1952 Three-Tube Converter

The gentleman shown here is now about 80 years old, but in September 1952, he was in Nebraska, pulling in Guam on an inexpensive broadcast radio, thanks to the converter described in that month’s issue of Radio News.

He’s quite possibly the son of author Stan Johnson, W0LBV, who was previously featured here. According to the author, the setup was the answer for a novice looking for an inexpensive but well performing receiver, or for the old timer who needed a second set. Despite the low cost, it was said to give $100+ communications receivers a run for their money. It could be used for any band between 160 and 10 meters with suitable coils, but the construction article specifically showed how to wind coils for 80 and 11 meters, the bands open for novices at the time.

The output of the converter was at the top of the standard broadcast band. It included a BFO to allow reception of code signals.

1972 One-Tube Receiver & Two-Transistor Transmitter

Fifty years ago, the September 1972 issue of Electronics Illustrated carried this sampler of small projects for the electronic hobbyist. Of course, of special interest to our readers is the one-tube receiver shown at the upper left. The regenerative set, using a 1U4 tube tuned the broadcast band and 3-14 MHz in three bands. In addition to a flashlight battery to light the filament, it used a 45 volt B battery.

Also of interest was the two-transistor QRP transmitter that put out one watt on 80 meters. The author, Herb Cohen, pointed out that the little rig was “just the ticket for QRP contests, field trips and any other time you really want to pit your savvy against the vagarities of radio communications.” The set ran on 12 volts.

Pilotuner T-601 FM Tuner, 1947

Seventy-five years ago this month, the September 1947 issue of Radio Craft sang the praises of the Pilotuner model T-601 FM tuner, designed to cover the new FM band. The set had audio output, so could be plugged into the phono jack of a standard broadcast radio or into a phonograph. Priced at only $29.95, it was predicted to be the thing to bring FM out of the luxury class and make it available to the average man.

Those with prewar FM sets that covered 42-49 MHz could simply add the new tuner without making “complicated and costly conversions.” It had a built-in antenna that could be used in strong signal areas, and it had provision for hooking up an external antenna.

It had a power transformer, which was an important feature, since it was isolated from the power line. This meant that it could be hooked to an AC-DC set without having to worry about polarity.

In tests in downtown Manhattan, the set functioned well with the built-in antenna, with no signs of frequency drift. Two strong stations separated by only two channels (in other words, 400 kHz) were easily separated.

1952 3-Tube Broadcast/Shortwave Regen

Seventy years ago this month, the September 1952 issue of Radio-Electronics carried the plans for this miniature regenerative receiver covering three bands with the convenience of band switching. The coil was wound by the builder, and different windings were switched in to cover the broadcast band, 1.5-4 MHz, and 6-16 MHz. The set was 7.5 inches deep, 6 inches long, and 1.5 inches high, and housed a 7H7 regenerative detector, with the audio being amplified by a 6SQ7 and 6F6. It was billed as being suitable for “signal monitoring, dial-twirling, or emergency standby service.” In addition to 6.3 volts for the filaments, the set required a power supply of 180-250 VDC.

1942 Photocell Opportunities

With civilian radio production suspended for the duration in 1942, many radio dealers were in search of additional lines of business to fill the gap. The September 1942 issue of Radio Retailing offered a number of suggestions involving applications of photocells. Above, with the possibility of wartime blackouts, a business owner would need a way to shut off his electric sign quickly in case the order was given. One way to do it automatically would be to wire the sign to a photocell pointed at the closest streetlight. When the town shut off the streetlights, his sign would immediately go dark.

Various industrial applications were suggested, as well as, of course, use of electric eyes in security systems. Shown at right was a design used the by Cleveland Plain Dealer, to measure the pitching speeds of various pitchers. A trailer was equipped with the system shown here, and the player was to pitch into an opening in the back of the trailer. The ball would pass through two beams of light, and from the difference in time, the speed would be measured.

Of course, today, the aspiring major league pitcher can get the same thing surprisingly inexpensively. The device shown here uses radar to measure the ball’s speed and does not require an entire trailer to move around.

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1938 Grocery Prices

For a snapshot of Depression-era grocery prices, this ad appeared on this date, September 16, 1938, in the Pittsburgh Press. These prices might look like bargains, but money was hard to come by, and there’s been a lot of inflation since then. According to this inflation calculator, the 3 pounds of butter for one dollar is the equivalent of about $21 today, or about $7 per pound. How does that compare to today’s price, which you can find at this link?

