Study Guides for HAM Licenses
Ah, Those Favorite Old Radio Programs, long before TV was available
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Part #1 The Unsinkable Titanic = = = = = = = = = = = =
Now, lets jump into our handy "Time Machine", and step back in time to over 115 years or so.
Our first stop in 1912 The "Unsinkable Titanic" was on it's Maiden Cruise, and had the very newest "Marconi Radio Equipment" on board, with a 5KW Arc (not Spark) Transmitter
Even though Triode Tubes had just recently been introduced (a year or so before this), and were beiong considered for Received Signal Amplification, the receiving device was called a "Coherer", which consisted of two metal contacts very close together in a tube, with fine iron powder close to them, which in the course of a signal from a tuned circuit would cause them to bunch together between those contacts, and complete the circuit. Ocassionaly they would stick together after the signal went away, and a tap with asmall wooden hammer was used to cuase them to drop out.
I used to have a smaller "Spark Transmiter", which was used by "Ham" Operators of those later years.
The Titanic Radio Operator had been very busy sending messages to the Shore Station for the wealthy passengers, and either missed or ignored a criticlal message from another ship that had passed through the area, about "Much Ice and Bergs"
Most of us here thought that "SOS" was the distress signal sent, but it wasn't used until the very last moment. "SOS had only recently been approved or suggested. The distress signal and location was "CQD", as "Come Quick Distress", followed by "de Titanic sinking", and then theLatitude and Longitude". Just before the Titanic went under, the Captain told the Radio Operator to go ahead and send the "SOS". The Carparthia heard the distress signal and had responded that they were turning about, but they were 50 KM away, and would take 2 hours to get there
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Part #2 The Century Old Callbook = = = = = = = = = = = =
Now, let's take a look at this "The Citizen's Radio CallBook" of 1924
At now 91 years of age, and having held this book fpr 50 years, I dcided that I wanted to share it with you folks.
A LOT happened in the advancement of Radio Adventures during the following 10 years
"Amateur Radio" people were now known as "Experimenters", as those that either worked with the radio circuits, or especially now known as those that actually built their own radio receivers.
The decision about the assignment of frequencies, where the Titanic used "LF", and the assigmnent for Broadcast Radio was to be "MF", and with "HF" were useless, they were given to the "Amateur Radio" folks (those Experimenters), and perhaps they can figure out what to do with those frequencies.
Now, let's jump back into our Time Machine and jump forward in time of only about 12 years. I have a book that I have tightly hung onto for about 50 years, that was published in 1924, which means that it is a whole Century old, and I decided to share with you folks. It is comprised of almost 200 pages.
After scanning all of the pages, Barry really shaped them up, and really did a great job of organizing them. With them now ready to puruse, I want to point out that "Amateur Radio" and "HAM" are clearly identified at this early stage of radio. The letters of "HAM" are not even suggested as to be an acronam of something, but simply an identification as as individual, which I insist is simply a "Moniker".
Magnesium Getters in the Triodes
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Part #3 Ghost Towns = = = = = = = = = = = =
Expressions and coinage:
