Gerald Eugen Marcuse, a contemporary of Marconi, enjoyed similar fame during the early years of radio.

Marcuse’s amazing exploits in the 1920’s had earned him an international reputation as a radio experimenter and broadcaster but subsequently he became less wellknown.

In this superbly researched volume, Marcuse’s achievements are set out in detail, including numerous ‘firsts’, made through his brilliant understanding of the technology of the day and his perception of what was needed and what was to come.

First to contact South America, California, Australia & New Zealand by radio, he was instrumental in the foundation of formal ‘Ham’ Radio organisations, making contact with the Hamilton-Rice expedition and assisting both the Police and Ambulance services to set up mobile communications.

He shared his experience with other ‘Hams’ by giving advice and sending them vital components.

Marcuse was issued with a licence to broadcast entertainment from his home in Caterham. He battled with the legal authorities, especially the inertia of the Post Office (the legal body responsible for issuing amateur radio licences) and the BBC which hadn’t accepted the best operating frequencies that should have been used to broadcast overseas successfully.

A household name in the 1920’s but now almost unknown.

A remarkable career but with no official recognition.

After graduating from High School in Toronto, Canada in 1966, David was licenced G8CDQ in 1967 then G4JSZ in 1968.

He was appointed Technical Assistant at the BBC Engineering Department in 1968 at Evesham, Skelton (World Service Transmitters) & Droitwich.

David graduated in 1973 to teach Maths & IT at Droitwich High School. Here he established a vibrant radio club, coaching several students through the Radio Amateur’s exam and is still in contact with some of them.

He was appointed Head of IT at Shrewsbury Girl’s High from 1990-2006 then left to build a successful picture framing business.

David’s first book was based on a diary that Marcuse kept as an engineering student in Einbeck, Germany in 1903.