There was a time a hundred years ago when physicians knew Morse code, as shown here in the August 1921 issue of Popular Mechanics. The magazine explained that physicians and others who had to stay in close contact with home could install this wireless telegraph receiving set in their car.
The set was said to have a range of five miles and rested on the back seat cushion. The antenna was four loops of wire around the top of the car.
For a snapshot of wartime grocery prices in the United States, this ad appeared in the August 30, 1943, issue of the Pittsburgh Press. Of course, every product has a price, but many of the products also require ration coupons or points, since rationing was in effect in the United States. But if a homemaker had used up all of the coupons for the month, there were still some options. Fish and chicken could be purchased without points. And if you wanted to eat in the cafeteria, a dinner of beefsteak or fish could be had for $1.25 for two people.
Beef, bacon, sausage, and even cans of soup, fruits, or vegetables required ration points. But chicken was 59 cents a pound, and fish was 45 or 49 cents, with no need for coupons.
Three pounds of coffee was 85 cents. These prices look like bargains, but there’s been a lot of inflation in the last 78 years. According to this inflation calculator, one dollar in 1943 is the equivalent of $15.78 in 2021 dollars.
A hundred years ago today, radio amateurs were making their way to the Windy City for the first national convention of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), held at Chicago’s elegant Edgewater Beach Hotel. The occasion was a momentous one, and the following account was carried in the August 29, 1921, issue of the Washington Herald under the heading “Scientific Notes and Comment”:
FIRST NATIONAL RADIO CONVENTION THIS WEEK
From 2000 to 3000 radio operators and engineers from all parts of the country are expected to attend the first national convention and radio show of the American Radio Relay League in Chicago, August 30 to September 3.
The program Includes papers and entertainments of a novel character, and the latest improvements in commercial and experimental wireless apparatus will be shown at the exhibition.
Secretary of Commerce Hoover [whose son, W6ZH, would go on to become the organization’s President in 1962] will send a radio message to the convention, which will be transmitted from the Postoffice radio station In Washington to Cincinnati and then relayed to Chicago, where it will be received in code in a loud-speaking telephone. Each radio enthusiast, in true operator style, will take down in writing the greeting as it is received. Secretary Hoover is the Cabinet officer who administers the government radio in this country through the Department of Commerce Bureau of Navigation.
Rear Admiral W. H. G. Bullard, in charge of wireless for the navy, will be present at the convention.
Several Washington radio men expect to attend the convention as representatives of the local radio club.
The main exhibition hall, located at the nearby Broadway Armory is shown in this grainy photo, the caption of which notes that most attendees were at dinner when the picture was taken.
An extensive writeup of the event can be found in the October 1921 issue of QST, and there is additional material at the ARRL website.
QST reported that the delegates in attendance greeted Secretary Hoover’s radiotelegraph message with cheers:
The Department of Commerce is by the authority of Congress, the legal Patron Saint of the Amateur Wireless Operators. Outside of its coldly legal relations the Department wishes to be helpful in encouraging this very important movement. I am asking Mr. Terrell, the head of our Radio Division, to go to Chicago to learn from you where the Department can be of service.
–Herbert Hoover
Eighty years ago, these scouts took the Scout Motto seriously, and they are prepared for bad weather with this GE portable radio. Despite the rain, they can have fun on their camping trip by pulling in some interesting program from the comfort of their tent.
The model shown is the LB-530, which contained a lead-acid storage battery. It included a standard household plug, and when playing on AC, the battery automatically charged. There was also provision for charging from a car battery.
The ad appeared in the August 1941 issue of Boys’ Life.
Seventy years ago today, the July 27, 1951, issue of Life magazine carried this ad touting the features of General Electric televisions. Without explaining any of the technical details, the ad claims that GE’s “Black Daylite” guaranteed the best picture, even in the poorest reception areas.
Prices started at $279, which, according to this inflation calculator, works out to over $2900 in 2021 dollars.
Sixty years ago this month, the August 1961 issue of Electronics Technician carried this ad for ATR Electronics, formerly known as American Television & Radio Co., of St. Paul, MN. The street address for the business isn’t listed, but the postal zone is 1, meaning it was in the downtown area.
