William Elvin Jackson

Lore & Background

In the mid-1920s, while living in Schenectady, New York, Jackson was a central part of a worldwide group of thousands of experimenting wireless engineers known as 'hams'. They used ham radios and Morse code to communicate among themselves between 42 countries, all in an effort to improve code transmission when two-way communication was the first wireless technology. At the time, he was employed with General Electric in its radio department.

Jackson later assisted in the development of nearly all of the electronic aids to air navigation and air traffic control during his careers in both industry and government. He served as editor of 'The Federal Airways System,' a publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers that traces 40 years of technical engineering achievements that enabled the prevalence of air transportation in public inter-city, intercontinental and international private and business travel.

The 1925 Brown University Yearbook foreshadowed his future, though the specific content of that foreshadowing is not recorded in available notes.

Reader's Guide

William Elvin Jackson's significance lies in his foundational contributions to the electronic systems that underpin modern air travel. His work on instrument landing systems, very high frequency omni-ranges, and distance measuring equipment established the worldwide standard systems still in use today. These technologies enable aircraft to navigate safely in all weather conditions, communicate reliably with ground control, and determine precise distances, forming the backbone of global air traffic control. Jackson's career spanned both industry and government, allowing him to influence the development and implementation of nearly all electronic aids to air navigation. His editorial role for 'The Federal Airways System' documented 40 years of engineering achievements that made public inter-city, intercontinental, and international private and business travel prevalent. His early experience as a ham radio operator in the 1920s, communicating with operators in 42 countries using Morse code, contributed to the improvement of code transmission during the era when two-way wireless communication was emerging. This background in experimental wireless engineering informed his later professional work in aviation electronics.

Did You Know?

• He communicated with ham radio operators in 42 countries using Morse code.
• Jackson edited 'The Federal Airways System,' an IEEE publication tracing 40 years of engineering achievements in air transportation.