VP9F
Reginald Fassenden
2nd - 7th October 2007
The Radio Society of Bermuda provided a demonstration of two-way
emergency communication for students of Whitney Institute. The demo at The Bermuda Aquarium included a static display of radio memorabilia
including early radio licenses. The event was held to commemorate
the birth of Reginald Fessenden VP9F on the 6th of October 1866.
VP9F was activated from the 2nd to the 7th of October.
Royal Gazette article.
VP9F was active from 23 December, 2006 to 2 January, 2007 by VP9 Operators in honour of
Reginald A. Fessenden, the first permit holder of VP9F.
Fessenden was a pioneer in radio having made the first AM transmission
100 years ago.
Please QSL using the VP9I information.
Reginald A. Fessenden, VP9F ~ the Bermuda Connection
Born in Canada in 1866 he travelled to Bermuda and in 1886, he accepted
the principalship of Whitney Institute in Smith's Parish, Bermuda.
During his brief tenure as principalship of the Whitney Institute in
Bermuda, Fessenden met his future wife, Helen May Trott, in 1885. They
were married in 1890.
Fessenden was issued the Bermuda Amateur Radio callsign, VP9F, in about 1929.
Reginald Aubrey Fessenden died in his house 'Wistowe' by the sea in
Flatts, Bermuda on 22 July, 1932. Burial was in St. Mark's Church
cemetery, and over the vault was erected a memorial with fluted columns.
On the stone lintel across the top were inscribed the words:
His mind illuminated the past
And the future
And wrought greatly
For the Present
Beneath the scribed words, in the picture-writing of the ancient
Egyptians was
I am yesterday and I know tomorrow.
His son summarized his greatest achievements in one sentence: "By his
genius, distant lands converse and men sail unafraid upon the deep".
(Photo shows a Memorial Service on 22nd December 2006 marking the 100th
Anniversary of the first AM Radio transmission by Fessenden)
Do you know:
1. Who first used the word and the method of continuous waves?
2. Who was first to transmit voice over radio?
3. Who devised a detector for continuous waves?
4. Who first used the method, and the word heterodyne?
5. Who was first to send two-way wireless telegraphy messages across the Atlantic ocean?
6. Who was first to send wireless telephony (voice) across the Atlantic Ocean?
7. Who made the world's first wireless broadcast (voice and music)?
The answer to all seven questions is Reginald Aubrey Fessenden, a
Canadian-born radio pioneer, working in the United States. Fessenden
must clearly be the pioneer of radio communications as we know it today.
I wonder how many of you have heard of him?
History of radio link
Link to Christmas Eve Broadcast:
http://groups.msn.com/fessenden/christmasevebroadcastandchristmaspresents.msnw
Link
