Author Archives: clem.law@usa.net

California Ramblers, 1923

A hundred years ago tonight on the radio, you could listen to the California Ramblers performing over WEAF, New York. But it wasn’t just any broadcast, as seen from the clipping above, from the January 1923 issue of Talking Machine World. Due to the radio. Columbia records noted that the lid of many a long forgotten phonograph had been frozen. They fought back with radio, and purchased time on WEAF every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:15. Each broadcast featured a Columbia recording artist, and was broadcast right from the recording studio. If people liked what they heard, they could buy a record, enabling them to listen to it whenever they liked.

According to Columbia, listeners around the country had tuned in. The group is shown here, in 1931, in the June 1931 issue of What’s On The Air. You can hear them in their 1925 recording of “Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue”, below.

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Science Fair Project: Drop of Water Evaporating on Red-Hot Metal

If Junior has a science fair project that’s due soon, and he or she likes playing with fire, then this simple project form 85 years ago is just the thing to take home the blue ribbon.

Like any good science fair project, this one answers a question, namely, “will a drop of water evaporate faster on a red-hot piece of metal, or on one that is only moderately hot?” The classmates, and probably the teacher, will undoubtedly place their bets on the one that’s red hot, but Junior will prove them wrong.

The reason is that on the red hot surface, a cushion of steam forms, and the drop of water mostly retains its shape as it dances about. But if the surface is only moderately hot, the water spreads out and evaporates immediately.

Most schools have probably turned off the gas to the bunsen burners in the science lab, but you can bring your own from home. You can get this handy propane bunsen burner from Amazon. In fact, the science teacher will probably be a little bit jealous and want to get one for themself. The school probably has the lab stand, but if not, you can also get that on Amazon.

This project appeared in the December 1938 issue of Popular Science.

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1923 Photo Finish

The concept of a “photo finish” has been around for a century, as shown by this Illustration in the November, 1923, issue of Science and Invention.

This setup was in place at the Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse near Paris. The horses crossing the finish line broke a thread, which would trip the shutter of the cameras above. The photos would be ready in four minutes to decide a close race.

Catalina Island Telephone Link: 1923

We previously reported the construction, in 1921, of a radiotelephone link between California and Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles across the sea (40 kilometers, for those in leaky old boats). That link was in use for only two years, as reported here in the November 1923 issue of Popular Science.

In 1923, a cable was installed for both telegraph and telephone connections, both of which were multiplexed to allow multiple conversations. One advantage of the new system, alluded to in the original article, was that radio conversations could be listened in to. While some scrambling was put in place, the signals were transmitted over the air. In addition, the radio license was surrendered, and that wavelength made available for broadcasting.

Homemade Photocell

Today, we have another science fair project suitable for students who like to use dangerous chemicals. It’s a homemade photoelectric cell. It won’t provide large amounts of current, but it is measurable, and it can probably be used to receive a signal from a modulated beam of light, simply by connecting it to an audio amplifier (similar to this previous project).

The cell consists of a beaker of water in which a “pinch” of salt has been added. Into this are inserted strips made of copper and lead. The copper is heated with a torch to oxidize it, after which it is scrubbed with nitric acid. There is some current even in darkness, but when the copper strip is exposed to light, the current increases.

The project appeared in the November 1948 issue of Practical Wireless.

1948 British Two-Tube Bedside Portable

The plans for this two-tube British bedside portable appeared 75 years ago this month in the November 1948 issue of Practical Wireless. The set was designed to pull in the BBC Light and Home Service programs with loudspeaker volume, using commonly available components. It ran on battery power, and used two tubes. Because a small frame antenna would be used, the author realized that at least one stage of RF amplification would be necessary. Therefore, the first tube was a dual tube, servicing as RF amplifier and detector. Another tube served as AF amplifier to drive the speaker.

Science Fair AC Generator

If Junior is looking for a simple science fair project, albeit one that probably can’t be whipped together at 10:00 PM the night before it’s due, he or she can’t go wrong with this simple AC generator from the November 1963 issue of Electronics Illustrated.

The design is very straightforward. To avoid having to worry about brushes, the coil stays stationary, and the permanent magnet turns. The coil consists of 800 turns of number 28 or 30 enameled wire on a 2 or 3 inch iron bolt.

The magazine recommends using a DC ammeter, with the calibration set so that 0 is mid-scale. As the crank is turned slowly, the needle will deflect first one direction, and then the other.

Another possibility would be two LED’s in parallel, each pointing a different direction. As Junior slowly cranks the handle, the lights will alternate, and as the speed picks up, they will both appear lit.

For more projects, some of which can be whipped together at the last minute, browse our other science fair ideas.

1923 Brandeis Department Store Radio Dept.

If you were looking for radio supplies in Omaha a hundred years ago, the Brandeis department store was the place to go, as shown in this ad in the Omaha Bee, November 24, 1923.

You could get a complete Radiolet crystal set, normally a $10 value, for only $6.95. That included everything you needed to start pulling in stations, since it included the headphones and antenna.

And they knew that the secret of selling radios was to get the kids campaigning for a set. So in addition to their normal radio department on the main floor, they were to be set up in the toy department on Saturday so that the kids could make sure Santa knew the family needed a radio.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from OneTubeRadio.com!

As you serve your Thanksgiving dinner, you very well might have the radio playing in the background, and, if so, you are part of a century long tradition. This ad, from the October 28, 1923 Washington Sunday Star, for the Lansburgh and Brother Department Store, 420-430 7th St. NW, displays various accoutrements you’ll need for Thanksgiving dinner, such as an electric percolator for only $12.

But the close-up below shows how to really impress your guests. There were sure to be special Thanksgiving broadcasts, and you could entertain your guests with them with a brand new Radiola IV for only $275. It would be a wonderful source of pleasure for your home.

A Knock On the Door: 1943

In America 80 years ago, a knock on the door, even when you are listening to the radio, meant that a friend had come to call.

But as this RCA ad in the November 22, 1943, issue of Life magazine reminded readers, things weren’t the same in the Axis countries. It could mean the Gestapo and death if they knocked when you were listening to an American or British broadcast.

In America, you could even listen to enemy propaganda without worry, and it was often good for a hearty laugh. For now, American manufacturers such as RCA were supporting the war effort exclusively. But the ad reminds Americans that they would soon be back with fine radios and other electronic products.