THE TWO-WAY RADIO

Another Motorola First
(remind me to buy some stock)
Dr. Noble originated the systems planning for the Connecticut State Police radio system and personally supervised every phase of site selection, testing and design detail. Completed in 1940, this was the first two-way state police system to be placed in operation and the first practical two-way FM radio telephone mobile system in the world.

The news of the innovative Connecticut system spread quickly. Paul Galvin, of the Galvin Manufacturing Corp. offered Noble a position as Director of Research in 1940. In 1941 Teh cumbersomely named "Galvin Manufacturing Corp" reincorporated as Motorola.

In 1943, Daniel E. Noble designed the first portable FM two-way radio for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. This radio weighed 35 pounds, had a range of 10 to 20 miles, and became known as a “walkie-talkie.” Initially it was known as the Handie-Talkie radio (sounds oddly like a dirty joke I once heard) The model SCR536 Handie-Talkie AM radio is used during World War II to link soldiers in the field to each other and to a central command. Its immediate millitary value cannot be over exaggerated.

He also had a heavy hand in the beginnings of many great Conecticut stations including WDRC, and WHUS. He also performed a series of experiments with high frequency broadcasting from W1XSL at 40.3 MHz. It was renamed W1XPW in early 1938.

More here: http://www.wdrcobg.com/noble1.html

Daniel E. Noble was born on October 4, 1901, in Naugatuck, Connecticut, received his B.S. degree in engineering from UCONN [go huskies] and attended MIT graduate student.
-There is a great Noble bio on the equally great www.ieee.com

Noble died on 16 February 1980, at the age of 78