I reposted this blog entry with an important update.
Back in 2012 after my Grandma passed away, my family was cleaning out the house. I got the privilege of going through everything that was in Grandpa's radio room upstairs. One of the things I found tucked away in a forgotten corner was a stack of flat boxes. These boxes contained old reel-to-reel analog tapes. I told Mom I couldn't bear to throw them away, because what if my Grandfather's voice was on them. I hadn't heard him speak since I was eleven years old. It took me almost four years to find the right equipment to play these tapes, and when I did, what I found was fascinating (to me). The tapes were like a trip back in time. Among the varied recordings were a Christmas morning with the kids unwrapping presents in 1966, my Aunt playing the piano and singing in 1974, a recording of President Nixon's resignation, a radio news broadcast about the Vietnam War, about 10 minutes of Grandpa pretending to talk to his daughters on the radio during a snow day in 1971. And the last tape was this, a recording about Government research in long distance communication.
I do know that Hughie was a civilian contractor for the United States Air Force after he was discharged from the Submarine Service, and he did that until he retired in 1975. He did some work for Raytheon helping to develop the field of telecommunications, including microwave, infra-red lasers, satellite and radar. This recording you are about to hear would have been lost forever it were not for these preservation efforts.
I had originally shared this as a private Facebook video, but I recently discovered Facebook videos can now be downloaded. So here at last, is the embedded video for you to watch and listen. The working tape deck I found actually has vacuum tubes in it, so it takes a minute to warm up... this is what the loud humming noise is when it comes on.
Back in 2012 after my Grandma passed away, my family was cleaning out the house. I got the privilege of going through everything that was in Grandpa's radio room upstairs. One of the things I found tucked away in a forgotten corner was a stack of flat boxes. These boxes contained old reel-to-reel analog tapes. I told Mom I couldn't bear to throw them away, because what if my Grandfather's voice was on them. I hadn't heard him speak since I was eleven years old. It took me almost four years to find the right equipment to play these tapes, and when I did, what I found was fascinating (to me). The tapes were like a trip back in time. Among the varied recordings were a Christmas morning with the kids unwrapping presents in 1966, my Aunt playing the piano and singing in 1974, a recording of President Nixon's resignation, a radio news broadcast about the Vietnam War, about 10 minutes of Grandpa pretending to talk to his daughters on the radio during a snow day in 1971. And the last tape was this, a recording about Government research in long distance communication.
I do know that Hughie was a civilian contractor for the United States Air Force after he was discharged from the Submarine Service, and he did that until he retired in 1975. He did some work for Raytheon helping to develop the field of telecommunications, including microwave, infra-red lasers, satellite and radar. This recording you are about to hear would have been lost forever it were not for these preservation efforts.
I had originally shared this as a private Facebook video, but I recently discovered Facebook videos can now be downloaded. So here at last, is the embedded video for you to watch and listen. The working tape deck I found actually has vacuum tubes in it, so it takes a minute to warm up... this is what the loud humming noise is when it comes on.
On this tape, he's rehearsing for a presentation he was to give at his job as a civilian contractor for the Department of Defense, the exact date is unknown. His voice on the tape sounds a little plodding and monotone, I think he was reading from notes. What he's talking about is an experimental acoustic coupler modulator - demodulator, otherwise known as a modem, and how it can potentially enable "wide band digital data transmission capability" ...the precursor to today's internet. He even hints at the possibility of wireless data transfer through radio signal and how atmospheric phenomena such as rain and lightning can cause interference. (ever notice how the internet is slower on rainy days?) This is mind-blowing.
But the year is 1973, and the public won't have access to it for another 20 years. Sadly (or thankfully) he did not live to see what it would eventually become. But this is his actual voice, not heard in over two decades.
He was involved in the development of ARPANET. That is just amazing.
Note: he states at the start of this recording that the information is declassified.
