Oklahoma has a unique place in amateur radio history. Oklahoma became a state in 1907, years after radio had already become a commercial success. It appears that this didn’t slow down early radio use and experimentation in the state. Here are some of the highlights throughout the past 110+ years.
Collector & Emitter Newsletter
From January 1975 through January 2002, a group of amateur radio clubs created the Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs (CORA) that produced monthly newsletters. We have collected all of these issues and put them online at https://w5nor.org/ce for you to review. This newsletter provides a monthly look at the amateur radio activities in Central Oklahoma.
Amateur Radio Callbooks
The good folks at Google and Archive.org have captured the callbooks of the past. These callbooks can be found online for the years 1920 and beyond. Oklahoma City, Lawton, and McAlester were the centers of activity. Oklahoma’s amateur radio community numbered 14 in 1920, just 13 years past statehood. Currently, about one hundred years later there are about 10,000 licensed hams in the state.
Finding Old Callsigns
To document the history of amateur radio in Oklahoma, you might need to find old callsigns. An interesting article that helps with the process can be found here. He says that “the first call books were published by the government.” They became a commercial business in the 1920’s. The government quit printing them in the 1930’s. Probably not a surprise since that was the start of the Great Depression.
Firsts and Records in the Amateur Community
Marshall Williams
Lucky
Randy West
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Floods, fires, tornadoes, Murrah bombing, OKC Memorial Marathon, Bike-MS, Katrina
Others train for emergencies, we just call it Spring.
SkyWarn
Doppler Radar Research
Oklahoma Repeater Society, Inc.
The Oklahoma Repeater Society, Inc. (ORSI) was created to coordinate efforts and establish standards in regard to repeater functions and their associated functions. This group works to solve frequency allocation issues by coordinating the entire state. ORSI also works with the surrounding state coordination groups to solve issues that may exist near the borders.
QST Archives
Also, another excellent source of amateur radio activity in Oklahoma is the QST archives. ARRL members can search the archives from December 1915 to the present at http://www.arrl.org/arrl-periodicals-archive-search.
Local Amateur Radio Operators of Note
Carl Drumueller W5JJ was a prolific author in 73 Magazine. All of the 73 Magazine issues are available free online from Archive.org. He was also the editor of the original C & E from the Aeronautical Center Amateur Radio Club. Only one issue of the Aeronautical Center newsletter has been located, and it’s the last issue ever published. That issue is available here. W5JJ’s callsign has been reassigned to the Harrison Amateur Radio Society in Arkansas.
Jim Kyle K5JKX was also a prolific amateur radio author. He wrote many articles and these are mostly in 73 Magazine.
Jack Bickham ex-WA5TZZ KU5B was an American author who wrote 75 published novels, of which two were made into movies, The Apple Dumpling Gang and Baker’s Hawk. Jack was a member of the University of Oklahoma School of Journalism faculty. Jack wrote many amateur radio articles and columns. The most famous was a story based on a character called QR Zedd. This series is available on this website here.
Owen K. Garriott W5LFL is a former NASA astronaut, from Enid, who first flew on the Skylab 3 mission in 1973 On that flight he set a world record for space flight duration of approximately 60 days, more than double the previous record. He operated the first amateur radio station in space, W5LFL, on that flight. Owen’s second flight was on the STS-9 (Spacelab 1) flight.
International Crystal Manufacturing
International Crystal Manufacturing (ICM) started in the garage of Royden Freeland, Sr. in 1950 and ceased operation in May 2017. ICM’s first task was to produce the crystals for the Collins Radio Company. Royden Sr. and his wife died in an airplane crash in 1978. His son, Royden Freeland, Jr. took over the business and ran it until it closed. ICM was a proud supplier to Radio Shack until they closed. The use of synthesized radios reduced the demand for custom cut crystals.
Sentry Manufacturing Company
Sentry Manufacturing Company was another crystal manufacturer, located at 1201 Crystal Park in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Sentry split off from ICM (not a pleasant split) and started their operations in 1968. Sentry workers terminated or laid off in 2004/205 received a special Trade Readjustment Assistance, stated here. Sentry was sold to International Crystal Manufacturing in May of 2005.
K-W Manufacturing Company
K-W Manufacturing Company made frequency counters and other similar devices. They also provided crystals for the U. S. Army. They were located at 919 S. 8th, Prague, Oklahoma. They started operations in 1969 and were first incorporated in 1971.
RPT Magazine
Details early FM activity.
Tulsa Repeaters
I think it starts with the WA5LVT Repeater (WA 5 Loud Voice of Tulsa) in Tulsa. The trustee was Pat Devlin WA5BPS.
Oklahoma City Repeaters
The Oklahoma City repeaters came along next. The Oklahoma City Repeater was WA5YTI. The trustee was Baxter Wayne Hogan WA5AOB. By this time there was the OKC Autopatch Club on 22/82 and perhaps a couple of others.
Enid Repeaters
The Enid repeater was one of the early machines.
Norman Repeaters
The first license application for the 146.28/88 repeater at the University of Oklahoma was dated April 22, 1974, although the repeater was operating before that application. The Alpha Sigma Delta Radio Society was the official school club and held the original licensee. The repeater call sign was WR5AFW (A Football Winner). The club has existed in various incarnations since the 1920’s. It has been known as the Alpha Sigma Delta Radio Fraternity, the Oklahoma University Amateur Radio Club, informally as the “688 autopatch club”, and has operated under the W5TC callsign.
Oklahoma Amateur Radio in the News
2011-06-25 – Edmond OK Field Day on NewsOK
Many thanks to Micheal Salem N5MS, Gordon Jones W5OU, and Peter Laws N5UWY.