15, the FCC does not have a good record of fostering innovation. They don't have to criticize themselves for the past, I don't expect that, but they should only take credit where they deserve it. They're a fine group, they do many things well, but radio advancement in America has been in spite of the FCC, not because of it.
Some dates and details are also wrong. I don't have time to list them all but attributing Martin Cooper and Motorola to inventing the first cellular telephone is just not right, it's a major mistake. AT&T made the first cellular radio four years before (internal link) Just to interest you, it was a payphone. On a train. And it was used in commercial service. What Cooper did was make the first handheld cellular telephone. A fine accomplishment but a natural one. All radio progresses from large radios fixed in place to small ones that are mobile. But I ramble, check out their site and let me know what you think.