ric H. Palmer Jr. 2ATZ -W2ATZ-W2GRB-W2RD *1912-1986* - Remembering Eric
Palmer, young radio operator and experimenter from Brooklyn, NY. A writer with his first book“Riding the Airwaves.” Born 1912 to Eric Sr., (radio executive) Ethel Palmer of Brooklyn NY.
Eric’s new found overzealous radio activity would
cost him favor with hisparents. Excerpted from anarticle by www.time.com
October 1927 - “One Eric H.
Palmer SR of Brooklyn,
talked, tinkered with andwrote about radio for severalyears. He taught the subject
to Eric Jr. 2ATZ Age 16, His“strong straight shouldered”
son. He bought Eric Jr. atransmitting set; helped him
get an operator’s license(2ATZ) from the Federal Radio Commission; Eric’s dad rejoiced in Eric Jr’s ambition to become“sparks on a steamship upon the high seas.” Eric’s father would expire 1 April 1952.

E

Last fortnight Eric Palmer Sr. Wrote a letter to the Federal Radio Commission about Eric Palmer Jr“I do not believe he has seen the sunlight in three months. He transmits all night and goes to sleep
at 0600 and sleeps until 4 PM” Eric Jr had been dropped from two schools and grown sickly. EricPalmer Sr. has forbidden his son to operate his transmitting set; had even crippled the set – to noavail, Jr continued to tinker and pine. Eric’s father decided to request the Federal Radio Commission
to suspend Eric Jr’s operating license for 90 days.
Said Eric Palmer Jr. “This is a huge joke, father can’t have my license revoked.” But last week, tohis mingled anger, awe and pride, to the horror of persons who view with alarm the increased
supervision of private life by Federal authority and to the satisfaction of persons who like to thinkof the U.S. Government as “Uncle Sam” Eric Palmer Jr’s license was suspended for 90 days by theFederal Radio Commission, whose chairman, Rear Admiral William Hannum Grubb Bullard,addressed Eric H. Palmer Jr. As follows;
We well understand your keen interest in this most marvelous invention with its great possibilities.
Those of us who were pioneers will soon be forced to turn the reins of radio over to you boys andwe want you to be strong and healthy, as the burden will undeniably increase as new avenues forradio are opened up by you and your colleagues. “This is a marvelous field for the American boys
and with enthusiasm as you have displayed should as a rule be commended rather than discouraged,
but in order to develop into a big, strong, healthy boy you must have regular meals and your fullquota of sleep.”
Eric’s first expedition into Brazil communications wise a success but funding did not materialize andwas called off. Just two years later young Eric W2ATZ was a member of “The NicholsonExpedition.” They set up a 50 watt transmitter and Grebe CR18 receiver in an undergroundchamber of Carlsbad Cavern, some 400 feet underground. The antenna was a voltage fed hertz,
supported by a stalactite. He logged several broadcast stations, one being W2XAF, Schenectady
some 2,400 miles away. A call on 20 meters resulted in a return call from W9BCT in St. Paul, Mn.
Stations in Fla and Calif were also contacted. Continued on page two.

These contacts were all made using CW. - Stations in UK , Rio and Holland were also heard.
It was stated W2ATZ Eric Palmer Jr. went on into thedental field and practiced dentistry. The following Obit Middletown NY Thrall Library reference department
which follows;
OBIT - Eric H. Palmer Jr, Born in Brooklyn NY - 6January 1912, expiring August of 1986, the widower ofFrances Miner Palmer. Their children Carol Dana andWarren Palmer, a brother Russell and sister Patricia
Vigneau survive at Staten Island.
The story of young Eric Palmer lives on with his brush with poor judgement and defying his parents.
Eric’s 2ATZ (27) and W2ATZ QSL card survives courtesy of www.w8jyz.com and copies of hiscommunications book which are harder to find show up on Ebay. This picture was published in
Eric’s book written in 1930 “Riding the Airwaves” Published by Horace Liveright NY authored byhimself W2ATZ. - It is quite a historical artifact and well worth the purchase. There is Chair
Warmer’s Club data in Eric’s book, amazing as we are researching Chair Warmers.
One point you might be interested in, young
Eric’s “Riding The Airwaves” had a sensitive
introduction by none other than Ira E. Robinson,
Chairman of the Federal Radio Commission
dated January 1st, 1930
“So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is
God to man.
When Duty whispers low, “Thou must.” The
youth replies, “I can!”Tony W2VRK advised your author
October of 2008. By 1934 W2ATZ Ericbecame W2GRB and had used W2SX in
1934 operating from the NY National
Guard Company B. Signal Battalion.,
Brooklyn, N.Y. Eventually Eric became
W2RD QSL pictured above. Credit toW2VRK QSL collection and info
updating Eric H. Palmer Jr. NY Times
28 Aug 1927 Mrs Ethel Palmer burned
while cleaning her son’s station whensulfuric acid was spilled on her person
causing burns. (Station rectifier jars) NY Times 27 Jan 1932 Eric Palmer Jr ordered off the air with 4 other Brooklyn amateur operators
due to Federal radio infractions. (This is why Eric showed up in 1934 with another call sign
W2GRB) Eric, in his mature years obtained W2RD from Coney Island NY. W8SU 2010