1955: F. J. Brott, 64, Pioneer Radio Engineer Dies

May 12, 1955

Francis J Brott, 64, director of engineering for Radio Station KOMO and KOMO TV, died early yesterday in a hospital. He had been ill about four months.
Mr. Brott a pioneer in Seattle communications, was the city’s first radio announcer. He also telecasted Seattle’s first television pictures. Whereas crosstown rival KING 5 was the first to air “wide audience” television (of a Thanksgiving Day high school football game), KOMO broadcast a television signal nearly 20 years prior. On June 3, 1929, KOMO radio engineer Francis J. Brott televised images of a heart, a diamond, a question mark, letters, and numbers over electrical lines to small sets with one-inch screens. A handful of viewers were captivated by the broadcast. KOMO would likely have held the distinction of being the first television station in Seattle, and perhaps the nation, were it not for a depression and World War II.
Mr. Brott was made chief engineer for Radio KOMO when it was organized in 1926. He became engineering director for both the radio and television stations in 1952.
He became interested in radio during a visit to the World’s Fair in San Francisco in 1915 and obtained his first amateur license a year later.
Mr. Brott built five of the original broadcast-station transmitters in the Pacific Northwest. Two other early stations KFIY and KGCL were owned and operated by him.
Mr. Brott became Seattle’s first radio announcer on station 7AD in 1920 and soon after was the first to broadcast music here on June 3, 1929, Mr. Brott sent out the first television pictures seen in Seattle, from his home at 609 Lake Washington Blvd. N. the call letters were W7NK on a wavelength of 160 m.
Mr.Brott was a senior member of the Institute of Radio Engineers and a member of the Radio Pioneers.