This is a presentation outlining the beginnings of Amateur radio in the early 1900s to the present day. There are 37 slides from the the Spark era to the rise of the internet within our hobby. Anyone is welcome to use any of this material if they presenting a similar talk.

1. Historical Ham Radio

Spark – 1906 - 1920s

Pre World War 2 – 1920s to 1940s

The Golden Age – 1950 – 1980

The Japanese Influence

The Internet

Where to Now?

2. Spark - The Beginning of Amateur RadioSpark - The Beginning of Amateur Radio
1900 – 1925 Milestones1900 – 1925 Milestones

Fessenden and Marconi send signals across the AtlanticFessenden and Marconi send signals across the Atlantic

The Titanic Sinks – Urgency for wireless communicationsThe Titanic Sinks – Urgency for wireless communications

Rise of Spark technology commercial & Amateur wirelessRise of Spark technology commercial & Amateur wireless

Invention of the Triode Oscillator by Armstrong & Hartley –Invention of the Triode Oscillator by Armstrong & Hartley – True CWTrue CW

The invention of AM by Fessenden –The invention of AM by Fessenden – Voices could be transmittedVoices could be transmitted

3. Spark Radio
Alexanderson's 200 Kw Rotary spark transmitter on 21.1 Khz
Rotor spun at 2170 RPM and water cooled. Installed at Naval
Station in New Jersey in 1920 and generated a continuous wave
Primitive Spark setup (above)
and 600 segment spark rotor (below)
Fessendon's historic
2KW AM Rotary
100 Khz Spark transmitter

4. Amateur Radio ChronologyAmateur Radio Chronology
1909 – New York Amateur Radio Club Starts1909 – New York Amateur Radio Club Starts
1910 – WIA Wireless Institute of Australia is formed1910 – WIA Wireless Institute of Australia is formed
1913 - Amateurs using Audions received up to 350 miles on 200 meters.1913 - Amateurs using Audions received up to 350 miles on 200 meters.
1913 – Call letter policies were set up by US government1913 – Call letter policies were set up by US government
1914 – Hiram Percy Maxim sets up the ARRL1914 – Hiram Percy Maxim sets up the ARRL
1917 – About 6,000 Amateurs radio operators were active1917 – About 6,000 Amateurs radio operators were active
1918 – Armstrong invents the Superhetrodyne1918 – Armstrong invents the Superhetrodyne
1918 - Nicholson uses crystals to control frequency1918 - Nicholson uses crystals to control frequency
1919 – Marconi and Fleming – Advocate and mentor Amateur radio1919 – Marconi and Fleming – Advocate and mentor Amateur radio
1922 – Carson describes a system of FM (Frequency Modulation)1922 – Carson describes a system of FM (Frequency Modulation)
1923 – Patent granted for SSB1923 – Patent granted for SSB
1924 – 80, 40, 20 and 5 metre bands allocated in the USA1924 – 80, 40, 20 and 5 metre bands allocated in the USA
1928 – 17,000 Amateurs participate in the first “Relay” Contest1928 – 17,000 Amateurs participate in the first “Relay” Contest
1932 – ITU formed1932 – ITU formed

5. Reginald FessendenReginald Fessenden
On Christmas Eve 1906, wireless operators on scores ofOn Christmas Eve 1906, wireless operators on scores of
ships and ham radio operators along the New Englandships and ham radio operators along the New England
coast were stunned to hear Christmas carols cuttingcoast were stunned to hear Christmas carols cutting
through the static and staccato rhythm of the Morse code.through the static and staccato rhythm of the Morse code.
December 24 1906 - Fessenden did theDecember 24 1906 - Fessenden did the
impossible. He invented a way of puttingimpossible. He invented a way of putting
modulation on a carrier wave.modulation on a carrier wave.
He used a 2KW 100Khz Alternator and heHe used a 2KW 100Khz Alternator and he
invented Amplitude Modulation (AM)invented Amplitude Modulation (AM)
The way was open for Commercial andThe way was open for Commercial and
amateur radio voice transmissionamateur radio voice transmission
January 1906 - Fessenden made the first successful
two-way transatlantic transmission using Spark,
exchanging Morse code messages between Brant
Rock and an identical one built at Machrihanish in
Scotland. (Note that Marconi had only achieved
one-way transmissions at this time.)

