As a designer for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), in 1924, Richard Ranger invented the wireless photoradiogram, or transoceanic radio facsimile, the forerunner of today’s fax machines. A photograph of President Calvin Coolidge sent from New York to London in November 1924 became the first photo picture reproduced by transoceanic radio facsimile. Commercial use of Ranger’s product began two years later.
In 1930, he formed a company, Rangertone, Inc., in Newark, New Jersey. The company, which marketed the electronic 'Rangertone Organ',[1] was sold after his death, and remains privately owned as Rangertone Research, Inc.
In 1932, he invented the NBC chime machine, an automatic device to reproduce the familiar hand-struck NBC chimes used by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) radio network. By connecting his electrically operated chimes with outdoor loudspeakers, he was later able to create the effect of church bells. He also did other work relating to electronic organs.
During World War II, he returned to the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a Colonel and was put in charge of radar and communications at the Radio and Radar Test Labs in Orlando, Florida. He later went to Europe as part of Field information Agency, Technical, an investigative team between 1944 and 1946 to examine German advances in electronics and wrote a series of technical reports on electrical components, communications, television, and (most significantly) magnetic tape recording.[2]
After the war, Ranger's work led to further development of magnetic tape recorders. He developed a product using the German technology, and demonstrated it to potential users, including the members of the Institute of Radio Engineers, the National Broadcasting Company, the Radio Corporation of America, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and individuals like singer Bing Crosby.
His subsequent refinements led to improved synchronization of sound and visual portions of films. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Ranger with an Oscar in 1956 for his development of the tape recorder and synchronization of film and sound.
Richard H. Ranger was inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997.
See alsoedit
Jack Mullin - Another magnetic tape pioneer in America.
^Hans-Joachim Braun, Music and technology in the twentieth century. JHU Press, 2002, pp.17-18.
^. Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2008-04-26. Biography of Richard Ranger, retrieve 2010 Nov 9
Obituary in The New York Times, 12 Jan 1962, page 23
External linksedit
1997 Awardees - New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame
History of the NBC Chimes
- article on the 1924 transatlantic photoradiogram
- article on the 1925 transpacific photoradiogram
Media related to Richard Howland Ranger (engineer) at Wikimedia Commons
April 13, 2024
richard, ranger, richard, howland, ranger, june, 1889, january, 1962, american, electrical, engineer, music, engineer, inventor, born, indianapolis, indiana, john, hilliard, emily, anthen, gillet, ranger, served, army, signal, corps, during, world, earning, ra. Richard Howland Ranger 13 June 1889 10 January 1962 was an American electrical engineer music engineer and inventor He was born in Indianapolis Indiana the son of John Hilliard and Emily Anthen Gillet Ranger He served in the U S Army Signal Corps during World War I earning the rank of Major After the war he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT from 1919 to 1923 Scientists attending a tour of the RCA Brunswick wireless station 1921 Left to right Albert W Hull GE E B Pillsbury RCA Saul Dushman GE Richard H Ranger RCA Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBiography editAs a designer for the Radio Corporation of America RCA in 1924 Richard Ranger invented the wireless photoradiogram or transoceanic radio facsimile the forerunner of today s fax machines A photograph of President Calvin Coolidge sent from New York to London in November 1924 became the first photo picture reproduced by transoceanic radio facsimile Commercial use of Ranger s product began two years later In 1930 he formed a company Rangertone Inc in Newark New Jersey The company which marketed the electronic Rangertone Organ 1 was sold after his death and remains privately owned as Rangertone Research Inc In 1932 he invented the NBC chime machine an automatic device to reproduce the familiar hand struck NBC chimes used by the National Broadcasting Company NBC radio network By connecting his electrically operated chimes with outdoor loudspeakers he was later able to create the effect of church bells He also did other work relating to electronic organs During World War II he returned to the U S Army Signal Corps as a Colonel and was put in charge of radar and communications at the Radio and Radar Test Labs in Orlando Florida He later went to Europe as part of Field information Agency Technical an investigative team between 1944 and 1946 to examine German advances in electronics and wrote a series of technical reports on electrical components communications television and most significantly magnetic tape recording 2 After the war Ranger s work led to further development of magnetic tape recorders He developed a product using the German technology and demonstrated it to potential users including the members of the Institute of Radio Engineers the National Broadcasting Company the Radio Corporation of America the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and individuals like singer Bing Crosby His subsequent refinements led to improved synchronization of sound and visual portions of films The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Ranger with an Oscar in 1956 for his development of the tape recorder and synchronization of film and sound Richard H Ranger was inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997 See also editJack Mullin Another magnetic tape pioneer in America John Herbert Orr Another magnetic tape pioneer in America References edit Hans Joachim Braun Music and technology in the twentieth century JHU Press 2002 pp 17 18 A Biography of Richard Ranger and History of the Rangertone Corp Archived from the original on 2010 11 25 Retrieved 2008 04 26 Biography of Richard Ranger retrieve 2010 Nov 9 Obituary in The New York Times 12 Jan 1962 page 23External links edit1997 Awardees New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame History of the NBC Chimes TIME Magazine article on the 1924 transatlantic photoradiogram TIME Magazine article on the 1925 transpacific photoradiogram nbsp Media related to Richard Howland Ranger engineer at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard H Ranger amp oldid 1125241082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
