H. Taylor Howard (April 5, 1932 – November 13, 2002) was an American scientist and radio engineer. Howard was a major player in the development of consumer satellite television in the USA. In 1976, he demonstrated the possibility of receiving of TV signal from a

communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth ...

direct to the home of an ordinary householder, using a home-made satellite dish (actually a converted

military surplus Military surplus are goods, usually matériel, that are sold or otherwise disposed of when held in excess or are no longer needed by the military. Entrepreneurs often buy these goods and resell them at surplus stores. Usually the goods sold by t ...

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

dish) and a self-designed and built analog satellite receiver. He co-founded

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...

-based Chaparral Communications. He was born in Peoria, Illinois. Howard was a professor emeritus electrical engineering at Stanford University, and his career there spanned more than 50 years. Howard, along with his stepson, died in 2002 when the plane that he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff at Calaveras County Airport in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

References

Stanford University Memorial Resolution for H. Taylor Howard

1932 births 2002 deaths 20th-century American engineers Accidental deaths in California Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States People from Peoria, Illinois Scientists from California Scientists from Illinois Stanford University faculty Engineers from Illinois Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2002 {{US-scientist-stub