6. Amateur Radio FirstsAmateur Radio Firsts
In 1921, a challenge was issued by American hams to their counterparts in the UnitedIn 1921, a challenge was issued by American hams to their counterparts in the United
Kingdom to receive radio contacts from across the Atlantic. Soon, many American stationsKingdom to receive radio contacts from across the Atlantic. Soon, many American stations
were beginning to be heard in the UK, shortly followed by a UK amateur being heard in thewere beginning to be heard in the UK, shortly followed by a UK amateur being heard in the
US in December 1922. November 27, 1923 marked the first transatlantic two-way contactUS in December 1922. November 27, 1923 marked the first transatlantic two-way contact
between American Amateur Fred Schnell and French Amateur Leon Deloy 8ABbetween American Amateur Fred Schnell and French Amateur Leon Deloy 8AB
Fred SchnellFred Schnell
1MO1MO
Leon Deloy 8ABLeon Deloy 8AB

7. 1924 - Milestone1924 - Milestone The first two way contact between the UK and USA was in
December 1923, between London and Hartford Connecticut
In the following months 17 American and 13 European
amateur stations were communicating. Within the next year,
communications between North and South America; South
America and New Zealand; North America and New Zealand;
and London and New Zealand were being made.
On the 18th of October 1924 the First Trans-Global radio contact
between Frank Bell (a sheep farmer) Z4AA (ZL4AA) in Shag
Valley Otago and Cecil Goyder (an 18 year old student) at Mill Hill
School in London was made using the school callsign G2SZ on
the 90 metre band.
Currently, the occasion is being celebrated by ZM90DX on the air
for a year in New Zealand

8. The 1920s & 1930sThe 1920s & 1930s
ON4UU
ON4YL
W1HRXHarold Beverage

9. Pre World War 2 – 1920 to 1940
Spark gives way to tubes and the
technological growth of the hobby
Major design innovation with
separate transmitters & receivers
The rise of the manufactured
Amateur radio equipment

10. Jimmy Mills – ZL2BE ShackJimmy Mills – ZL2BE Shack
at Fernhill near Hastingsat Fernhill near Hastings

11. High Tech Shack – Circa 1935High Tech Shack – Circa 1935
Spot the New Zealand QSL?Spot the New Zealand QSL?

12. The Collins Radio CompanyThe Collins Radio Company
Art Collins W0CXX made his reputation and money by winning
US Government contracts for supplying aircraft and ground
radio equipment. His 250 watt ART-13 transmitter was
bulletproof and reliable. Shown below is the Radio ops position
in a B29 Bomber
ART-13 transmitter – 100W
AM/CW 2.0 – 15 Mhz

13. The Late 1940s after WW2The Late 1940s after WW2

14. The 1950s – The“Golden Era”The 1950s – The“Golden Era”
The 1950s saw the rise of commercial equipment for amateur
radio.
Johnson Ranger driving the
Johnson Desk Kilowatt
With National HRO-60 Receiver
Johnson Viking 11
100 Watts AM/CW
Hammurlund HQ-129
Hallicrafters
S-40
Hallicrafters SX-101

15. The National CompanyThe National Company
1950s - 1960s1950s - 1960s
HRO-5
HRO-60T
HRO-500
NC-100
SW-54
NC-183
NC-303
“Dream Receiver”

16. The 1950s in VE3 LandThe 1950s in VE3 Land
Collins S-Line & Homebrew 4-1000 KW Amplifier -1959
VE3DIL - 1955
School Cadet CCTS 48 Set -1956
VE3OE - 1957
VE3DIL – Late 1953 at Dad's bach

17. The 1950s – Collins Radio A-LineThe 1950s – Collins Radio A-Line
KW-1
KWS-1 & 75A-4 “Gold Dust Twins”
KWS-1 & 75A-4 & R390
32V-1 Tx and 75A-1 Rx
Art Collins W0CXX

18. SSB Arrived and changed Amateur Radio Forever – 1957 - 1959!
CE-10A (10W) and CE20-A (20W) 9Mhz Phase shift SSB Transmitter
Central Electronics 100V Phase shift SSB Transmitter
BC 458 5Mhz Transmitter
Before & after
Conversion to VFO
9 Mhz + 5 Mhz = 14 Mhz = 20M USB
9 Mhz + 12 Mhz = 21Mhz = 15M USB
9 Mhz - 5 Mhz = 4 Mhz = 75M LSB
9 Mhz – 16 Mhz = 7 Mhz = 40M LSB

