Eighty-five years ago, the world’s largest radio represented KSL, Salt Lake City, in the city’s parade honoring the entrance of the Mormon Pioneers in 1847. Equipped with a powerful public address system, the float furnished music along the 3 mile parade route. The float measured 22 by 9 by 8 feet, and was featured in the August 15, 1939, issue of Broadcasting magazine.
Fifty years ago, the August 1974 issue of Popular Electronics offered some pointers for hobbyists thinking of going into business for themselves repairing televisions. It reminded that in some jurisdictions, a license was required, and that high voltages were present, so you had to be careful. But for those who wanted to ease their way in, the initial investment might be as little as fifty dollars for a set of tools, and the most common tubes. As you eased your way in to the business, you could upgrade, and the magazine gave recommendations for the parts, equipment, and chemicals you should keep on hand.
The magazine also reminded that in some cases, the experience and test equipment required might be out of your league. Therefore, if possible, it was wise to make a deal with a full-time service shop to tackle the jobs you couldn’t handle.
If you have a 600 volts power supply lying around (perhaps from an old television), you can loan it to Junior, who will love making this science fair project. It uses lethal voltages, it lights up, and it makes noise! He or she will love it, and it’s bound to take home the blue ribbon.
The project appeared 60 years ago this month in the August 1964 issue of Popular Electronics. It is simplicity itself–you simply apply a high voltage to the fluorescent tube, and it lights up. But past a certain voltage, the current decreases with an increase in voltage, meaning that the resistance is negative. This phenomenon can be used to put the device into oscillation, and sound comes out of the headphones. The device can be used as a code practice oscillator, or simply to wow the judges at the science fair.
Shown here, in the August 1949 issue of Radio News, is Charles Schram, W9UBT, instructing the Scouts of Troop 510 of Chicago on the finer points of Ham Radio. The troop’s scoutmaster decided that ham radio would be a worthwhile activity for the Scouts, and started seeking an instructor to get them started. He called all of the clubs in the area and wasn’t able to find any volunteers. So he started calling individual hams and initially struck out. But eventually, he called Schram, who enthusiastically accepted the assignment.
Schram was an active ham and former scout. He was first licensed in 1941, and served in the Army starting in 1943, where he was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. Forty-five scouts, as well as nine fathers, signed on for the classes. Of the scouts, 32 were twelve years of age.
Schram died in 2017 at the age of 93.
Eighty-five years ago this month, the August 1939 issue of the British publication Practical Mechanics showed how to build this crystal set, which it dubbed a “stand-by arrangement for emergencies.”
The magazine noted that popularity of crystal receivers was on the upward swing. One possibility was that this was due to the splendid quality of reproduction. But it noted that it probably had something to do with the fact that they were not dependent on batteries or the mains supplies. They were ideal for “A.R.P. shelters.” The article didn’t say what “A.R.P.” stood for, but it apparently meant “air raid protection.”
With more and more high powered stations on the air, it was important that a crystal set be selective, and this one was designed with that parameter in mind.
Of course, the following month, Britain was at war, so building one of these for the ARP shelter was probably a prudent idea.
Seventy years ago this month, the August 1954 issue of Popular Mechanics showed how to put together this CONELRAD monitor for the ham. This one was more extravagant than most. It was hooked into the AVC circuit of a broadcast radio, and would trigger when the station being monitored left the air. In addition to setting an alarm, the author had it wired to automatically shut down the transmitter and switch to receive.
If you built this replica of an old-time radio when it was published, then today, it really is an old-time radio. The plans appeared in the July 1974 issue of Elementary Electronics for this crystal set. According to the magazine, the set is very selective, in part because it relies upon a loop antenna, which can be rotated to null out interfering stations. It requires no external antenna or ground, which also reduces static, and means that you don’t have to worry about lightning.
It had a galena crystal and cats whisker on front. But if you got tired of searching the crystal for the sweet spot, you could cheat by moving the headphone to a different socket, which was hooked up to a germanium diode hidden inside the cabinet.
A hundred years ago, these girls, all students at a Chicago public school, are proudly holding the radios they made in a contest. The are shown in the July 1924 issue of Radio News, which noted that they would not let the boys outdo them. The showed superior workmanship and attracted the attention of local experts.
A hundred years ago, this father-son duo were entertaining themselves on an otherwise slow afternoon by tuning in a radio program in some distant city. They are pictured in the July, 1924, issue of Radio Age, which notes that no camping trip was complete without its radio equipment. No matter where you went, you couldn’t be so far as to not be able to pull in a broadcasting station.
Seventy years ago this month, the July 1954 issue of the British publication Radio Constructor carried the plans for this one-tube regenerative receiver for the “veriest beginner” to radio. The magazine noted that such a beginner may not yet know how to read schematics, and the the magazine thus carried Heathkit-style step-by-step instructions for wiring it up.
Future issues of the magazine would add improvements, which would ultimately result in a three-tube set.
