1966 One-FET Radio

It’s not a one tube radio, but this article from the September 1966 issue of Electronics Illustrated points out that the then-new Field Effect Transistor (FET) was, in many respects, the same as a vacuum tube. So this construction article by Charles Green, W3IKH, deserves a spot in our pantheon.

After explaining the workings of the new device, he provides construction details for the one-FET regenerative receiver. For strong local stations, an indoor 25-foot antenna would prove adequate. For more remote areas, he recommended a good outdoor antenna and ground.

The transistor is a 2N3820, which back in the day sold for $3.75. They’re still available, at a much lower price, on Amazon.

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1945 One Tube Regen

Eighty years ago this month, the September 1945 issue of Radio Craft showed this circuit for a simple one-tube regenerative receiver. It had been sent in to the magazine by one Jim Gary of Kenedy, Texas, who reported highly satisfactory results, including pulling in both coasts from South Texas.

Batteries were hard to get, but this one ran on five flashlight batteries. A single cell lit the filament of the 1Q5-GT tube, and the B+ of just six volts was supplied by four more. For portability, the set could be constructed in an average size cigar box.

Annexation of Rockall, 1955

Rockall. Wikipedia image.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of what was probably the last time that the British Empire grew. On September 18, 1955, Rockall was annexed by the British Crown. It consists of a piece of granite sticking up 56 feet (17 meters) from the ocean. I assume it’s named because, well, it’s all rock and nothing else. You can find it on Google Maps at this link. If you look at the satellite image, there is a little smudge close to (but not directly at) the pin where Google has it located.

Four sailors were hoisted onto the tiny islet by a helicopter and hoisted the Union Jack. In 1972, the tiny island was made part of Scotland, which is the closest land at about 187 miles (301 km) distant.

The annexation was prompted by a test of Britain’s first guided nuclear missile, which was to take place over the North Atlantic. Since it was supposed that the tiny island might serve as a vantage point for the Soviets to monitor the test, it was important to assert sovereignty.

A fairly large percentage of the visitors to Rockall have been amateur radio operators. While the Island does not have DXCC status, it does constitute an Islands On The Air (IOTA) island. One DXpedition is documented at this link, where it is noted that this was only the sixth time in history that humans had stayed overnight on the island. Another DXpedition ran into trouble, and it was determined that the best course of action was to make a Mayday call and be rescued by the Royal Coast Guard.

1940 Three Tube Superhet

Eighty five years ago, these hunters are enjoying a radio program while out in the wilderness, thanks to a three-tube superhet shown in the September 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics.

The set was built into a 49 cent overnight bag, and was powered by four flashlight batteries in parallel for the filaments, and two 45 volt batteries for the B+. The B batteries were said to last for nine or ten months.

The tube lineup consisted of a 1A7-GT mixer, followed by a 1A5-GT IF amp, and then a 1D8-GT detector and audio amplifier. A loop antenna was built-in and the efficient circuit supplied satisfactory loudspeaker volume.

1925 One Meter Transmitter

One hundred years ago, the amateur who really wanted to push the frontiers of radio communication might want to experiment with this one-meter (300 MHz) transmitter. It doesn’t appear that the set would be capable of much communication, since there’s no reference to a receiver. Reception is possible locally only with a wavemeter, and this cover photo from the September 1925 issue of The Experimenter shows the set lighting a lamp powered by a nearby resonant circuit.

According to the magazine, transmission with a vacuum tube had been accomplished at wavelengths down to a quarter meter (1200 MHz).

1925 Boys’ Life Crystal Set

One hundred years ago this month, the September 1925 issue of Boys’ Life showed Scouts how to build this radio receiver for a total outlay of $5.52, including headphone and antenna wire. Of course, that works out to over $100 in 2025 dollars, so the Scout would have to be thrifty and save up his money.

While an indoor antenna might work, for best results, an outdoor antenna of 75 feet was called for. The article was penned by Zeh Bouck, who regularly wrote radio articles for the magazine.

The full plans appear here. You can click on the image below for the full-size version.

1925 Nine Tube Superhet

One hundred years ago, if you wanted a radio that would do it all, you could hardly go wrong with this nine-tube superheterodyne shown in the September 1925 issue of Popular Mechanics. It was equally suited for use at home or as a portable. It weighed in at “only” 50 pounds. The cost was billed as “only” $176.35, but that works out to $3255 in 2025 dollars.

The set, which used nine UV-199 or C-299 tubes, was said to be capable of coast to coast reception, and boasted a built-in speaker.

1980 Grocery Prices

If you were shopping for dinner 45 years ago, these are the prices you could expect to pay. While some might appear low, remember that there’s been a lot of inflation since 1980. According to this online inflation calculator, one dollar in 1980 was the equivalent of $3.92 in 2025 dollars. So for round numbers, you can multiply these prices by 4. This ad appeared in the September 10, 1980, issue of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

If you were shopping for groceries in 1980, what would you plan for dinner?

1965 QRP Transmitter

This ham sixty years ago, probably the article author, Clare Green, W3IKI, at the key of a QRP rig described in the September 1965 issue of Electronics Illustrated.

He notes that anyone can turn on a couple hundred watts and make some contacts. But you could also use the telephone or the U.S. Mail. He discovered the challenge of QRP (low-power operation), and came up with this 1/2 watt transmitter for 80 meters. It was notable for having a stable VFO, meaning that you weren’t stuck on a single frequency.

He notes that the contacts have to be clean on your key, because the low voltages wouldn’t be forgiving of the added resistance.

1965 Wireless Headphones

Sixty years ago this month, the September 1965 issue of Electronics Illustrated showed how to make these wireless headphones, for silent listening without any cord. The audio source you wanted to listen to was fed to a loop of wire going around the room, forming the primary of an audio transformer. The secondary was mounted on the headphones themselves, in the form of a coil wound on a ferrite core.

The one-transistor circuit here could be used with high impedance headphones. For low impedance headphones, a slightly different circuit, with two transistors was shown. As a kid, I experimented with a similar setup, using a telephone pickup coil for the receiver. Some assistive listening systems, such as for hearing aids, or for providing commentary in museums, use a similar system.