The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-01-27

He is also the designer of the olabo- rate fro and police alarm system which operates 50 eflciently here In our city.
 Charles K. Ahoarn was born in New Haven, october 18th, 1884. Ho is the son of Michael J. and Cath erine (Daley) Ahearn. Ills parents were of Irish ancestry and were na- tives of New Haven. His mother died there four years ago. His father died In California In 1919 and is buried there. Charles received his early education in the Dwight public school ct New Haven. Later he ct. tended the BoardmAti Manual Train. ing school in the Elm City, and subs sequently enrolled in tho Pratt Tn. stitute ct New York, Ho graduated in ieOD.
 His early ambition was to become an electrical engineer and he got of to Q good start, for his first job was that of cable gplicef. He worked for telephone companies and went from place to place splicing cables from New York to California. He became such on expert splieer that Uncle Sam engaged him to pursue his trade for this government In Japan, China, and tho Philippine Islands Of LuZon, Panay, Cebu, Manila and Mlndor0. Ho WAs then sent to tho Isle of Yap, ono of tho West Caroline Islands, and ono of this governments most important wireless and cable stations In the North Pacific.
 He was engaged by the Southern New England Telephone company in 1903 and eventually advanced him. self to division foreman. June 2ist, 1905, Mir. Ahearn married Miss Mary Lynch, of this city. The wedding took place in st. Mary's church In New Haven. They later established their residence here. Tn 1910 MT. Ahearn severed his connection with tho telephone company and became line worker with the local fire department. Upon the death of Deputy Chief William Dodds in 1911 he was appointed head of the fire and police alarm bureau. Deputy Dodds had previously oceu- pied this office.
 superintendent Ahearn spent three years ct the task of develop. Ing his fire and police alarm sys- tenn and 1t was installed under his nersonal supervision at Q cost of approximately sb0,o00. It meant tho prompt response of the Ire dc. partment to alarms, and kept DO. llce headquarters in touch with poe licemen on every beat within the city limits.
 Superintendent Ahearn has been experimenting upon electrical wave transmission and reception for sev- eral years. The first license issued by the United States government In Connecticut for radio experimental work, was iXAJ received by fire headquarters here upon the appli- cation of Superintendent Ahearn. The license permitted him to work on transmission or reception from POO to $500 meters. His first suc- cessful transmission of signals be- tween headquarters and moving ve- hicles was achieved in 1920 when one-way communication was estab. l,shed between fire headquarters and Q fire truck stationed j,ict
 north of Waterville. The system worked on 30 watts. A few months lat ter Superintendent Ahearn brought his apparatus to New York for d successful two-way demon- strat!on. His device was set up In the downtown laboratory of Lee DeForest, famous American inven- tor. and two.way conversation was held between there and High Bridge, 10 miles up the Hudson River. It was the first two-way conversation from moving appa- ratus ever held in this country. Only 50 watts, or electrical units of power, were used in this demon stration. The system has been adopted by the police departments of several cities since that time. Bridgeport and New Haven have installed the one-way system, while Jersey City. Newark and Bay oune, New Jersey, employ the two- : way method. Four cities up around Boston also use the two-way system and several cities about the coun- try are planning to install it. It will be adopted here as soon as slif- ficient funds are available, The cost of installing the ore-way sys- tenn here is estimated between five and 90,OOO, and Q couple of thou sand dollars more to convert 1t Into the two-way system. ..
 Superintendent .Ahean has built over 100 radios. The parts for his first receiving sct-a three tuber-- cost SIS. EaTphones were used as amplifiers had not as yet been per- | fected. The set picked up messages i from as far away as California, and | from ships far at sec. All messages at that time were transmitted on high wave. The low wave of to- day was in its experimental stage. and. of course. had not been intro dTlced.
 But, let mo paint a more inti- mate wurd-plcture of nelghhor
 Ahearn. He weighs lo4 pounds and
 is five feet. ii inches tall, with
 brown eyes and brown hair. He IS
 the proud parent of seven children: | vgaifar Ex qGs John fn. 23s ChnKlnl