The Communicator started out as the newsletter for S.T.A.R*Provo (Star Trek Association for Revival, Provo division) in 1973 with editors Carol Andrus and Julia Howarth, who were both students at Brigham Young University at the time.
In 1974 Carol and Julia moved to Salt Lake City and kept publishing the newsletter under Poogle Publications. By 1975 the newsletter changed oversight again as it became the official newszine of S.T.A.R**Utah.
When S.T.A.R.**Utah became Star Trek Intermountain (STI), The Communicator remained its official newsletter adding “STI” to the name to become The STI Communicator.
At one point in 1976, The Communicator was joined with Clavius, the newsletter for The Utah Society of Science Fiction (USSF), and changed to an 8-1/2″ x 11″ format from the earlier 8-1/2″ x 7″. This combination of magazines proved unworkable, but the next issue of The Communicator (Mar/Apr 1976) had already been prepared in the 8-1/2″ x 11″ format, and so was printed that way.
The Communicator was typed on a portable typewriter and assembled by literally cutting and pasting the contents onto sheets of 8-1/2″ x 14″ paper, which becomes 8-1/2″ x 7″ when folded in half and stapled. Magazines that were mailed were hand addressed (many were hand-delivered).
Diane (Howarth) Anderson has graciously given us several early copies of The Communicator to share with this website.
Volume 2: 1974
Number 2: June 1974 (S.T.A.R.*Provo)
Number 3: July 1974 (S.T.A.R.*Provo)
Number 4: November 1974 (Poogle Publications) (two scans: the masters and a copy of the magazine)
Number 5: December 1974 (Poogle Publications)
Volume 3: 1975
Number 1: February 1975 (S.T.A.R.**Utah)
Number 2: March 1975 (S.T.A.R.**Utah)
Number 4: September 1975 (Star Trek Intermountain)
Volume 4: 1976
Number 2: March/April 1976
The Fanlore article on The Communicator (which includes a short review from The Clipper Trade Ship).
