HAM RADIO DURING THE WORLD WARS: A Technical and Cultural History (1914-1945) by R L Efird

In April 1917, thousands of amateur radio stations across America fell silent. The government ordered every ham operator off the air, dismantling a vibrant community overnight in the name of national security. This is their story. This concise but comprehensive history chronicles amateur radio operators from 1914 to 1945—a period when the hobby faced its greatest challenges and made its most significant contributions... Ham Radio During the World Wars chronicles the remarkable history of amateur radio operators from 1914 to 1945—a period when the hobby faced its greatest challenges and made its most significant contributions. From the spark-gap transmitters of 1914 to the sophisticated equipment of 1945, this comprehensive history explores how two world wars both silenced and galvanized the amateur radio community. Drawing on contemporary amateur radio magazines (QST, The Electrical Experimenter), military archives, and Special Operations Executive records from the Imperial War Museum, this book reveals: Read more