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Seventy years ago this month, the March 1955 issue of Popular Mechanics showed off Chrysler’s “defense minded” radios. The dials were “especially designed to enable motorists to tune in quickly for emergency Civil Defense instructions.” As far as I can tell, that meant that the dials had the required CONELRAD markings on 640 and 1240.
If Junior is looking for a fast science fair project for the deadline tomorrow, this one (and others) involving magnetism appeared 80 years ago this month in the March 1945 issue of Popular Science.
You’ll need a magnet, a compass, a needle, a clothespin (or some similar object to hold the needle) and some method of generating fire, such as a lighter.
Magnetize the needle by rubbing it on the magnet. After doing so, hold it near the compass, and the compass needle will point toward it. To demonstrate the molecular theory of magnetism, then heat the needle up to red hot. Hold it toward the compass again, and it will have no effect, or only a weak effect.
This is because the needle became magnetized because all of the molecules within became magnetized in the same direction. When the needle is heated, the atoms can move more freely, and are aligned in random directions.
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Today, the EU launches its new #Preparedness Strategy.
“Ready for anything” — this must be our new European way of life. Our motto and #hashtag. pic.twitter.com/fA1z8ZvMDA
— Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) March 26, 2025
We reported a few days ago that France is encouraging all of its citizens to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit. Now, the same advice is coming down from the European Union. The X video above is from Hadja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner of “Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.” The recommendations are familiar to most of our readers. Every citizen of the EU should have a survival kit consisting of:
We like to think that most of our readers are prepared in excess of these bare minimums. But even so, it doesn’t hurt to look through a list like this, and make sure you have these items available at home, at work, in your car, at school, or wherever you might find yourself when disaster strikes.
Some of the links above are to inexpensive sources on Amazon. Some of the links are to our prior posts where we go into more detail. You can click here for all of our posts on the subject of emergency preparedness.
We hope there won’t be a war. But it doesn’t hurt to take at least some minimal preparations to help you should there be one, or even a more mundane emergency.
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Eighty years ago, the March 1945 issue of Radio Craft showed this circuit for a one-tube radio that actually had four stages. The tube is a 1D8GT, which appears to be at first glance a double tube. But it’s actually a triple tube. On the left is a pentode and on the right is a triode. Down in the lower right side of the tube there is what appears to be a cathode, but it’s actually the plate of the third part of the tube, a diode.
The circuit first amplifies the RF signal with the pentode, and then sends it to the diode to be detected. Then, the pentode is reflexed and serves as AF amplifier. Finally, the triode is used as a second stage of AF amplification. So the single tube actually takes the place of four tubes.
The circuit had been sent in to the magazine by one Sgt. L.R. Blattner, of Tinker Field, Ohio.
For a snapshot of the 1987 cost of living, this ad appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on March 26, 1987. While the prices look low, there has been a lot of inflation since 1987. According to this online calculator, one dollar in 1987 works out to $2.81 in 2025 dollars.
So the 79 cent box of Sunshine crackers works out to about $2.22. How does that compare to today’s actual price? You can find the price for the Amazon store brand at this link.
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I’m not sure exactly what’s going on in this picture, but this British gentleman a century ago obviously took radio construction seriously. The illustration appeared on the cover of the March 1925 issue of The Wireless Magazine.
Seventy-five years ago this month, the March 1950 issue of Radio News went into details of what went on behind the scenes to put a television program on the air. The cover image is a color shot of the scene.
The program they were airing was Howdy Doody, on New York station WNBT.
Eighty years ago this month, this broadcast listener is relaxing at the beach with her Admiral 35-G6 portable. The model shown here is the 35-G6, a six-tube set that could run on either 110 volts AC or DC, or a 1-1/2 volt battery. It was identical to the 37-G6, in a different cabinet without the cover. Also shown are models 33-F5 and 34-F5, which were five-tube sets.
This ad appeared in the March 1940 issue of Radio Today.
According to news reports, France is preparing an updated guide for its citizens for preparing for and surviving possible emergencies, including nuclear attack. Reportedly, the guide is being reviewed by the Prime Minister, and should be in the hands of the public by this summer.
The excerpt above shows recommended contents for a family emergency kit. First on the list is a radio with spare batteries. Other items are medicines and a first aid kit, a pocketknife, non-perishable foods for all family members, including pets and infants, and warm clothing. Also on the list are a flashlight and/or candles, a charger, six liters (1.5 gallons) of water per person, and extra eyeglasses and keys for the car and house. Rounding out the list are games to pass the time, and copies of important documents.
Production of the document comes on the heels of similar preparations in the Nordic countries. There is an English versions online of the Swedish “In case of crisis or war.”
We are sure that most of our readers are prepared at least a minimal broadcast radio, which could provide lifesaving information in case of an emergency in which the Internet is unavailable. Even an inexpensive radio such as this one along with extra batteries could save your life in an emergency. (And for added flexibility, make sure your flashlight uses the same type of batteries.)
For more Emergency Preparedness pointers, see our earlier posts on the subject.
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