William I. Orr
Author of The W6SAI Antenna Handbook and co-creator of OSCAR 1.
William I. Orr (1919–2001) was an American engineer, educator, writer, and ham radio operator. He is best remembered for writing *The W6SAI Antenna Handbook* and the 1959 *Radio Handbook*, along with many other books and articles on amateur radio and radio engineering.
Orr grew up as an only child in New York. His father showed little interest in him and discouraged activities with other children, but his mother supported his early fascination with amateur radio. Orr taught himself Morse code and, as a young teen, earned the call sign W2HCE, later changing it to W6SAI. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and then worked during World War II on radar systems for combat aircraft.
After the war, Orr worked for the tube manufacturer Eitel-McCullogh (EIMAC). While there, he wrote columns for *CQ Amateur Radio* and *Ham Radio* magazines, and his application notes for EIMAC tubes became popular reading for home builders around the world. He remained active in amateur radio throughout his life, becoming a well-known DXer and a DXCC Honor Roll member, and he went on personal DXing expeditions to places like Monaco, St. Pierre, and Miquelon.
In early 1960, Orr joined a group of radio amateurs—mostly electronic engineers—working to launch a private satellite. By 1962, they had built OSCAR 1 (Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio) for a total cost of $63.47. This satellite beat the $50 million Telstar by seven months to become the world’s first privately owned satellite.
Orr married Natalie McCrone, and after the war they moved to Menlo Park, California, where they raised six children. He died in his sleep at age 81 on January 24, 2001, survived by five daughters, one son, and four grandsons.
Orr had a gift for writing about technical subjects in simple, plain language, making them accessible to amateurs without advanced backgrounds. Over 40 years, he wrote and edited scores of technical books and magazine articles for amateur radio enthusiasts, covering topics from basic electronic theory and microwave communications to antenna theory, design, and construction.
- Born
- 1919
- Died
- 24 January 2001, age 81
- Call signs
- W2HCE (early), W6SAI (later)
- Education
- Degree in electrical engineering, University of California at Berkeley
- Occupation
- Engineer, author, educator
- Notable work
- The W6SAI Antenna Handbook, 1959 Radio Handbook
- Family
- Married Natalie McCrone; six children (five daughters, one son)
Lore & Background
Orr grew up in New York as an only child. His father took little interest in him, but his mother encouraged his early interest in amateur radio. He taught himself Morse code and in his early teens held the amateur license W2HCE, later changing to W6SAI. After earning his electrical engineering degree from the University of California at Berkeley, he worked on innovative radar systems for combat airplanes during World War II. After the war, he worked for the tube manufacturer Eitel-McCullogh (EIMAC), where his application notes for EIMAC tubes became favorite reading for amateur radio home builders worldwide. He also penned columns for CQ Amateur Radio and Ham Radio magazines.
Reader's Guide
In early 1960, Orr joined a group of radio amateurs—mostly electronic engineers—working to launch a private satellite. By 1962 they had created OSCAR 1 (Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio) at a total cost of $63.47. OSCAR 1 beat out the $50 million Telstar by seven months to become the world's first privately owned satellite. Orr was a well-known DXer and a DXCC Honor Roll member, and he conducted personal DXing expeditions to Monaco, St. Pierre, and Miquelon. Over 40 years, he wrote and edited scores of technical books and magazine articles on topics from basic electronic theory to microwave communications and antenna design. His writing used simple plain language that attracted amateurs who lacked advanced technical background. He died in his sleep at age 81 on 24 January 2001, survived by five daughters, one son, and four grandsons.
Did You Know?
- Orr taught himself Morse code and held the amateur license W2HCE before changing to W6SAI.
- OSCAR 1 was built at a total cost of $63.47 and became the world's first privately owned satellite.
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