Charles L. Austin was born April 30, 1890 in Clinton Iowa. His family moved to Portland in 1902 when Charlie was 12. He Attended East Portland High School. Sometime between 1908 & 1919 Mr. Austin became most interested in electronic experimentation. At one point, so much so, he developed his own home laboratory. (1556 N.E. Taylor St. in the Mt. Tabor area).

In early 1920 Mr. Austin applied for a "Special Amateur" Wireless Telegraph Station License from The Radio Division, Bureau of Navigation, U.S. Department of Commerce. In June 1920 Mr. Austin was granted the License 7ZI for 200 Meters (1499kc). No doubt, Mr. Austin heard & read about other Spark Stations experimentation with phonograph music.

In early 1921 Mr. Austin applied for an "Experimental" Wireless Telegraph License, so he could legally broadcast music. In May 1921 Mr. Austin's new firm The Northwestern Radio Manufacturing Co. was granted the License 7XF for 200 Meters (1499kc) with the power of 5 watts. By June 25, 1921 7XF had broadcast music, making it Oregon's first broadcasting station, as we know Radio today. Mr. Austin also served as first President of the Portland chapter of The Northwestern Radio Association in 1921.

In October 1921 7XF was granted additional frequencies to broadcast on. They were: 375 Meters (800kc), 450 Meters (686kc) & 550 Meters (545kc). These were probably used individually for music, morse code, experimentation, etc. By early 1922 7XF was broadcasting every Tuesday & Friday Evening at 8:45PM with Public Health Service bulletins & Mondays with Industrial News. Concerts & Market reports were also broadcast at times. In February 1922 Mr. Austin's firm completed work on Oregon's 2nd broadcasting station, 7XG built for Willard P. Hawley, Jr. This station would later evolve into KBPS.

On February 27, 1922 Mr. Austin's firm applied for a Limited Commercial Broadcasting License. On March 31, 1922 The Northwestern Radio Manufacturing Co. was granted the license & calls KGN for 360 Meters (833kc), and authorized to increase power to 100 watts. This was done in April 1922. With no way to generate revenue at the time, most stations failed. The few that survived this time period 1921 to 1925, were usually backed by major companies (KGW - The Oregonian Newspaper).

On May 31, 1923 KGN suspended operations. In February 1924 the KGN apparatus was sold to Eric H. Chambers company: The Radio Bungalow and became KFOH on March 24, 1924. Little is known about Mr. Austin from this point on, until the 1930's.

In 1930 Mr. Austin built the first Police Radio Station in Oregon. KGPP was licensed to operate on 2452kc Short Wave. KGPP calls stood for: Government Portland Police. First Police Dispatcher: Captain John Schum. By 1933 KGPP was operating on 2.442 Megs. with the power of 500 watts. The transmitter was later moved to Mt. Tabor Park. It was close to Mr. Austin's home and for the next 25 Years he was KGPP's Engineer. Mr. Austin retired in 1955. As a side note, he taught Morse Code Classes at the YMCA.

On December 22, 1968 The Oregonian interviewed him on his life. He never mentioned anything about his early broadcast beginnings. Nothing about 7ZI, 7XF or KGN. I believe he thought he had failed. I did fail to find his obituary. To common a name, for an uncommon man.

And - "Calling all cars, Calling all cars" - on page E19 of the November 22 Oregonian there’s a great picture of the Portland police short-wave radio studio from 1941.

I believe the picture was only in the Portland Edition. I hate it when The Oregonian does that!

Craig,
You might want to double check that address. Back then it was East Taylor St, and if the address was 1556 then it was closer to downtown.
I used to live at 55th @ Taylor and have heard several stories of the police dispatch antenna on Mt. Tabor operating near the 6 meter band.

I checked and the address is correct. 1556 E. Taylor St. became 5830 S.E. Taylor St. in 1932 according to Portland Polk Directories.

In the October 1921 issue of "Radio News" a magazine of the time, an article on Charles L. Austin was featured. There is information on the Father of Oregon Radio not known here until now plus for the first time see his station 7XF below.

I want to thank fellow Oregon Radio Historian, Ron Kramer for E-Mailing me this wonderful discovery.
Ron is also Executive Director of Jefferson Public Radio in Ashland.

http://earlyradiohistory.us/1921ads.htm