The company’s specialty was vibrators, but as shown here, its product line included inverters (which undoubtedly contained those vibrators), “A” battery eliminators, and car radios. The two radios appear to be identical, but the “truck” version of it mounts “airplane” style in the roof of the cab. The installation took only minutes, consisting of cutting a hole in the roof, and bolting in the combination antenna/mounting bracket.
I’ve been able to find little information about the company, other than that they were involved in a labor dispute which made its way to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1960.
A hundred years ago this month, the August 1921 issue of Talking Machine World carried this ad for the Cirola portable phonograph, from the Cirola Distributing Company, Inc., 204 Colonial Trust Bldg., Philadelphia. The set is quite portable, and weighed in at only 16 pounds. You can see one in action at this video:
Civilian Technical Corps member training, 1941. Wikipedia photo.
The August 1941 issue of Radio Service Dealer carried this article describing something I had never knew existed, the Civilian Technical Corps, an Anglo-American quasi-military organization. It was essentially a branch of the British military manned by American civilians, primarily working in radio. Members wore a uniform identical to the Royal Air Force.
The magazine described the Corps as being comprised of skilled craftsmen who performed non-military duties in Britain. American technicians were being recruited to maintain and repair radio equipment. By placing Americans in these slots, Englishmen were freed up for combat duty.
“There are a number of men, who, although perfectly loyal American citizens and willing to die in the defense of their country, would prefer to retain their civilian status. Enlistment with the Civilian Technical Corps qualifies a man for deferment from the draft, and does so with the full consent and approval of President Roosevelt. All local draft boards have been authorized to put CTC volunteers in Class II-B, for it is felt that this civilian occupation is of notable importance to our own National Defense. Enlistment in the CTC thus enables a man to satisfy his patriotic urge even though his is not serving in the armed forces.”
Pay ranged from $24.12 to $38.65 per week, but the magazine noted that this was actually quite generous, since food, clothing, and shelter were all provided. It was thus the equivalent of a salary of $50 to $75 per week, and also offered free passage to England.
Interested men were directed to apply to the British Consulate General in New York. From this site, it appears that 21 members of the Civilian Technical Corps died in the line of duty, 19 of whom were lost in the Atlantic on October 15, 1941. Perhaps some of those men were going off to England in response to this article, and were indeed perfectly loyal American citizens and willing to die in the defense of their country, albeit in a civilian status.
If Junior just remembered that the science fair project is due tomorrow, and it hasn’t even been started, you’ve come to the right place. This last-minute experiment from 80 years ago will prove an important scientific principle, you have everything you need around the house, and the teacher will be suitably impressed at Junior’s ingenuity. The teacher needn’t suspect that the project was put off until the last minute.
This project answers the simple question, “what kind of clothing keeps you cooler?” It turns out that it’s light colored clothing. All you need is a couple of pieces of cardboard, a table lamp, and a little bit of wax. If you can’t find any wax around the house, you can always go to the closest all-night supermarket and buy a package of birthday candles.
While you are out buying the wax, Junior should cut out the two small human figures, one from a piece of white cardboard, and one from a piece of black cardboard. If you can’t find any black cardboard, just make the both out of white cardboard and color one with a black magic marker. The arms should be made separately, and the arm is attached with a small drop of wax. If Junior is not old enough to play with matches, then an adult should light the candle and place a drop of wax in the correct spot.
Then, you stand up both of the figures and shine a lamp on them. You want the hottest lamp you can find, so don’t mess around with energy-efficient bulbs.
Eventually, one of the figures will get hot enough that its arm will fall off. Unless the laws of physics have changed in the last 80 years (hint: they haven’t), it will be the one in dark clothing. Junior has proven that you will be cooler if you wear light clothing on a hot day.
The experiment appeared in the August 1941 issue of Popular Science.
Here’s a snapshot of what grocery prices looked like right after World War II, from two different ads in the August 20, 1946, issue of the Pittsburgh Press. While these prices look like a bargain, there has been a lot of inflation in the last 75 years. According to this inflation calculator, one dollar in 1946 was the equivalent of $14 today, so you need to multiply all of these prices by 14.
A dozen eggs for 63 cents sounds cheap, but that works out to $8.82 today. A loaf of raisin bread for 20 cents isn’t so bad, but it is $2.80 today. The best bet for dinner might be a pound of chop suey for 39 cents, but that’s still $5.46.
What would you make for dinner 75 years ago? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section.
