[Collins] Hilmer Swanson - In Memory

[Sheldon Daitch]

In Memory:
Hilmer Irvin Swanson, 1932 – 2005

Legendary broadcast innovator and retired Harris senior scientist
invented every modulation technique used in modern AM broadcast transmitters;
credited with slashing global AM transmitter power consumption costs by well over
100 million dollars during the past 20 years

QUINCY, Illinois, July 25, 2005 – Hilmer I. Swanson, 72, legendary broadcast innovator who invented every modulation technique used
in modern AM broadcast transmitters during his 35-year tenure at Harris Corporation’s Broadcast Communications Division, died at
10:10 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 2005 at North Adams Home in Mendon, Illinois.

Mr. Swanson was born July 25, 1932 in Davenport, Iowa. He was the son of Hilmer and Eugenia Ipsen Swanson. He married Carolyn J.
Chrissinger on June 22, 1957 in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa. She survives along with four children and five
grandchildren.

Hilmer graduated from Davenport High School and attended Valparaiso Technical Institute in Valparaiso, Indiana.  After two years he
was drafted into the Army during the Korean War and was trained in the 10th Army Mountain Division at Fort Riley, Kansas.  Hilmer
was sent to the Army Radio Signal School where he graduated with honors. He received an honorable discharge on June 25, 1953.

After being employed for a short time at Bendix in Davenport where he worked on his first invention, the Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner,
Hilmer decided to continue his education at Iowa State University at Ames. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering
from Valparaiso Technical Institute. He then went on to graduate school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City where he worked as a
student teacher while pursuing a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, which he received on February 4, 1961.  Hilmer
was a life member of Sigma Xi, Science Honor Fraternity; an Honorary Member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers; and a life member
of IEEE.

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Dallas, Texas, Hilmer started his career in broadcasting working for Collins Radio.  A friend suggested he
contact Parker Gates, whose inventions had led to the founding of Gates Radio (acquired by Harris Corporation) in Quincy, Illinois.
Mr. Gates, who was interested in AM transmitters, gave Hilmer a desk and lab space. Hilmer worked for Gates/Harris for 35 years.

During his career, Hilmer was awarded 27 U.S. patents and numerous international patents. His pioneering work in broadcasting
literally changed the face of contemporary radio broadcasting.  Believed to have contributed more to AM transmission technology than
anyone else, Hilmer invented every type of AM modulation – PDM (Pulse Duration Modulation); Progressive Series Modulation; Polyphase
PDM, and Digital Amplitude Modulation, the world’s first digital radio modulation technique used in Harris DX Series transmitters.
Hilmer’s innovations not only have significantly improved the sound quality of AM radio, enabling AM transmitters to deliver FM
quality sound, but they have also significantly increased transmitter energy efficiency.  It is estimated that over the past 20
years, Hilmer’s innovations have slashed the world’s AM transmitter power bill by well over $100 million.

In recognition of his contributions to radio, in 1990, Hilmer received the most prestigious technical award in the broadcast
industry, the National Association of Broadcaster’s Engineering Achievement Award.  In honor of this award, Harris named one of its
company streets at its Quincy complex and established a scholarship at John Wood Community College for students in the Radio
Broadcast technology program in Hilmer’s name.

Over the years, Hilmer contributed to the advancement of broadcasting by authoring numerous articles and technical reports and
frequently delivering presentations at top industry conferences.  Among his most significant contribution was his behind-the-scenes
mentoring of talented young engineers and technicians, including: Brian Cox, who helped Hilmer develop the first PDM transmitters;
Steve Cane, who was Hilmer’s technician for DX; Geoff Mendenhall, vice president of research and development at Harris’ Broadcast
Communications Division who was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Engineering Achievement Award in 1999; and
most recently Ky Luu, Harris senior scientist, who has continued the work that Hilmer started on DX technology.

“I first met Hilmer in 1973 when I went to work for the Gates Radio division of Harris as a young engineer,” said Geoff Mendenhall.
“Hilmer had a quiet manner and was a man of few words, but when he did speak, he had everyone’s undivided attention.  What he had to
say was always relevant and important to the task at hand. Hilmer was a ‘gentleman farmer’ and we used to joke about what new
invention Hilmer came up with while riding his tractor in the fields behind his home.  He was an environmentalist who raised his own
crops organically and experimented with solar energy for his home.

“Hilmer was a tremendous technical resource and mentor to all of us.  When we ran into a particularly challenging technical problem,
we could always depend on Hilmer for help on a simple, but elegant solution.  He was always willing to travel anywhere in the world
to solve a technical problem in the field and in doing so, he become a radio engineering legend around the world,” Mendenhall
added.  “I will miss my friend, mentor, and colleague.  He is now part of Radio History.”

