The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-03-19
Don Wallace Gets
The Hoover Cup
FRIENDS HERE LEARN OF MIN
NEAPOLIS' MAN ACHIEVE
MENTS IN RADIO FIELD.

DOn u. w aiidce, C4 rem. avenue
north, who Saturday was advised he
had been awarded the Hoover cup for
1928 for construction and operation of
the best amateur radio station in the
United States, established some re-
cords during the year which radio ex-
perts here predict will stand for some
time.
During the year 1923 Mr. Wallace
handled an average of more than 200
messages a month from his station,
worked" stations in every state in
the United States, every province in
Canada and stations in Alaska, Ha-
America, Porto Rico, Cuba, New Zea-
land. Australia, England, France and
the Mcmillan Arctic expedition, sta
ton WNP. near the North Pole.
One of the principle points on which
the award Of the Hoover cup is mad,
annually is consistency of operation.
Not month passed during the year in
which Mr.. Wallace did not handle at
least 100 messages from his station,
and his high mark was established in
March, 1923, when he handled total
of 303 messages to and from all parts
of the country. Many of the amateur
stations operated only during the win
ter months.
First Set in 1928.
These accomplishments ana Others
which received consideration OF the IL
Judges representing the American
Radio Relay league who made the
award. have been brought about solely
through Mr.. Wallace's own work.
His station is lone man station" and
he has no assistant operator. This,
and the fact that he constructed viz
tually every part of the station him.
self at a minimum of expense were
some of the factors which brought
MIN the award, symbolical of the am
ateur radio operator championship OF
the United States.
Mr.. Wallace is native of Mime
sofa, born at Belview, and gradu-
ate of the University of Minnesota.
He became interested in radio IN 1913
and his victory over 10000 amateur
operators of the country is the result
of II years of continuous application
to the science.
His first set in 1913 was a crystal
receiver and subsequently ne built and
operated stations of gradually increas-
ing power. In 1915 he worked a
radio-phone a distance of seven miles,
which was considered a record at that
time for an amateur. In 1915 and
1916 he was an operator for the Mar
conf company, and in 1917 he con-
structed and operated station 9BU at
Hamline university.
That same year he entered the Unit
ed States navy as radio operator,
serving first at various land stations,
and later on transports and sub
marines. During his navy service he
passed the official navy speed tests OF
30 words per minute in both the re-
cognized codes and examinations for
gunner, radio section and ensign, but
was then too young to receive an ap-
pointment. He retired from the navy
with the rank of permanent chief radio
electrician, and after his return to the
Twin Cities he built station 9DR in
St. Paul, operated station 9XI at the
University of Minnesota and his pre-
sent station, GIT.
Relay League Chief.
He now holds first-class CONNER
cial, first-grade license with a percent
age of 97.5, and was recently awarded
the only individual experimental
license issued by the government in
Minnesota. His station has frequent
ly been chosen as test station by
the government and the American
Radio Relay league.
Mr. Wallace is now secretary of the
Twin City Radio club, member OF
the Twin City Radio council, and
state manager for the American Radio
Relay league. He is married and
makes his home at 54 Penn. avenue
north, where he maintains his station
and is in attendance much OF the time.
The 1923 Hoover cup is the third to
be awarded for proficiency in the con-
struction and operation Of radio sta
tions by amateurs. The 1921 cup was
won by Louis Falconi of Roswell, N.
NJ, and the 1922 cup by w. H. Ost-
man of Ridgewood, N. j.
A simplified system of logging and
filing his messages and other unique
features were considered by the judges
in making the award to Mr.. Wallace.