Author Archives: clem.law@usa.net

1963 Student Experimental Licenses

1963SepPEShown here, in the September 1963 issue of Popular Electronics, is Albert Pabin (I believe with the headphones) and two other students demonstrating an audio console by using it during an actual broadcast. Pabin was a ninth-grade student at Utica Free Academy, Utica, NY. His science project was the console he designed and built, and he wanted to demonstrate it under actual broadcast conditions.

To do so legally, he procured an experimental license from the FCC, and was able to go on the air, on 27 MHz, with the call KF2XGJ. According to the magazine, the FCC rules made provision for student experimental licenses for students, seventh grade and above, who had “a good idea of what he is trying to show, and that he have older and more knowledgeable persons available to help him in case of difficulty.” In particular, “the FCC believes that a student’s instructors are fair judges of his motives and sincerity, and looks favorably on projects endorsed by an instructor.” Notice to the FCC Engineer-In-Charge for the district was also required.

The application required various technical descriptions of the transmitter, as well as a statement from the principal or faculty member, on school letterhead, stating that the project had he approval of the school. The magazine noted that the frequencies generally available were 27.23-27.28 MHz., 460-461 MHz, 462.525-467.475 MHz, and 2450-2500 MHz. Power was often (but not always) limited to 5 watts.

While experimental licenses are still provided for in Part 5 of the FCC Rules, there is no specific provision today for student experimental licenses.



TV Dinner Anniversary

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the TV Dinner.  On September 10, 1953, Swanson introduced its frozen dinners, dubbed the TV Dinner.  While that name brand was later abandoned, it has remained in the American vernacular as synonymous with frozen meals.

 



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1943 Barb-Wire Telephone

1943SepRadioCraftEighty years ago this month, the September 1943 issue of Radio Craft carried this circuit, dubbed the “barb-wire telephone.” It was sent in to the magazine by one Fred H. Randolph (from another submission to the magazine, apparently of Booneville, AR), who reported using it to communicate with a friend three miles away, courtesy of an iron fence wire. The circuit is nothing more than an audio amplifier using a carbon button mike, and puts out enough power to drive a speaker at the other end of the circuit, where an identical unit is located.



Courtney’s Radio Service, Stratford, CT, 1943

1943SepRadioRetailingThe cover of Radio Retailing, September 1943, was a tribute to the WWW. No, it had nothing to do with the internet–it was honoring Women War Workers, such as Mrs. Wallace Courtney of Courtney’s Radio Service, Stratford, CT.

Before the war, the shop was run by her husband, who had recently taken a job in a war plant installing radios in planes. Despite shortages of both parts and help, Mrs. Courtney, also the mother of a 12 year old boy, kept sets moving along as fast as possible.

The magazine noted that Mrs. Courtney was typical of a lot of American wives and mothers, who without any fuss or furor, had stepped calmly into their men’s places for the duration.



1963 Homemade Microphone

1963SepEIWe’ve previously shown (here, here, here, and here) other homemade microphones. This idea for a carbon mike appeared in Electronics Illustrated, September 1963. The mike element itself is made of carbon granules. These are obtained by cutting open an old carbon-zinc battery and removing the carbon rod.
You grind them up finely with a file, or by using a metal rod as a rolling pin. The resulting granules are placed in a plastic bottle cap, and wired to a battery and transformer. Almost any type of transformer can be used, either an audio transformer or power transformer. The larger winding is connected to the mike element. The cap is set on top of a paper tube 2-3 inches in diameter, into which you speak.



Alabama Schools Integrated: 1963

1963Sep5PghSixty years ago today, schools were desegregated in Alabama, as reported here in the September 5, 1963, issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  A hundred white persons were on hand to protest the two black children, Dwight and Floyd Armstrong, but according to the paper, the disorder was short lived.

Democratic Governor George Wallace didn’t intervene, but he did state that this was only the first battle.  About a week later, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed, killing four young girls.  Shortly thereafter, the church received over $300,000 (about $3 million in 2023 dollars) in unsolicited donations.



1923 Radio Walking Chair for Baby

1923SepPMA hundred years ago, this youngster is literally getting off on the right foot, thanks to this walking chair on which an eastern mother has installed a radio. Any station could be tuned in, and the child left to enjoy a concert or stories from the air. “Meanwhile, the child is able to push itself about and be entertained, and the cares of the mother are lightened.”

The photo appeared in the September 1923 issue of Popular Mechanics.



1938 One-Tube Shortwave Receiver

1938SepPM1This young woman is now about 90 years old, but in the September 1938 issue of Popular Mechanics, she is shown helping her father pull in a shortwave signal with the simple one-tube receiver described in that issue. It uses an RK-43 dual triode tube as regenerative detector and audio amplifier.

The set can be initially constructed for the standard broadcast band.  Then, to pull in the shortwaves, a fixed capacitor is switched in series with the main tuning capacitor to lower its capacitance.  In addition, shortwave coils are used in place of the coil for the broadcast band.

1938SepPM2

1938SepPMSchematic



1959 Grocery Prices

1959Aug31PghFor a snapshot of grocery prices in 1959, this ad for A&P appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on August 31, 1959.

The prices might look low, but there’s been a lot of inflation since 1959. According to this inflation calculator, one dollar in 1959 is the equivalent of $10.50 in 2023 dollars. The make the math easier, let’s just call it $10. So a can of beans or peas for a dime is really a dollar. And ham for 39 cents a pound is actually $3.90.

The minimum wage was $1 per hour, so an hour’s labor could buy you two cans of Spam at 49 cents each, with two cents left over. And if Junior needed a new shirt for back to school, you could get one for a dollar.

If you were shopping for dinner in 1959, what would you buy?



1923 Camping Afloat

1923AugPM3A hundred years ago, “the newest way of camping is to pitch a tent on a barge,” and the August 1923 issue of Popular Mechanics showed you just how to do it. The construction article, penned by “widely known authority on outdoor life” Stillman Taylor, notes that the floating camp has many unique advantages. It was easy to build and not expensive, and provided a good comfortable canvas home with large storage places. And whenever the camper felt like picking up and changing camp, he could easily drift with the current and wind to a new spot.

1923AugPM4The camping scow shown here was good for many years of service. It was hauled out of the water each year and stored, bottom up, out of the reach of ice. The boat featured plenty of storage space, including a waterproof box accessible through a trap door in the tent floor.

The scow would be hard to row with the tent set up, but was fairly easy to scull. Therefore, an oar lock or scull plate could be fixed to the roomy front deck.

Today, such a craft would undoubtedly need to be registered in most states, but this shouldn’t present a problem. In Minnesota, for example, a homemade boat over ten feet in length can be registered. But save the receipts for the materials, as you’ll need to present them, along with four photographs of the completed boat.