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Old 12th Aug 2005, 9:05 am   #1
SA-Draadloos
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Default How far back does it go?

I have just read a fascinating little booklet - The Wireless World Hints and Tips booklet October 6th 1933 - which got me thinking (about radio stuff that is ) - How far back do radio construction type articles go? The furthest back I gi is a copy of a 1928 article outlining the construction of test equipment.

Certain comments and tips in the '33 booklet had to make me smile : in one instance they advocated using a screwdriver to check for the presence of HT in one part of the circuit (and leakage in capacitors) by shorting to earth and watching for a spark ; and some of the construction looked really ancient - open bread board type with resistors mounted in their own specific clips on the top of the wooden chassis.

Obviously the very early radios were mosty self made, but what happened to these articles and who would have produced them ? PW? Radio COnstructor? Wireless World?? Is there anything on the internet I've missed?

James
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 9:50 am   #2
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Hello James,
Very interesting question that one. As we all know radio started officially in this country in November 1922. At that time very few radio manufacturers existed and only the very wealthy could afford to buy a 'set'. You can well imagine the interest that radio stimulated with the public at that time and everybody wanted to 'listen in'. Construction details of simple crystal sets appeared in daily newspapers and the 'Wireless World' a radio magazine that was a weekly publication at that time and was founded in 1911. Soon the radio industry started to take off and firms like MULAARD who made the valves, GEC and COSSOR, as well as many others produced kits for the home constructor. Magazines like Amatuer Wireless and dozens of others produced numerous articles for the home constructor and an industry was born. Even firms like BP got involved with radio as the scan of this little book shows. If you were not involved in radio you were not considered 'modern' I have many pre 1930 'Blueprints' for home construction. Before 1930 most of the few makers had their factories in central London or northern cities but as the by-pass roads were built around Slough, Barking, Welwyn Garden City and others, the new industry set up cheap new factories who employed the workers living in the new 1930's semi's that had sprung up along the new roads. Radio became affordable and the sets attractive and home construction took a back stage for a while. The fascination of radio maintains a strong support to this day as this site proves. Hope this will answer a small part of your query. regards JOHN.
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 12:43 pm   #3
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Hi James, there were a lot of other publications pre 1922, some of them produced in association with model engineering and showing how to make your own components. Model Engineer was then called something like "The Model Engineer and Amatear Electrician. They produced many series og booklets on radio and electrical topics. A contempory author was AJ Ballhatchet with several titels on Radio and electricals.

HTH Ed
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 12:51 pm   #4
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

I'm just looking at my copy of "Model Engineer and Amateur Electrician" magazine dated January 1898. It has an article on constructing coherers and suggests that "a cheap electric bell" could be used as a transmitter. The author is Leslie Miller A.I.E.E.

Any one know of articles pre 1898?

Graham.
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 2:04 pm   #5
SA-Draadloos
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Quote:
Originally Posted by G4ILN

Any one know of articles pre 1898?

Graham.
WOW! That is far back - Has anyone had a go at constructing receivers of the 20's type vintage?
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 3:32 pm   #6
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

There's a current offer on Ebay for a few 1923 Popular Wireless which seem to have some constructional articles. My guess is we go back still further, though.

-Tony
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 4:32 pm   #7
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

I have a couple of books dedicated to wireless construction. The earliest is "How to make a wireless set" by Arthur Moore dated 1911 and is one of the Popular Mechanics series from the USA. In this, coherers and crystal detectors are described - even how to make a variable condenser! It is very interesting that even the amateur was expected to decorate home-made kit with flowing curves and artistic shapes.

The other is "The book of Wireless" by A. Frederick Collins and is dated 1920. The plans in this book, directed at the younger constructer, are a little more basic with no flourishes. A crystal detector is described with and without dry cell bias using a water potentiometer! Great stuff.

Brian
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 4:32 pm   #8
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

I just trawled through some of my oldest books; neither my 1896 revised edition of Practical Electricity (first edition 1887) nor my 1909 fifth edition of Electrical Engineering mention this new-fangled wireless thing. Those books are more geared towards power and lighting, though.

There are some fascinating constructional articles in my Harmsworth's Wireless Encyclopedia (incomplete, I'm missing volume one of the three) - the volumes I have contain no date but I believe mid 1920's to be about right. If I can't find any objections regards copyrights etc I'm very tempted to scan some of these and put them on my website; they give a fascinating insight into DIY wireless of the time.

One stands out, I'm tempted to try constructing the 'Hanging Set: A Set For The Dining Room - An Ornamental and Useful Receiver which gives Light and Music Simultaneously'.

It's a 6-valve 'straight' set, all 'R' types; two-stage RF amplification, detector, then 3-stage AF amplification. That's the less interesting bit, though - it's built as a hexagonal set suspended from the ceiling...

Kat
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 4:46 pm   #9
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Does this mean that to listen to the radio you have to have the light on, or you can't listen to the radio in the dark? I'm intrigued. How do you adjust the volume?

Biggles
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 5:05 pm   #10
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

'R' valves are bright emitter; they're mounted upside-down on the bottom of the set, complete with a tasselled shade around the whole thing - I'll try to get a scan/photo.

Kat.
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 6:16 pm   #11
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kat Manton
I'll try to get a scan/photo.
Done.
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Old 12th Aug 2005, 8:53 pm   #12
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Default Re: How far back does it go?

Now you've done it my wife wants one for the dining room


Mike
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