A loaf of bread to put that butter on was a dime, but that was over $2 in today’s money. Campbell’s Tomato Soup is 6 cans for 40 cents, or less than 7 cents per can. But that’s about $1.47 in 2022 dollars. How does that compare to the current price shown at this link?

Of course, the highlight for many would be the scrapple, two pounds for 29 cents. The price appears to have gone up since then, as you can see at this link:

If you were shopping for dinner in 1938, what would you buy?

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Radio Emergency Medical Consultation, 1947

Shown here is Dr. Ralph W. Davis (left), chief surgeon at Audubon Hospital, Audubon, N.J. He is shown with Max Joseph Bonsted, W2EQ, who facilitated a transoceanic medical consultation. An unidentified soldier was dying of injuries sustained in a plane crash, on Palmyra Island, 6000 miles away. There was no doctor on the island, so a government weather observer used his amateur radio to contact Bonsted. The men treating the soldier followed Dr. Davis’ instructions, and they reported back that he seemed to be improving.

The photo appeared 75 years ago this month in the September 1947 issue of Radio News.

1972 Electric Car

Electric cars are nothing new, as shown by this one on the cover of Popular Mechanics fifty years ago, September 1972. (In fact, we previously showed you one from 1909.)

Electric motors have been extremely reliable for a long time, and they can develop high torque, even at zero RPM (which, incidentally, is why railroads now use them exclusively for moving trains). In addition, an electric motor will essentially last forever with little maintenance. And with the drive wheels driven directly by an electric motor, there’s no need for a transmission. (I still scratch my head and wonder why Toyota designed the Prius with a transmission, since it seems to me it would have been a lot easier and cheaper to drive the wheels directly, and use the gasoline engine solely for charging the battery.)

For over a hundred years, the limiting factor on electric vehicles has been the battery. All of the other parts are extraordinarily simple. It’s best to think of an electric car as being a battery, along with a few other parts, such as wheels, that make it move. So yes, when the battery dies, it probably means that the car is totaled. With internal combustion engines, the fuel tank lasts forever. But when the engine throws a rod after a few hundred thousand miles, then the car probably needs replacement. This is considered normal.

In 1972, however, this wasn’t quite the case. However, the battery had serious limitations. The car shown here is the Transit IV from Anderson Power Products of Bedford, Mass. (Yes, that appears to be the same company that makes Anderson Powerpole connectors, which have a nearly religious following.) The company was in talks with Avis to provide the vehicles for rental. The car had a range of 60 miles, making it useful for urban applications, although the magazine noted that it was not yet a replacement for vehicles to be driven on the road. It used twelve 12 volt lead-acid batteries, which could be charged in the vehicle, or removed. The recharging time was said to be 4-5 hours.

The $300 battery pack was said to be good for about 400 discharge cycles, or about 20,000 miles, which works out to a cost of about one cent per mile, plus, of course, the cost of the electricity. Since they were just garden variety lead-acide batteries, they were designed for replacement.

At the time, the magazine predicted that molten salt batteries would be the next development that would make electric vehicles practical for more application. It was actually the lithium-ion battery that was the breakthrough to make electric cars (and many other portable devices) practical or close to practical for most applications.

The editors did a road test of the vehicle. The first observation was that when the ignition is turned on, all is quiet, and only a small red light indicated that it was ready to go. The car reached its 65 MPH top speed in eerie silence, the only sounds being the whirr of the 20 HP DC motor and the hiss of the tires on the road. The editors concluded that “as an urban car it sure makes a lot of sense.”

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1922 Spark Transmitter

A hundred years ago this month, the September 1922 issue of Popular Mechanics showed how to make this radio transmitter. According to the author, F.L. Brittin, the set was capable of distances of up to 16 miles, and relied upon an automobile ignition coil to generate the high voltage for the spark. It was small enough to put in a small suitcase, and “well adjusted to the needs of outers in motor cars or boats, and for boy-scout field work.”

If parts were bought new, the cost was about $15, but by using materials commonly available around the shop, this could be reduced.

The magazine reminded readers that a license was necessary before transmitting, and full details could be obtained from the radio inspector in the builder’s district.

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1962 Television Monocle

Shown here is 1962’s answer to the Google Glass. The cover of the September 1962 issue of Radio Electronics shows this wearable CRT display, dubbed a “television monocle.”

The picture tube is directed through a light-splitting lens, which allows the viewer to see the picture superimposed over the actual view ahead. One possible application suggested was for air traffic controllers, who could continually watch one screen while looking at other things. An officer on the bridge of a ship could view radar screens and other displays while also viewing their surroundings. In industry, complex instructions could be displayed.

Google isn’t currently selling their version retail, but wearable displays such as the one shown here are currently available.