In 1947, George W. Marti obtained an FCC license to build radio station KCLE in Cleburne, Texas. His experiences operating the station led to an idea for a product to improve not only his own broadcasts, but would provide opportunities for all radio stations for programming and advertising.

His creation was a portable VHF transmitter capable of sending high-quality radio programming from a temporarily remote location to a receiver located at a radio studio. The product George developed was, and still is, called remote pick-up (RPU), one of the first realizations of now-omnipresent electronic newsgathering.

After years of product development, Marti Electronics, Inc. was formally established in 1960 to manufacture RPUs. Additional products added to the Marti line over the decades include microwave studio-to-transmitter links (STL).

In 1994, Marti was sold to Broadcast Electronics, where it operates as a separate division.

For more Marti history, see the links on the left with company milestones and selected articles. Want to contribute your Marti story or photo? Let Us Know!