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 Jerry Fessenden's ancestor Reginald Fessenden
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| Author | Topic: Jerry Fessenden's ancestor Reginald Fessenden |
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Bob Maickel Member From: Floral Park, NY |
posted 21 December 2006 08:32 PM
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December 24th marks the 100th Anniversary of Jerry Fessenden's ancestor, Reginald Fessenden as the "Father of Radio Broadcasting". (Marconi not withstanding). Reginald was the first to transmit a radio signal modulated with voice and a violin solo, across the Atlantic ocean from a site in Massachusetts. Today we call it radio broadcasting. In recognition of the anniversary of this event there will be special activities taking place. Check out this web site for more info on Jerry's predecessor: http://w1f.k2cx.us/ I'm sure that Jerry has inherited some of the finer qualities of being an innovative inventor from Reginald. His steel guitars reflect that quality. |
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Herb Steiner Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX |
posted 21 December 2006 09:12 PM
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Bob, I agree. I've owned 3 Fessenden guitars, and all have had acceptable tone!  ------------------ |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 21 December 2006 10:17 PM
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Hey, there is a family resemblance! Two diligent workers. ------------------ |
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ed packard Member From: Show Low AZ |
posted 23 December 2006 07:53 AM
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It is genetic...I am told that Jerry has a first class FCC ticket, and was in radio broadcasting in cold chilly Maine once upon a time. |
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Jim Cohen Member From: Philadelphia, PA |
posted 23 December 2006 09:08 AM
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Heard a radio story about Reginald yesterday evening on NPR. He should have at least shared the credit that went to Marconi, who apparently only envisioned radio as a way to transmit morse code, and nothing else. Fessenden adapted it for voice! Family resemblence? Yes! I've always said Jerry has a face for radio! |
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Keith Cordell Member From: Atlanta |
posted 24 December 2006 11:38 AM
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Not to highjack the thread but Marconi is not the father of radio- the true inventor is Nikola Tesla, backed by US courts many years ago. |
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Joe Miraglia Member From: Panama, New York USA |
posted 24 December 2006 01:49 PM
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First is was Christopher Columbus,and now it's Marconi, I guess time can change history. Joe |
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Walter Jones Member From: Athens, Ohio USA |
posted 24 December 2006 03:44 PM
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Bob, tnx for the post, I read about this in QST and wondered if there was any connection. It was a nice article. |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 24 December 2006 08:04 PM
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quote: I heard that NPR feature too Jim. We must be listening to the same highbrow shows! ------------------ |
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Bob Maickel Member From: Floral Park, NY |
posted 25 December 2006 06:16 PM
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Thanks to all who have replied to my post. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Several years ago Jerry Fessenden advised me about Reginald and his accomplsihments. I admit that I was not really familiar with what "Fezzi" had accomplished, even tho I had been in radio broadcasting for many years. Marconi got all the publicity, Tesla, who was way ahead of Marconi got no publicity. I appreciate what Reginald accomplished, since I've had a 35 year career in radio and TV broadcasting in addition to being an FCC licensed 1st Class Radio Telephone and an Extra Class ham radio operator. (I plan to participate in the special Fessenden event on the ham frequencies on December 29th and 30th). Jerry is an FCC 1st phone licensee (now known as a General Radiotelephone Class), which doesn't relate to the steel guitar, but it is an accomplishment that requires much study and knowledge to pass the required Federal exams. Jerry understands mechanics, sound enhancement capabilities (from pick-ups to types of wood used in producing what steel players expect to hear out of an instrument and much more). I play a Fessy U-12 with 8 & 6. It's well built and has a sound very close to my 1968 Emmons D-10 push pull. I wonder what Reginald Fessenden would have accomplished if he were interested in building steel guitars? |
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Joe Buczek Member From: San Jose, California, USA |
posted 27 December 2006 06:05 PM
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I ran across this Wikipedia article on Reginald Fessenden a few days back and posted to the forum asking if the two Fessenden's were related, and look what I found here: The answer! Happy New Year to all! ------------------ |
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Bob Maickel Member From: Floral Park, NY |
posted 27 December 2006 06:36 PM
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Hi Joe, whatta you know, (boy that expression really dates me). Good for you. The Internet is a wondefull method to learn a lot, whether it be radio or steel guitar. I've been involved with both forms of expression (radio and steel guitar) since I was 17 years old and have enjoyed just about every second of the experiance. I knew nothing about playing steel until 1953, but I was totally infatuated with the sound produced by the competent players of the instrument at that time. In addition to recordings, Radio was a key factor. I greatly enjoyed listening to the WWVA Jamboree on Saturday Nights which featured steel players like Jimmie Crawford, Roger Blevins, and Harold Morrison as well as listening to the ABC Radio Network broadcasts of the 101 Ranch Boys from Lancaster, PA, featuring L.T. Zinn, Jack Wayne (Boo-Wah King) and other fine steelers, hearing these guys "live" on the radio really stimulated my interest in the steel guitar and contributed to my steel playing abilities. I had never imagined that I had experienced the fruits of the labor of Reginald Fessenden in Broadcasting, until Jerry Fessenden made it known to me. Without Reginald's efforts we'd no doubt be playing steel according to the Marconi/Morse method. ... -.- (SK) .. |
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