Who writes this stuff?

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Please note: I do not sell or broker equipment, manuals or service work.
I am not a clearinghouse for information or documentation.
Most of this equipment is rare and documentation and/or software is even more rare.
Please do not be offended if I do not respond to your e-mail.
I receive many requests, often with apologies and pleas of desperation.

My name is Terry O'Laughlin. I am the program director for the Electrical Engineering and Electronics Technology program at Madison Area Technical College. I may be reached at watkins-johnson at terryo dot org.

Please do not contact me through the College seeking information.

If you have information to share and prefer to use my College contact information, my address is in the directory at the MATC web site.

My research started as a hobby. I purchased a Communication Electronics, Inc 501 receiver over twenty years ago. The elegance of the design and the meticulous contruction techniques stood head and shoulders above anything I had previously encountered. Naturally, I wanted to know who designed and built this fine equipment.

I started with e-mail distribution of equipment directories on the pre-web internet. As the web rose to prominence, I created this web site. My big break came in fall 2007, when my College awarded me a sabbatical to research the Watkins-Johnson company.

My research continues as you read this.

For additional reading see:

June 2008 Popular Communications magazine - My story on the RS-111 used by James McCord in connection with the Watergate break-in.