Richard H. Ranger Biography – Wireless Photoradiogram Inventor

Last Update: August 9th, 2021

Richard H. Ranger (b. June 13, 1889, d. January 10, 1962) was an inventor credited with inventing the wireless photoradiogram, also known as the transoceanic radio facsimile, a precursor to today’s facsimile machines.

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Life

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, through his career he was an inventor, electrical engineer, and music engineer. After serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War I, he attended MIT later in life.

In World War II, he once again joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps being put in charge of communications and radar in Orlando, Florida at the Radio and Radar Test Labs. Later he was present in Germany at the end of the war to investigate the German communications technology.

Photoradiogram

In 1924 Ranger invented the wireless photogradiogram, sending a picture of President Calvin Coolidge from New York to London in 1924, being the first picture sent through radio facsimile.

The photoradiogram entered commercial use in 1926.

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