Shown here are Sandra D. Roberts, WN5ASZ, Donna K. Fomby, WN5APM, Linda L. Neal, WN5AOG, Ella R. Sanders, WN5AUJ, Bonnie J. Baggerman, WN5AUI, Nina C. Shaw, WN5AUQ, and Carol J. Fontenot, WN5APG, along with Vivian McCracken, the director of Girlstown, a home for 32 girls who had lost their parents near Whiteface, Texas. When a winter storm cut off their power, heat, light, and telephone, the members of the Terry County radio club decided that the facility needed amateur radio. Members made the trip every Friday evening to teach interested girls code and theory. As a result, the seven girls shown here obtained their novice licenses.

According to the May 1962 issue of Popular Electronics, they were set up on 80 and 40 meters with the Hammarlund HQ-180 receiver and Heathkit DX-60 transmitter shown in the photo, generously donated by the club members. The girls were open to schedules, and I’m guessing more than one novice kept on the lookout for these callsigns after getting the magazine. The magazine noted that classes continued, and at least four girls were at work on their general licenses.

As far as I can tell, only of of the girls in the photo retained her license after leaving Girlstown. As late as 1973, there was a listing for Sandra R. Heinrich, WA5ASZ, in Irving, Texas, seated at the left in the photo.

Shown here on the cover of the magazine’s May 1947 issue is Miss Radio News of 1947, Carmen Garcia, as selected at that year’s Radio Parts Conference and Show. She is demonstrating the Meissner “18th Century” AM-FM-Phonograph console.

The photograph was taken by Arthur E. Haug, a staff photographer for the magazine.

This young man is pulling in the shortwaves courtesy of an extremly simple circuit which appeared in the Spring 1962 issue of Radio-TV Experimenter.

The radio consisted of a crystal set, feeding into an audio amplifier module. The amplifiers were available from Lafayette and other retailers, and drove a speaker. The receiver itself consisted of just a germanium diode, along with coil and capacitor. The coil is wound on a ferrite core, and is seen protruding from the top of the set.

Despite the simplicity, the author was able to pull in signals from the strong European shortwave broadcasters with only a short antenna and ground. The set tuned about 3.5 to 7 MHz.

Eighty years ago this month, the May 1942 issue of Radio Craft showed how to put together this simple one-tube receiver. Being a battery set, there was no need to worry about hum, and the batteries were inexpensive. The B+ voltage was only 7.5 volts, so even with a large dry cell for the filaments, the battery cost was only 58 cents.

The set used a 1S4 tube as regenerative detector. It had two bands, which were switched by moving an alligator clip on the antenna coil. The overall tuning range was 480 kHz through 2.5 MHz, meaning that it covered the entire broadcast band, plus a little bit above and below. Thus, the set could also be used to pull in ships as well as police broadcasts.

Seventy-five years ago this month, the April 1947 issue of Radio News, showed how to construct this three-tube (plus rectifier) regenerative receiver for the broadcast band and shortwave. Five plug-in coils covered the standard broadcast band, as well as the 160, 80, 40, and 20 meter ham bands, as well as adjoining shortwave broadcast frequencies.

The article noted that since the war ended, interest in shortwave had reached a new high, and this set provided a simple way to catch these signals. Due to scarcity of power transformers, and AC-DC design was used, with a 35Z5GT rectifier.

The radio itself consisted of a 12SJ7 regenerative detector, 12J5 first audio stage, and 50L6GT output, which provided loudspeaker volume to a dynamic speaker.

Among the youth of America, headphones are more than a means of delivering music. They are now a status symbol, to the point where there have been murders over popular brands of headphones. Here are some popular brands, and note the price tags:

Sixty years ago, this young man was a trendsetter, and we can only conclude that he was the coolest kid in class, since he was the first to have a pair of stereo headphones. Since there was no such thing on the market, he made his own. In addition to undoubtedly being a chick magnet, they probably sounded better than the expensive ones today. The plans were contained in the Spring 1962 issue of Radio-TV Experimenter.

The speakers were actually 3-inch replacement speakers for a transistor radio, but since they were driven at such a low level, there was very little distortion. And the response could be adjusted by means of a cardboard baffle. Bass notes went through the cardboard just fine, but to adjust the response at the high end of the range, the size of the hole could be varied. The stylish design was made with plastic cups, cardboard, foam rubber, and tempered brass wire. It was all held together with a little bit of contact cement.

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Eighty-five years ago this month, the April 1937 issue of Radio Today contained this Philco ad reminding dealers of the profits to be made selling intercom systems, specifically the Philco Phone.

A set of two stations sold for $49.50, and additional stations were available for $10 each. The ad noted that even small offices, such as one or two doctors or dentists and a receptionist, could benefit from the set. And businesses such as garages, restaurants, and theaters could put themto good use.

And it was an easy sale for the dealer, with no trade-ins, no expensive installation, or service worries.

And there was even an untouched market in the “better homes” in the community.