This trivia question started with an article on QRZ.com “Rock & Roll technology innovation from Amateur Radio” Pay attention due to the fact it led to more about other amateur operators…. More links about Ken Schaffer are below today’s trivia question….
Trivia
Amature Radio Operator Ken Schaffer N2KS what was his most notable innovative advancement that covered from the music business to space exploration
A. Wireless microphone and instruments
B. The TV2ME system
C. Sound Engineering panel
D. Publicist for rock bands and NASA projects
Answer is A…
Although he was a publicist for many rock bands and a few other things like a Meteor. He also did invent TV2ME. The first TV2Me unit was purchased by musician Sting, who used it especially to follow his team, Newcastle United as he toured.
The early wireless microphones would pick up broadcasts from anything nearby, this happened one night while on tour with the rolling stones in Italy. 2 years later in 1975 Schaffer invented the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System, the first bands to adopt the Schaffer Vega Diversity System were the Rolling Stones, KISS, and AC/DC. Additionally, NASA used Schaffer’s wireless microphones to improve astronaut voice communication…
More articles on Ken Schaffer N2KS, the 2 best are in Guitar Player, and NutCom (from a print artical in the New Yorker…. Small blurb but sums it up on Wikipedia