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John H. DeWitt, Jr. (February 20, 1906 – January 25, 1999) was an American pioneer in radio broadcasting, radar astronomy and photometry. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Radar Astronomy is a technique of observing nearby astronomical objects by reflecting Microwaves off target objects and analyzing the echoes Photometry is a technique of Astronomy concerned with measuring the Flux, or intensity of an Astronomical object 's Electromagnetic He observed the first successful reception of radio echoes off the moon on January 10, 1946 as part of Project Diana. Earth-Moon-Earth, also known as moon bounce, is a radio communications technique which relies on the propagation of radio waves from an Earth -based transmitter directed Project Diana, named for the Roman Moon goddess Diana, was a project of the US Army Signal Corps to bounce radio signals off the Moon [1][2]

Contents

Biography

Early life

John Hibbett DeWitt, Jr. was born February 20, 1906 in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of judge John Hibbett DeWitt. He displayed an early interest in electrical engineering, specifically radio technology. Electrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of Engineering that deals with the study and application of He became an amateur radio operator in 1921[3] and used call sign N4CBC. See also Amateur radio An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an Amateur radio station to engage in two-way In Broadcasting and Radio communications a call sign (also known as a callsign or call letters, or abbreviated as a call, or otherwise [4] In 1924, he helped direct the design and installation of a 100-watt radio transmitter at First Baptist Church in Nashville, which would become the area's first commercial radio station. [5]

Career

DeWitt earned a bachelor's degree in engineering degree at Vanderbilt University in 1928, then began work at Bell Laboratories in Washington, DC the next year. Vanderbilt University is a private, Nonsectarian, Coeducational Research University in Nashville, Tennessee, Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) is the Research organization He returned to Nashville in 1932 to become chief engineer for WSM. WSM is the Callsign of a 50000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville Tennessee.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, he returned to Washington as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army to work at the United States Army Signal Corps' Evans Signal Laboratories on radar. Camp Evans, New Jersey is a former military base associated with Fort Monmouth. Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships He was appointed director of the Evans Laboratories in late 1943, where he headed Project Diana. Project Diana, named for the Roman Moon goddess Diana, was a project of the US Army Signal Corps to bounce radio signals off the Moon [6]

He retired from the Army in 1946 and worked for a year as a consultant to Clear Channel Communications, which was seeking approval for greater transmitter power. Clear Channel Communications is a media conglomerate company based in the United States. He became president of WSM in 1947, retiring in 1968.

Marriage and children

John H. DeWitt, Jr. was married twice and had two children. With first wife Ann Elise Martin DeWitt, he had a son, John Hibbett DeWitt III; with second wife Sykes Barbour Hewitt Neas, he had a daughter, Cary Claiborne DeWitt. [7]

Death and afterward

John H. DeWitt died January 25, 1999, 53 years to the day after making radio history. [8]

Awards

References

  1. ^ "Diana", TIME, 1946-02-04. Following several attempts to form a technical organization of Wireless practitioners in 1908-1912 the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE was finally established in 1912 The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  2. ^ Gould, Jack. "Moon Is Late for Demonstration Of How It Is Reached by Radar", New York Times, 1946-01-28, p.  21. Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  3. ^ Curtis, Anthony R. . "Space&Beyond: Moonbounce Advances the State of the Radio Art", American Radio Relay League, Inc. , 2002-02-21. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  4. ^ Famous Hams and ex-Hams
  5. ^ Sparks, Stephen F. . "Nashville's first licensed radio station at First Baptist Nashville", The Tennessean, 2007-05-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  6. ^ Kraus, John. "Diana Waves Back: The First Moon Bounce", Cosmic Search, Summer 1980, p.  27. Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  7. ^ DeWitt Family Information
  8. ^ "Moonbounce Pioneer John DeWitt Jr, N4CBC, SK", American Radio Relay League, Inc, 1999-02-02. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  9. ^ "Army Awards DeWitt Legion of Merit Medal - Conceived, Prepared First Drawing of Radar Set to Locate Enemy Mortars by Fire", The Tennessean, 1946-01-26. Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  
  10. ^ NAB Engineering Achievement Award Winners
  11. ^ Engineering Alumni - Vanderbilt University
  12. ^ "1995 Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame", Broadcasting & Cable, 1995-11-06. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Retrieved on 2007-11-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont  "The 1995 Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame inductees include radio and television industry members who have made significant contributions, from early contributors to present day personalities. Earle C. Anthony, Martin Block, Sid Caesar and Merlin Hall Aylesworth are among those honored, as well as Imogene Coca, John H. DeWitt Jr. , Geraldine Laybourne, Peter Jennings, Dinah Shore and Don Cornelius. " 

Further reading

External links

Persondata
NAME Dewitt, John H. Jr.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Dewitt, Jack
SHORT DESCRIPTION American radio astronomy pioneer. Observed first moonbounce (EME) transmission in 1946.
DATE OF BIRTH February 20, 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH Nashville, Tennessee, United States
DATE OF DEATH January 25, 1999
PLACE OF DEATH Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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