HELLO! Hams Celebrate 100 years of Voice Over Radio

DAYTON, Ohio, May 18, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- 

In 1906 Reginald Fessenden accomplished the first voice radio broadcast. This historic accomplishment caused thousands of inquisitive hobbyists to join the ranks of those experimenting with this new fangled technology. They were, and are still, called "amateur" radio operators - or "hams." While commercial broadcasting didn't begin for another 14 years, it was the amateurs who labored in attics, barns, garages and cellars to perfect what we now call Radio. Amateur Radio operators continue to be at the forefront, developing technologies years in advance of when they are rolled out to the public. FM, television, mobile telephones, VoIP technologies, fax machines -These were all used by amateur radio operators years ahead of the public. This year, hams celebrate this 100 year tradition and also look at all the new technologies that hams are exploring.

ARRL President Joel Harrison stated, "The centennial of the human voiceover the air shows the dedication of amateur radio operators over the past century. ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, is proud to represent the American ham radio legions of well over half a million trained communications volunteers. These same ha