SILENT KEY

Leo Meyerson, WØGFQ, Radio Pioneer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Leo Meyerson, WØGFQ, is a renowned pioneer in the history of radio in the Midwest. His interest in wireless began in 1920, when after a classroom lecture in Council Bluffs about the advent of radio broadcasting stations, Leo and a friend built a one tube receiver on which they heard KDKA's first broadcast from Pittsburgh. A few years later, in 1924, with plans he found in a magazine, Leo built a small transmitter on which he broadcast music and news to neighbors. Leo was first licensed as an amateur radio operator in 1928, supporting his hobby with money earned as an organist, playing at the local theater during silent movie days.

In the mid 1930's Leo borrowed $1,000 from his father to launch Wholesale Radio Laboratories in Council Bluffs, which operated until Pearl Harbor in 1941. Leo and a friend, Al Shideler, then formed a company, Scientific Radio Products, to grind crystals for the U.S. military.

In 1943 their company won the Army-Navy E Award. After the war Leo returned his focus to WRL, which he soon renamed World Radio Laboratories, moving into manufacturing. The result was many transmitters which included the Globe Trotter, Globe Scout, Globe Chief, Globe Champion and Globe King. The company name changed to WRL Manufacturing in 1953 and to Globe Electronics in 1958, later to be sold to Textron in 1959.

Another manufacturing firm, Galaxy Electronics was formed by Leo in 1962. Its primary amateur products were the Galaxy 300, Galaxy III, Galaxy V, and GT-550 single sideband transceivers. Galaxy was sold to the Hy-Gain Antenna Company in 1970. Leo's son, Larry, became president of World Radio, which was converted into a successful consumer products company. Leo retired in 1977.

Throughout the years Leo has been very active with the public service aspect of his hobby. He is a life member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association, serving as a National Director from 1977 to 1987. In 1991 he was named the QCWA Amateur Member of the year and in 1994 he was inducted into the QCWA Hall of Fame. He is also a life member of the American Radio Relay League, Society of Wireless Pioneers, and International Mission Radio Association among other associations. In 1980 Leo was elected a fellow of the Radio Club of America, one of the most prestigious radio clubs in America.

Currently Leo spends a great deal of time with the The Leo Meyerson Radio Collection exhibit at Omaha's Western Heritage Museum. This display is one that projects a positive image of ham radio and is visited by thousands each month. It is billed as the "World's Largest Amateur Radio Exhibit." (Excerpted from Ham Hum - November 1994)

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The 1997 Dayton Hamvention Amateur of the Year is Leo I. Meyerson, W0GFQ of Omaha, NE. An amateur of 69 years, W0GFQ founded World Radio Labs. Was a manufacturer of countless transmitters and receivers including the Globe Scout and the Globe King.

"When I got started in the radio business, it was 1935. I catered especially to the radio amateurs. We had what we called a WRL-70 which was our first transmitter put out in 1937. And then we were working on a 150 watt rig when the war started.

When the war was over, I went back to building transmitters and getting into the amateur business again. And I realized that there would be a pent-up demand for equipment of all sorts. We designed the Globe King and all the rest of those items which sold very well." W0GFQ

Mr. Meyerson became a member of the QCWA in 1968. And was the first chairman of the QCWA Scholarship Program.

"They put me in charge of the scholarship program, which is my baby. Something near and dear to me." W0GFQ

At 86 years young, W0GFQ, who still plays tennis, plans on being at the Hamvention Banquet to accept his award.

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April 28, 1998 - Leo Meyerson Asks Help to Preserve Radio Collection

Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ, founder of World Radio Laboratories, is requesting the assistance of hams from Ak-Sar-Ben and other radio clubs interested in the preservation of the Leo Meyerson Radio Collection-an amateur radio resource of great historical and educational value to the community. The future of the collection at the Western Heritage Museum is currently in jeopardy.

In a letter dated April 28, 1998, Leo Meyerson wrote me saying:

".I am facing a dilemma concerning the Museum. We have a new Director-Randall Hayes, a nice fellow but one who apparently does not appreciate the amateur exhibit. It does not have a high priority in his thinking.

"It would be timely if you and a group would contact him and explain how important our exhibit is to the community and the contributions made in the past to make possible what we all enjoy today. His phone number is 444-5071. Hope I am not asking too much and would like to meet you soon.

"It would be a great help to me if a committee of interested hams from Ak-Sar-Ben and other clubs could contact Randall and offer to assist him as his knowledge of amateur radio is limited. I of course could help but just celebrated my 87th birthday and won't always be around. I spent many years accumulating the collection and many amateurs around the country have helped. So the museum has a responsibility to the donors. The former Director was very pro-amateur and we need new direction from the present one. 73, Leo."

The Leo Meyerson Radio Collection is now in storage at the Western Heritage Museum in Omaha, Nebraska. This collection traces the development of amateur radio from the Lee DeForest audion tube to the growth of World Radio as a major supplier of both commercial and amateur radio components.

This collection is a combination of Mr. Meyerson's collections and items donated by hundreds of dedicated individuals. It represents the beginning of a collection that was to be incorporated into a major communications exhibit with Western Heritage Museum as the designated repository.

The museum has a collection of over 200 radios, including the 1906 Lee DeForest Vacuum Tube, Spark Transmitter, Crosley Pup, early transmitting tubes, Globe Scout, Galaxy Amateur and Commercial Single Side Band Transceivers, and many other articles of interest including early receivers such as Breting, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, Howard, RME and National. Also included in the collection are over 1,700 items that have been placed in the museum's study collection for use by researchers. Over 5,000 receiving and transmitting tubes are also on hand. The exhibit had a working HAM station on both S.S.B. and A.M. as well as other hands-on activities for the public to enjoy.

On April 22, 1998, Terence E. Keane, Senior Curator of the Western Heritage Museum wrote:

"Three years ago [1995] the museum's Board of Trustees officially suspended all collecting and promotional efforts associated with the ham radio collection. Subsequent notices or printed materials about the collection that may have appeared were circulated without the museum's prior knowledge or approval. Other than a few radios to be included in a small exhibit on World Radio, all of the equipment is to remain in storage until its ultimate disposition is determined."

For those interested in more information on the Leo Meyerson Radio Collection and on Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ, the founder of World Radio Laboratories, it is posted on the World Wide Web at: http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/museum.htm and http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/w0gfq.htm or I can send it to you via E-mail or standard mail. Contact information for the Museum is:

Western Heritage Museum 801 South 10th Street Omaha, NE 68108-3299 Phone (402) 444-5071 FAX (402) 444-5397

73, Charlie, KP4MD/0 E-mail: kp4md@qsl.net Packet: KP4MD@WA0ZQG.#WIA.IA.USA.NA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Army Navy 'E' Award Oct. 2, 1943 Pictured are representatives of the Army and Navy and accepting the award are Rose Paluka, the editor of the company newsletter "Crystal Gazer", and Leo I. Meyerson

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