Hide Article Text (OCR)
Early Wireless With ReunionBf JAMES FUBfCHERJBL Carter Staff WriterNot too many local people may remember the RadioSpecialties Company of Con-nellsvilk.About the same number or people may also have a hard time remembering that com* pany’s founder, Creed M. Chorpenning.One local man remembersboth.Joseph Armen, an old Mend of Chorpenning’s, lost touch with the radio pioneer for more than 50 years. It wasn’t until recently that Armen and Chorpenning laid eyes on eachother for the first time since they were radio buddies, better than half a century ago.The two were good Mendswhen they lived next door to each other on South Street, many years ago.Both men were interested in the then infant “wireless” radios. Chorpenning developed his interest into a skill and later began producing and selling wireless receiver sets here. This was back in the 1920’s.Armen said Chorpenning was trying to get a local backer to mass produce Ms radios. However, Armen continued, the local backers either lost interest or courage, and failed to come through for Chorpenning.Chorpenning then moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where he became founder and vicepresident of the Static Corporation. He also invented the D-104 microphone which Armen said, should be very familiar to nowaday ham radio operators.Armen lost touch with Chorpenning when he moved to (Mo. He said that several years ago, his sister sloped by for a visit and brought a Mend. Armen said his sister’s Mend continued to write over the years, sending Christmas cards and an occasional note.A couple of months ago, he received a letter from this Mend. She was inquiring If he was still interested in ham radios. Naturally, since it’s his favorite hobby, he said yes. It turned out that the woman, who lives in Florida, recently had her television set repaired. The man who repaired it was a ham radio buff too, Armen said. That man’s name happened to be Creed M. Chorpenning.Armen said he couldn’t believe that after 50 years, it was Chorpenning. He wroteback to the woman and wkod about the man. The woman returned a radio frequency that Chorptmkig could be readied on at a certain time in the morning. Armen said he'con* tacted that man and tt was idslong-time radio pa).They made plans to meet, and did so at a radio operators’ “Ham Fest,” at Pittsburgh in July.Armen talked about some ofthe early history of radios inConnellsville and Chorpeon-iog’s involvement in it.Chorpenning had a broadcasting station about 1919. About 1920 radio went commercial and stations like KDKA in Pittsburgh began broadcasting. The Federal Communications Commission separated the ham and commercial radios at that time.The call letters of the old Chorpenning station were“8WR.” Radio then was still called the wireless and the local station mainly carried music. Armen said he could remember when the station carried the Harding Presidential election results but that was about the only news sent over the local airwaves at the time.Chorpezuung, Amen said, is retirednowand a big ham radio buff. Armen added that since his contact with Chorpenning, he has joined a new radio dub. Chorpenning and a group of radio operators contact people in all parts of the eountry. Chorpenning is now living at Vero Beach, Fla.Armen said C^rpenmng also sent him some old radio equipment. One piece was one of the first radio sets manufactured by the Radio Specialties Company of ConneHsville. It still works and has the company name and city printed on its front It’s an old wooden box containing the necessary apparatus to receive the invisible radio waves.Armen said this set is one ofthe 20 or so built by Chorpenning and Reece Armstrong in the 2920’s. He added that he plans to hang onto it until the new Fayette County Coal and Coke Museum opens up where it will be put on permanent display.The range on the old set was only about 20-25 miles, Armen said. Still, it was the greatgrandchild of that set that finally brought two old Mends together.HAM OperatorsJoseph Armen (left) of 1302 Vine St., met an old friend, Creed M. Chorpenning (center) after a separation of more than 50 years. The two men met at the Ham Fest in Pittsburgh during July. The third man (right) is William Stickle, a former local man and employe of West Penn Power Company for many years. Armen and Chorpenning met by chance, through a friend of Armen’s. The two men later talked via ham radio.Early WirelessIt might not look like much more than a wood box with some strange looking gizmos inside, but m the I920’s this was what people used to sit around and ‘•watch.” ’Kits old radio set was built by Creed M. Chorpenning and Reece Armstrong. Chor-perniing, a ConneHsville native for many years, moved to youngstown, Ohio, where he founded the Statie Corporation, a radio and component manufeeturing plant Hie letters on this set read “Radio Specialties Co., ConneHsville, Pa.” This device had a range of about 20-25miles.
Newspaper Details
Connellsville Daily Courier
Connellsville, Pennsylvania, US
Thu, Aug 30, 1973
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 03 Feb 2022
Other Publications Near Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville Weekly Courier
Connellsville Daily Courier
Connellsville Keystone Courier
Connellsville Courier
