Albert H. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Albert Hoyt Taylor was an American
electrical engineer who made important early contributions to the development of radar
.
in 1896. In 1899 was employed by Western Electric Co. He returned to Northwestern in 1900, lacking only one semester of graduating when lack of funds forced him to accept a position as an instructor at Michigan State College. He was awarded his bachelor of science
degree by Northwestern University in 1902. He taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
from 1903-1908 before going to Germany
for his graduate studies, receiving a Ph.D. degree from the University of Göttingen in 1909. He then joined the faculty at the University of North Dakota
, where he built an experimental radio station and studied antennas and wave propagation. He continued in this capacity until 1917.
On March 13, 1917, Dr. Taylor was appointed Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve Force, Provisional and assigned to the 9th, 10th and 11th Naval Districts, Great Lakes, IL through Oct. 12, 1917. Upon the outbreak of the war was assigned duty as District Communications Officer, Ninth Naval District, Goat Lake, Ill. He was Director, Naval Communications, Washington, DC until Oct. 17, 1917. He was Communication Superintendent, Naval Radio Station, Belmar
, NJ, until July 25, 1918. He was appointed to head an experimental division of the Naval Air Station in Hampton Roads, VA where research on aircraft radio was undertaken through Sept. 30, 1918. He then became head of the Aircraft Radio Laboratory at Naval Air Station, Anacostia
, Washington, DC. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Naval Reserve Force, Provisional on June 8, 1918 and to Commander, US Naval Reserve Force, Provisional on Nov. 14, 1918. He resigned from the Navy in 1922 and stayed at Anacostia as a civilian until his retirement in 1950.
In the fall of 1922, Dr. Taylor and Leo C. Young
were conducting communication experiments when they noticed that a wooden ship in the Potomac River was interfering with their signals; in effect, they had demonstrated the first continuous wave (CW) interference radar. The next year the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) was founded and Dr. Taylor became head of its Radio Division. In the early 1930s, the idea of pulse radar occurred to Taylor and Young, as it had to German and British scientists. Taylor instructed an assistant, Robert Morris Page
to construct a working prototype - a problem solved by 1934. By 1937 his team had developed a practical shipboard radar that became known as CXAM radar
- a technology very similar to that of Britain's Chain Home
radar system.
In 1929 Dr. Taylor was President of the Institute of Radio Engineers
(IRE), and from 1936 to 1942 he served on the Communication Committee of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
. Both of these organizations were predecessors to what is now the IEEE
.
Dr. Taylor remained at NRL until his retirement in 1948. He died in 1961, a few weeks before his 83rd birthday.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electrical engineer who made important early contributions to the development of radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
.
Biography
Dr. Taylor entered Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1896. In 1899 was employed by Western Electric Co. He returned to Northwestern in 1900, lacking only one semester of graduating when lack of funds forced him to accept a position as an instructor at Michigan State College. He was awarded his bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree by Northwestern University in 1902. He taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
from 1903-1908 before going to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for his graduate studies, receiving a Ph.D. degree from the University of Göttingen in 1909. He then joined the faculty at the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
, where he built an experimental radio station and studied antennas and wave propagation. He continued in this capacity until 1917.
On March 13, 1917, Dr. Taylor was appointed Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve Force, Provisional and assigned to the 9th, 10th and 11th Naval Districts, Great Lakes, IL through Oct. 12, 1917. Upon the outbreak of the war was assigned duty as District Communications Officer, Ninth Naval District, Goat Lake, Ill. He was Director, Naval Communications, Washington, DC until Oct. 17, 1917. He was Communication Superintendent, Naval Radio Station, Belmar
Camp Evans
Camp Evans, New Jersey is a former military base associated with Fort Monmouth. It is located in Wall Township, although it is often said to be located in Belmar . The property overlooks the Shark River.Camp Evans is named after Lt. Col...
