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Secretary 1971 - 1973 Amandus G. 'BB' Wentzel Trenton, NJ QCWA # 455 Chapter(s): 1 and 5 Founder of Chapter 5 |
First Call: 3HW Other Call(s): 3CDH and W3HW
"BB" Wentzel 1904 - 1995
BB died August 28, 1995 at age 91. He was born in Philadelphia and resided in Trenton since 1912. He graduated from the Trenton School System and the School of Industrial Arts - now Mercer County Community College. He completed a four year technical course and three years evening classes in electrical engineering. Mr Wentzel taught electrical engineering laboratory at the School of Industrial Arts for 36 years.
During World War II, he was employed as a field engineer with the Aluminum Company of America. He later joined Princeton University Palmer Labs for telemetering of unmanned missiles and airplanes. At the war's end he transferred to Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory as an electrical engineer and designed a power sub-station for the hydrogen fusion project. While at the University he designed and built the transmitter for measuring the pressure of the atomic bomb drop at Bikini Atoll.
After his retirement from the fusion project he was in charge of the communications for the Mercer County Radio System, which included the highway department, airport and sheriff's department for 18 years. He was a volunteer with the Office of Emergency Management for 30 years.
He was one of the oldest radio operators in the United States, licensed in 1919. His call sign was W2HX. In 1920, he built the first radiophone station in the world equipped with two-way radios for the Trenton Fire Department. He served as secretary to the Hon. Barry Goldwater when he was president of the Quarter Century Wireless Association. He was the oldest continuous member since 1922 of the Engineers Club of Trenton, the 1989 recipient of the Certificate of Merit Award, a life member of IEEE, AMSAT, SOWP, QCWA, DVRA of Trenton, and also a fellow in the Radio Club of America. He was awarded a 75 year plaque by National QCWA as a licensed radio amateur.
"BB" Wentzel receives 75 year certificate
from W3HK, George VanDyke, Chairman (1994)