Hilmer is also remembered by Tom Yingst, a long-time friend and colleague who served as vice president and general manager of Harris
Broadcast Division from 1988 through 1991 and continued as VP of special projects after his retirement:  “I first met Hilmer in the
1960s at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids.  He was involved with Warren Bruene and Ken Bringer in high power SW (shortwave) projects –
mostly for the Voice of America.  Later while I was at RCA in the late ‘60s, my team was the developer and supplier of all the RF
systems for the Quincy entry into the VHF television transmitter market.  During that time, Hilmer was part of the Quincy team and
was deeply involved in the development of tube-type AM systems for the shortwave and medium wave markets, including the VP100 and
SW100 transmitters.

“I was always involved with Quincy in some way as a supplier up to my full-time arrival in 1988, and had the privilege of viewing
the beginning of solid-state MW transmitters developed by Hilmer and his team,” Yingst recalled.  “These breakthroughs led to the DX
(solid-state, digital amplitude modulation AM transmitter) design.  Little did I know that one day I would have the privilege of
working directly with Hilmer Swanson – one of the world’s outstanding AM engineers.  The success of the DX transmitter design was
directly related to Hilmer’s concepts and allowed Harris to become a leader in the world AM transmitter market at power levels from
10 through 2000 kilowatts.

“Hilmer was a true friend and an unassuming person – very quiet but always thinking about how to make his projects better each day.
When technical people talked to Hilmer, they knew he was a clear leader in his chosen field.  Hilmer will be a great loss to the
worldwide market.  He loved this market and has developed many friendships and colleagues worldwide.  Hilmer, an engineering legend,
will live on as people review his numerous patents and inventions as AM moves forward in the future,” Yingst said.

During his years at Harris, Hilmer received many awards, including the company's highest technical honor, the Harris Fellow Award.
During the Fellow Award presentation at Harris Corporation’s headquarters in Melbourne, Florida, Phillip W. Farmer, former Harris
chairman, president and CEO, said: "Mr. Swanson, a Senior Scientist at the Broadcast Communications Division has become a Radio
Engineering legend in his own time. It is believed that no one has contributed more to the advancement of AM Broadcast radio
transmitters than Hilmer Swanson. His most famous is his PDM and PSM and his "Crown Jewel" the DX technology of Harris AM broadcast
product Line."  Portraits of Hilmer now hang at the Harris Corporation’s headquarters in Melbourne, Florida and in the Broadcast
Communications Division headquarters in Mason, Ohio
Hilmer is also the central figure on the recently dedicated “Patent Wall” in Mason.

The man behind the broadcasting legend was even more impressive.  Those who were honored to know Hilmer knew well the man who was
described as “a humble, loving, quiet man giving all glory to God for his accomplishments.”  Hilmer was an active member of St.
James Lutheran Church in Quincy who served as an Elder and on the Ushering team. He served in the prison ministry at the state
prison in Mt. Sterling, Illinois and always supported missions and missionaries.  Hilmer donated his talents as a technical
consultant to the design and construction of shortwave AM transmitters used by the famous HCJB religious ministry broadcasting from
Quito, Ecuador.  After he retired in 1999, he and his wife Carolyn continued their travels doing missionary work in Palau, Chili and
Estonia by putting Christian AM Radio Stations on the air.

Survivors in addition to his wife are three sons, Timothy James Swanson and his wife Penny; John Matthew Swanson and his wife Becky
of Quincy; and Peter Joseph Swanson of Minneapolis, Minnesota; a daughter Elizabeth Sarah Swanson Heskett and her husband Geoff
Heskett of Parker. Colorado; two grandsons Derek Hilmer Swanson and Douglas James Swanson; three-step granddaughters Misty Riutzel
and her husband David, Kayla Meehan and Kendra Meehan; two sisters Eileen Woodward of Windom, Ct., and Dorothy Carter of Peosta,
Iowa and several nieces and nephews.  Hilmer was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Lawrence, a sister Lillian, and his
infant twin children Daniel Mark Swanson and Deborah Martha Swanson.

Services will be Wednesday morning (July 27, 2005) at 10 a.m. at St .James Lutheran Church by the Rev. Marlin Rempfer.  Burial will
be in Quincy Memorial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home.  Memorials contributions
may be made to St. James Radio Broadcast or to his latest project, the Estonia AM Radio Project. American Legion Post 37 will
conduct full military rites at the cemetery.

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