[Milsurplus] Re: [The WS No19] Dating the term "Walkie Talkie "

Tue, 19 Aug 2003 18:17:35 -0600

We must be "fair and balanced" or  be subject to litigation!
Interesting subject though.Dennis Starks had a series of articles covering the developement of Forest Service radios.He may have covered the topic,but I do not have those articles to refer too anymore.
 Jay
-----Original Message-----
From: Hue Miller [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 4:50 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc: Claudia & Reed Park; [email protected];
[email protected]
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Re: [The WS No19] Dating the term "Walkie
Talkie"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Hollander" <[email protected]>

> I worked for Motorola for 25 years and I always thought that Motorola
> had invented the Walkie Talkie until I met Al Gross, W8PAL who lived in
> the Phoenix area until becoming a silent key 3 years ago. Gross spoke at
> many ham club meetings in this area and claimed that he invented and
> patented the walkie talkie although I don't know if he trademarked the
> name "Walkie Talkie"

Everybody wants to be the first.
If the US Army already had as standard equipment in 1938,
a man-carried mobile radio set, how could Mr. Gross or
Mr. Hings "invent" it? Furthermore, if truly portable man-
carried radios were demonstrated, and portrayed in radio
magazines, in the mid-1930s, how could these gentlemen 
"invent" such?  Reminds me of the continuing claims about
who invented radio first, who did the first broadcast, etc.
Al Gross didn't invent the handie-talkie either: Motorola
did that, and invented it first. 
I guess you have to specify that now: "Invented it first!"
These claims illustrate the need to be careful when writing
history based on anecdote and personal accounts.
Hue Miller
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