Ken Schaffer

Ken Schaffer is best known as a prolific inventor of electronic communications systems.

Having invented the first wireless guitar and microphone, as used by an inclusive roster of the leading musicians of the 70’s and 80’s, he went on to develop unique satellite communications systems, most notably a landmark system that allowed US agencies and universities to monitor the live, internal television of the then Soviet Union. Schaffer later invented the first “placeshifting” system, that made it possible for users to enjoy their cable/satellite programming subscriptions from anywhere.

Schaffer founded the largest overlay telecommunications provider serving Western companies operating in the territory of the former Soviet Union, eventually selling the company to COMSAT (Lockheed Martin). In his role as president of BelCom, Inc., he traveled between the former Soviet Union and the US more than 100 times, and is considered an expert on getting things done in the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan.

Schaffer’s latest project was to develop a system allowing recording of the entire radio spectrum. Before devoting himself to communications systems, Schaffer worked as publicist/strategist for a long list of luminaries that included Jimi Hendrix and Alice Cooper.