Description
Sound recordings created by Thorn Mayes as part of his research on early wireless telegraph and radio in the Western United
States. Includes one-on-one interviews conducted by Thorn Mayes and Warren Green, talks to the Antique Wireless Association
both by Mayes and by other speakers, recordings of historic radio broadcasts, and re-creations of spark transmissions at West
Coast wireless stations.
Background
Thorn Mayes, born April 19, 1903, graduated from the University of California in 1927 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.
He was an avid amateur radio operator, working W6AX, W9AX, 6BDQ, 6AX, K6BI, K2CE, and W1CX under the handle “Thorn.” His first
2-way wireless contact was in 1921, and he was member #229 of the Old Old Timers Club. After retiring from his managerial
position at General Electric Company, Mayes became a serious collector of antique gear (prior to 1922), books and magazines,
as well as an historian of early wireless in the United States. He was particularly interested in recreating the history of
the three main, early, commercial wireless stations on the West Coast: KPH, KFS, and NPG.
Restrictions
Responsibility for making an assessment on copyright issues for the use of material from the Thorn Mayes Sound Recordings,
and for securing any necessary permissions, rests with persons desiring to use the material. Material from this collection
can be used for educational and other non-commercial purposes without the written permission of the History San Jose Research
Library & Archives. "Fair use" criteria of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 must be followed. Under the fair use doctrine
of the U.S. copyright statute (Title 17 of the U.S. Code), it is permissible to use limited portions of a work, including
quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. Accordingly, we recommend that
users who believe that use of this collection's material may exceed fair use criteria contact History San Jose directly. Additionally,
we recommend that a patron's use of such material be approved in writing. You may contact the Curator of Library and Archives
at History San Jose (research@historysanjose.org) for assistance.
Availability
The collection is available to researchers by appointment with the Curator of Library & Archives.