75 years ago Bluffton was hot for "ham"

[Dan]

Different Bluffton, but who knew there was a “Bluffton, Ohio”? Lol.

It even had an amateur radio club

Seventy-five years ago, Bluffton was an active player in the ham (aka amateur radio) airwaves. It had an amateur radio club and 10 stations. A feature in the April 3, 1947, Bluffton News listed the local operators. The story follows.

Bluffton can lay claim to being the liveliest center of amateur radio communication activity in any town of its size in the United States with 10 transmitting and receiver stations in operation here.

Rarely in cities with population of as high as 50,000 can 10 amateurs be found, and Bluffton’s unique record to some extent is due to the active interest in radio evidenced here as far back as the late “twenties.

Renewing their licenses for a f-year period are three of the pioneers of those days,

• Robert Benroth, station W8RW, S. Main St.
• Jess Bracy, station W80EY, S Lawn Ave.
• Lloyd Brauen, station W80EZ, N. Jackson St.

Others are:

• John Maxon, W8VFT, 126 E. Kibler St.
• W. R. Triplett, W80WW, 333 Campus Dr.
• F. J. Lingel, W8SRG, 130 College View
• M.E. Riegel, W8SPT, 426 S. Jackson St.
• Glenn Noe, Ada, Route 3 (station letters not listed)
• Nelson Herr, W8PUY, N. Lawn Ave.

In addition, station W8APJ is operated by the Bluffton Radio Club of which Don Ream is current president.

Six of the active amateur operators are employed by The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. These include Noe, Maxon, Triplett, Lingel, Bracy and Riegle.