Print, Photographic

Sepia-toned photo depicting a man and a group of children looking at a bench covered with early amateur radio equipment. A sign with the call sign, "8BZY," belonging to William A. Gower of 219 Hague Avenue, Detroit, is hung on a support beam behind the bench. A saber, a Kewpie doll, a small statue of a figure, and a vase of flowers are among the equipment which includes receivers, transmitters, headphones, speakers, and telegraph keys. Checkerboard shaped arrays of other call sign signs are posted on the walls and ceiling around a nook in the background. "Photograph by The Detroit News," is stamped on the verso. Also handwritten on the verso are "Harold Gower," "Homemade equipment used in earlier days," and:

Typical of the more complicated home amateur transmitters c. 1920. There were about 50 amateur outfits--some more complicated and elaborate, more much simpler. First introduction to commercial broadcasts for most people came from these amateurs. People would use them to listen to the Det. News Broadcasts. These children are listening to a music broadcast from WWJ.