, NJ, until July 25, 1918. He was appointed to head an experimental division of the Naval Air Station in Hampton Roads, VA where research on aircraft radio was undertaken through Sept. 30, 1918. He then became head of the Aircraft Radio Laboratory at Naval Air Station, Anacostia
Anacostia
Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its historic downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue It is the most famous neighborhood in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, located east of the Anacostia River, after which the...
, Washington, DC. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Naval Reserve Force, Provisional on June 8, 1918 and to Commander, US Naval Reserve Force, Provisional on Nov. 14, 1918. He resigned from the Navy in 1922 and stayed at Anacostia as a civilian until his retirement in 1950.
In the fall of 1922, Dr. Taylor and Leo C. Young
Leo C. Young
Leo C. Young was an American radio engineer who had many accomplishments during a long career at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory...
were conducting communication experiments when they noticed that a wooden ship in the Potomac River was interfering with their signals; in effect, they had demonstrated the first continuous wave (CW) interference radar. The next year the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) was founded and Dr. Taylor became head of its Radio Division. In the early 1930s, the idea of pulse radar occurred to Taylor and Young, as it had to German and British scientists. Taylor instructed an assistant, Robert Morris Page
Robert Morris Page
Robert Morris Page was an American physicist who was a leading figure in the development of radar technology. Later, Page served as the Director of Research for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.-Life and career:...
to construct a working prototype - a problem solved by 1934. By 1937 his team had developed a practical shipboard radar that became known as CXAM radar
CXAM radar
The CXAM radar system was the first production radar system deployed on United States Navy ships. It followed several earlier prototype systems, such as the NRL radar installed in April 1937 on the destroyer ; its successor, the XAF, installed in December 1938 on the battleship ; and the first...
- a technology very similar to that of Britain's Chain Home
Chain Home
Chain Home was the codename for the ring of coastal Early Warning radar stations built by the British before and during the Second World War. The system otherwise known as AMES Type 1 consisted of radar fixed on top of a radio tower mast, called a 'station' to provide long-range detection of...
radar system.
In 1929 Dr. Taylor was President of the Institute of Radio Engineers
Institute of Radio Engineers
The Institute of Radio Engineers was a professional organization which existed from 1912 until January 1, 1963, when it merged with the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .-Founding:Following several attempts to form a...
(IRE), and from 1936 to 1942 he served on the Communication Committee of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
American Institute of Electrical Engineers
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers was a United States based organization of electrical engineers that existed between 1884 and 1963, when it merged with the Institute of Radio Engineers to form the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers .- History :The 1884 founders of the...
. Both of these organizations were predecessors to what is now the IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
.
Dr. Taylor remained at NRL until his retirement in 1948. He died in 1961, a few weeks before his 83rd birthday.
Awards
- 1927 - Morris Liebmann Memorial PrizeIEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial AwardThe initially called Morris Liebmann Memorial Prize provided by the Institute of Radio Engineers , the IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award was created in 1919 in honor of Colonel Morris N. Liebmann. It was initially given to awardees who had "made public during the recent past an important...
from the IRE, for research on short waves - 1942 - IRE Medal of HonorIEEE Medal of HonorThe IEEE Medal of Honor is the highest recognition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers . It has been awarded since 1917, when its first recipient was Major Edwin H. Armstrong. It is given for an exceptional contribution or an extraordinary career in the IEEE fields of...
, for "contributions to radio communication as an engineer and organizer, including pioneering work in the practical application of piezoelectric control to radio transmitters, early recognition and investigation of skip distances and other high-frequency wave-propagation problems, and many years of service to the government of the United States as an engineering executive of outstanding ability in directing the Radio Division of the Naval Research Laboratory" - 1944 - On March 28, the first Medal for Merit from the U.S. Government (together with John C. Garand), for his contributions to "the discovery and development of radar".
- 1959 - Stuart Ballantine Medal from The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Selected works
- Radio Reminiscences: A Half Century, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington. D.C., 1948; reprinted 1960.