[QCWA Hotlist] Logbooks from 1913 to 1927

[Bob Roske]

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Miami University of Ohio are 
seeking copies of amateur station logs from 1913-1927 in hopes they may 
offer insights into the relationship between individuals' work and leisure 
activities, technology, and their social networks.

"Early hams laid the foundation for the now-ubiquitous use of technology for 
communications and entertainment," said Director of Engineering and 
Operations for Wisconsin Public Radio Steve Johnston, WD8DAS. "Many 
operators did not work in a technical field, but pursued Amateur Radio as a 
hobby for its own sake. This is a true success story about how a pastime can 
develop into an entirely new commercial and social phenomenon."

Phil Kim, an Assistant Professor at the Wisconsin School of Business, has 
noted that diaries, letters, QSL cards and station logs can contain valuable 
insights into the link between an individual's occupation, hobbies and 
friends. Early in Amateur Radio history, thousands of ham radio enthusiasts 
were licensed by the government to comply with the Radio Act of 1912, and 
began to more carefully document the new communications era.

"Amateur Radio operators during this time period were on the forefront of a 
new method of communication and social interaction, similar to how social 
media is evolving today," Kim said. "We notice a lot of similarities between 
these two groups, even across time."

Steve Lippmann, an Assistant Professor at Miami University of Ohio, 
concurred: "We can learn a lot about ourselves -- and our own 
interactions -- from how these pioneers pursued their hobby and expanded 
their social networks."

In an effort to uncover new information about approaches to work and leisure 
time and the development of social networks, Kim, Lippmann and Johnston are 
comparing early ham licensing records from the Department of Commerce with 
detailed information in amateur operators' station logs. If you happen to 
have an old ham station log from the period (1913-1927) that you would like 
to include in this study, please contact Steve Johnston, WD8DAS, via johnson 
at wpr dot net or by telephone at (608) 262-5584.