19. The 1960s – Collins Radio – SSB ArrivesThe 1960s – Collins Radio – SSB Arrives
Collins S-Line & 30S-1 KW Amplifier
Collins KWM-1
Collins S-Line

20. Heath Company Inc. - HeathkitHeath Company Inc. - Heathkit
Ed Heath – Founder of Heath Aeroplane Co. He designed, built and marketed
the Heath “Parasol” aircraft in which he met his demise in 1934
Howard Anthony – New CEO – In 1947 buys a large lot of electronic military
surplus parts after WW2 and markets an oscilloscope kit for $39.95
Howard killed in aircraft crash in 1954. Company bought by Daystrom. The
Company grew to 11 product lines and over 300 kits to market.
In 1962 the Company was bought by Schlumberger and started to shrink.
Zenith bought the company and it was abandoned by bad management. Markets
shrank, Japanese products killed them and transistor/IC/chip technology became
too hard to package and sell at a profit.
Heath eventually leaves the amateur radio market.

21. Heathkit Amateur Radio ProductsHeathkit Amateur Radio Products

22. R. L. Drake CompanyR. L. Drake Company
NC-100NC-100
Drake R-4C Receiver & T-4XC Transmitter
Drake 2-B Receiver
NC-100
Drake L4-B 1 KW Linear Amplifier

23. The Rise of Japanese Amateur Radio ManufacturersThe Rise of Japanese Amateur Radio Manufacturers
Yaesu's first prduct; A 40 metre 10/40 watt crystal
controlled mechanical filter transmitter, model FL-10/40.
Yaesu's “F” Line Yaesu's FT-100 1966
ICOM IC-701

24. The 1980s – The Japanese DominateThe 1980s – The Japanese Dominate
Yaesu FT-757 FT-1000D FT-1000MP
Kenwood TS-520 TS-830 TS-940
Icom IC-737 IC-775 IC-756 Pro111

25. VHF – UHF – SHF gets serious!VHF – UHF – SHF gets serious!

26. Sputnik - Oct 4, 1957Sputnik - Oct 4, 1957
History changed on that day in 1957, when the Soviet
Union successfully launched Sputnik I on 20,015 Mhz.
The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a
beach ball 58 cm in diameter.
Sputnik weighed only 83.6 kg and took about 98 minutes
to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path. That launch
ushered in new political, military, technological, and
scientific developments.

27. Why was Sputnik a Milestone?Why was Sputnik a Milestone?

The Russian / American race was on for Space exploration

Electronics had to become smaller/lighter/faster

Computers fueled the demand for Integrated Circuits ( ICs )

Early 1960s – IC availability dried up – Military demand

Early 1970s – Amateur radio gear goes solid state

Late 1980s – Microprocessors appear in Ham gear

Early 1990s – DSP arrives

Early 2000s – Huge increase in sophistication (and price)

Middle 2000s – SDR (Software Defined Radio) arrives

Elecraft's K1, K2, K3 and KX3 + the FLEX series of SDR

28. The 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the InternetThe 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the Internet
See your results for award submissions
Enter QSO as it happens See it in your log window
Computer Logging programsComputer Logging programs

29. The 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the InternetThe 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the Internet

Online and Real time

See sunspot numbers

Smoothed index

Alpha Index

K Index

HF Conditions summary

VHF conditions summary

Geomagnetic fields

Noise level

MUF (Maximum Useable Frequencies)
Radio Propagation InformationRadio Propagation Information

30. The 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the InternetThe 1990s – The Rise of Computers & the Internet
Perfect to pick a path
Enter QSO as it happens
Grey Line PropagationGrey Line Propagation

31. SDR - Software Defined RadioSDR - Software Defined Radio

32. Current SDR HardwareCurrent SDR Hardware

33. DL1HF Shack – Flex 5000 SDRDL1HF Shack – Flex 5000 SDR

34. Is This The Future of Ham Radio?Is This The Future of Ham Radio?
Timeshare at $99.00 per monthTimeshare at $99.00 per month

35. What PriceWhat Price
DXing?DXing?

36. Will Ham radio die?Will Ham radio die?
No
100 years of Innovation
Satisfies the basic need to communicate
Satisfies the need to build something
Satisfies the need to “belong”
Satisfies the Need to compete
Yes
The internet can do it better and cheaper
It is “Old” technology

37. What do you think?What do you think?