History

The founder and namesake of the Gray Museum was G. J. "Jack" Gray,
W8JDV of Mason Ohio.

Jack was born in 1900 in Middletown, Ohio on the banks of the Great Miami
river. He was only twelve when he first became interested in wireless
telegraphy. It was the start of a life-long affair with all things wireless.

Young Jack before the

wireless "bug" bit him

After attending the Dodge Institute of Telegraphy and acquiring his commercial telegraph license in
1917, he signed on as a shipboard wireless operator with the Marconi Company. WWI found him
still at sea, but this time with the U. S. Navy.

Upon discharge he joined the Precision Equipment Company and remained there until 1920. That
same year Jack obtained his first amateur license, 8ARP and he started attending the University of
Cincinnati.

Next came a job at the old Crosley radio factory in 1927. Sometime later he joined the staffs of
WLW and WSAI as an engineer and later as the transmitter supervisor for the Voice of America
(Crosley Broadcasting had the contract to operate the facility.) Jack retired in 1965 with a total of
36 years with Crosley.

Jack began collecting wireless memorabilia and equipment in 1930. After filling
his basement he moved his growing collection to the garage. That was soon
filled and had to be enlarged and then enlarged twice more as the collection
grew. The museum was recognized as one of the outstanding collections of
early wireless gear and memorabilia in the nation.

He received special honors from the Antique Wireless Association and was
named Amateur of the Year by the Dayton Hamvention for 1952-53. Jack was
a member of GCARA, AWA, QCWA, ARRL and many other organizations. He
was also an accomplished writer and was working on, "WLW, The Fabulous
Years", at the time of his death in 1970.

Jack in his

maturity

Jack was determined that the museum should survive him and established a board of trustees to
administer, grow and display his collection. After his death, the museum was moved to its current
location, the Crosley Communications Center, home of PBS station WCET and NPR station
WGUC.

Just a few of the many
items contained in the
expanded garage that
served as the museum's
first home.

Jack at the key

On the hunt for new items for the museum