E. Jack Goforth (K4IBP)

R.A. Fessenden, while noted as a wireless pioneer, in my opinion has never received the credit given Marconi and DeForest for his contribution to the development of early wireless. Many amateurs think of Marconi as the father of radio, but after reviewing the accomplishments of Fessenden, one could make a case that they are misinformed.

Fessenden was born in Canada, attended Bishop's College, and became chief chemist for Thomas Edison. While it was Marconi that sent the first signals, (the letter "S") across the Atlantic, it was Fessenden that built the first two-way transatlantic telegraph circuit from Brant Rock, Mass. to a similar station in Scotland. This station consisted of a 450-foot tower and a variety of both transmitters and receivers.

Perhaps the greatest of many Fessenden inventions for wireless was that of an "alternator" that produced the first CW or continuous wave signals. It was only a short time until Fessenden produced the first voice transmission in 1900 and general public broadcasts in 1905 and 1906. These were heard in Scotland and many areas of America.

Much of his wireless work was done at Brant Rock, but he later moved to New London, CT where he invented sonar, initially as a communication device between ships and submarines.

Fessenden's parents wanted him to be a minister or teacher. When he told them he dreamed of an invention that could send voices around the world without wires, his mother said "There is no future in that." Later in his life Fessenden said, "She was both right and wrong."

Fessenden patented more than 500 inventions, but lived most of his life in poverty. Like others, he had to fight in court to defend his patents years before ever receiving a penny for his work. Fessenden lived to see many that laughed at him, buying radios and using the technology he developed for both transmitting and receiving. Like Michael Dell and Bill Gates, Fessenden never finished college.

Fessenden was truly the father of sonar and developed its use for the U.S. Navy. Unfortunately, the US was more interested in using his underwater sound technology for communications rather than ranging when he demonstrated it in 1914. The British took his principles and developed the ASDIC system before the U.S. Navy realized what they already had in Fessenden's sonar.

In 1929, Fessenden won Scientific American's Gold Medal for the fathometer, which determined the depth of water under a ship's hull. So the next time you use CW, Phone, or listen to a radio broadcast or use your fish finder, think of Fessenden---he did it first!!

…Marconi who ?

L.B. Cebik (W4RNL) gave an excellent forum on HF antennas and what we can anticipate in the future. L.B. is a nationally recognized authority on antenna systems, and it was an honor to have him make the presentation. He is a professor at UT, serves as Assistant Director for the Delta Division and is a Technical and Educational Advisor for the ARRL.

Scott Robbins (W4PA) from Ten-Tec, Inc., brought their new Pegasus PC-Controlled HF Transceiver and gave an excellent forum on this new technology equipment. The price is attractive, too. A local TV station shot video footage of the transceiver for use in their newscast. Scott is very active in the Tennessee Contest Group (TCG) and is an avid contester.

Willard Sitton (W4HZD) gave a great talk on CW, and conducted the two CW contests. The first was the "Paddlette High Speed CW Contest" named in honor of the companies contribution of a key as the award for winning the contest. Willard also did the "Left Foot CW Contest" for fun again this year. Each person who could send their call using the left foot got a nice certificate.

Jack Goforth (K4IBP) recruited people interested in attending a new ham radio class he is conducting with Willard. Over 23 people signed up for a future class. Jack has worked to produce some radio spots to promote the class, and Sam Brown graciously recorded the tape. Both Jack and Willard have conducted ham radio classes and are ready to go at it again.

Dan Miller (K3UFG) from ARRL headquarters gave a presentation titled "Amateur Radio in the Year 2020--How the ARRL Sees the Future." Dan is the ARRL Field and Educational Services Correspondent. The forum was very well attended, and a free prize drawing (courtesy of the League) was conducted for those who attended the forum. Dan was also presented a plaque in recognition of the outstanding support given to the hamfest. Dan was first licensed in 1962 as KN3UFG. He holds an Extra Class License. Since joining the ARRL, he has taught classes in amateur radio, participated in VE sessions, and is responsible for working with ARRL registered teachers and volunteer instructors.

Gould Smith (WA4SXM) gave a great talk on amateur satellite communication, and conducted an actual demonstration of satellite communication during a favorable pass of AO-27 shortly after 11:30 am. A group of about 15 interested people gathered outside to watch the demonstration.

Individuals such as these, and others like them, really add a lot to a hamfest by their presentations.

 (Excerpted from Sam Venable's column)

Anybody who was born technically challenged - and we know who we are - surely leaped for joy when they heard Morse code has been deep-sixed.

This momentous event occurred a few days ago when an agreement, forged by the United Nations, officially ended the use of those hateful dots and dashes for international communication.

  As far as I'm concerned, Morse code should have been eliminated 40 years ago, when I was trying to decipher it as a Boy Scout.

The Scout people didn’t listen to me, nor to other frustrated campers who followed. In fact, it wasn't until 1991 that Boy Scouting and Morse coding went their separate ways.

Morse code is named after Samuel F.B. (which stood for Fried Brain) Morse, who was born April 27, 1791, in Charlestown, Mass. A devious boy, Morse used to aggravate his neighbors by walking around town making stupid sounds like "dit-dah-dit-dit-dah-dit" instead of using words.

He patented the telegraph machine in 1840. Alas, nothing much became of his invention until nearly a century later, when Hollywood started cranking out B-grade Western movies. That's when Morse's heirs reaped millions of dollars in royalties every time someone off-camera made the sound of dit-dah-dit-dit-dah-dit" whenever the U.S. Marshal sent and urgent message to Topeka.

On paper, morse code is not that difficult. The letter "a," for instance, comes out as dot-dash, or the sound "dit-dah." The letter "b" is dash-dot-dot-dot, or dah-dit-dit-dit. Given enough time and an ample amount of Milk Duds purchased from the camp store, any fool could sit in his Boy Scout tent and memorize the system.

But actually use the code?

Impossible. At least it was for me. No matter how carefully I listened, I never could make heads or tails out of the stupid beeping thing.

The Boy Scouts had a signaling merit badge back then. At camp, our instructor would tap out a Morse code message, and all my buddies would immediately scribble the correct answer - "The black horse just swam across the creek" - on a piece of paper.

I would look studious and chew on my pencil until my mouth was full of wood fibers and graphite.

Finally, I'd write down something like, "Twisted underwear hurts worse when you bend over."

Then, horror of horrors, we would have to send a message back to the merit badge instructor.

All the other happy campers would successfully knock out an interesting ditty like, "Poison ivy has three leaves."

The best he ever got from me was on the order of "Farstnagle."

I never did earn my signaling merit badge.

Not that Boy Scouting was a miserable experience. Quite the contrary. I loved it. Except for that wretched Morse code business, I learned a lot. I still know how to sharpen knives, pitch tents, cook camp meals and tie square knots.

Speaking of which, I wish somebody had jerked a square knot in Samuel F.B. Morse's farstnagle a long time ago.