History of Estonian amateur radio in a book

ERAÜ has published a comprehensive book on the history of Estonian amateur radio, titled "From morse key to mouse click. Time travel with Estonian radio amateurs". It gives a survey of our hobby from its start in the 1920-ies through the decades up to nowadays - 462 pages, full colour print with many photos, drawings and tables. The book is in Estonian language, but has an English summary at the end (on 7 pages). Written by Teolan Tomson (ES1AO) and Arvo Pihl (ES2MC). The book was presented at the Estonian summer camp on 14 August 2020.

Raadioamatoorid kaasThe back cover of the book has the following introduction (in Estonian): 

„From morse key to mouse click“ makes a time travel with Estonian radio amateurs through different decades of the hobby - starting from the 1920-ies when it all began, continued by the establishing of the Estonian Radio Amateurs Union in the next decade, then tough war years, when many fellows lost their lives and others never returned to ham radio, a new start under the communist regime after the war with red-ideology and KGB surveillance, a bit loosened ties in the 1960-ies with lots of technical innovations, successful times in terms of radio sports for (Soviet) Estonia in the 1980-ies, restoration of the Estonian Republic in 1991 and the role of radio amateurs in that process and finishing with the current century when our hobby has become really diversified and technologically complicated.   

The book is meant for radio amateurs in the first place, as it covers our history during almost a century, telling us about the main events and persons, but we think that also readers who are interested in technical disciplines should be the target group. Yet, we have to stress that this is not a book on the technical development of amateur radio, but a survey of the achievements and activities of radio amateurs in Estonia from the very beginning up to nowadays (finishing with 2019). This kind of history book was first planned at least 30 years ago, but then never succeeded, thus we are very glad that we are having it finally today and can proudly present it to the Estonian ham community. 

If you are interested - how to purchase? 

Please contact Aive Ojamets (ES2YW - e-mail: es2yw[ät]erau.ee) at the ERAÜ QSL-bureau located at Rävala pst 8-B-111, Tallinn 10143. The price of the book is 30 EUR, but it does not include any shipping costs. Depending on the way and destination of shipping she will calculate and inform you about the additional costs and then you can transfer the sum to ERAÜ's account in Swedbank: EE732200001120066318.

We herewith also thank all the sponsors and supporters who contributed to make this happen! Most probably such a book is rather unique even in the world's scale, as not many countries or ham organisations can claim to have this kind of publication.    

ERAÜ Board