What were old fashioned radios called?

Foxhole radios

A foxhole radio is a simple crystal sets radio receiver cobbled together from whatever parts one could make (which were very few indeed) or scrounged from junked equipment.

What is the first radio?

In 1895, a young Italian named Gugliemo Marconi invented what he called “the wireless telegraph” while experimenting in his parents' attic. He used radio waves to transmit Morse code and the instrument he used became known as the radio.

Why is it called transistor radio?

A transistor radio is a small portable radio receiver that uses transistor-based circuitry.

Are vintage radios worth anything?

With so many vintage radios available on the market, in general these radios are pretty cheap. Older models are the most expensive at a few hundred dollars. Vintage models from the 1970s and after only cost around $20 or $30.

What is a Catalin radio?

Developed in 1927 by the Catalin Corporation, Catalin was one of the first molded plastics used in radios along with Bakelite and Plaskon. Prior to the development of Catalin, manufacturers commonly used Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components.

Whanganui Vintage Radios Part One

What's the difference between Bakelite and Catalin?

Bakelite is opaque, while catalin is often translucent (can often see this at the edges of an item). If the item is brightly colored jewelry or similar items, it is more than probably catalin.

Why was Bakelite discontinued?

Bakelite applications in conservation were discontinued in the 1940s because of certain disadvantages that soon became apparent. The lack of records and relevant information precludes any assumption on the extent of its use and in which institutions.

What was on the radio in the 1920s?

They began broadcasting things like popular music, classical music, sporting events, lectures, fictional stories, newscasts, weather reports, market updates, and political commentary.

Do vintage radios still work?

Even if the radio has been sitting unused for years, some components, notably capacitors, will deteriorate with age. Even a radio that looks "factory fresh" may still be unsafe or unreliable to play. This page gives some tips on how to check out your radio before turning it on.

When did they stop making tube radios?

By 1967 the last of the remaining manufacturers would end production of tube radios.

What is the difference between a transistor radio and a radio?

Modern radio circuits are transistor based circuit making the size of the radio device simple, small and energy efficient. Radio is a device which transmit and amplifies signals. The modern radio uses transistor since it is smaller in size.

What replaced transistor radios?

By the 1970s and 1980s, the Walkman (see entry under 1970s— Music in volume 4) essentially replaced the transistor radio, due to its superior sound quality and ability to play cassette tapes.

When were small radios invented?

Portable radios were invented by John F. Mitchell in 1941 when he created the first 2-way radio that was small enough for people to carry with them during World War II (Mitchell). The first portable radio was called the “Walkie-talkie,” which is where radios got their name (Mitchell).

What saved radio in the 1950s?

Radio did not fall apart it just had to adapt and change. The way is survived was through music. Radios started playing music on FM because it was superior to AM. And during the 1950 s Rock and Roll was a creation of FM and was introduced by radio announcer Allen Freud.

What was a wireless in 1924?

Documents including maps and photographs went by radiofax, or wireless photoradiogram, invented in 1924 by Richard H. Ranger of Radio Corporation of America (RCA). This method prospered in the mid-20th century and faded late in the century.

What is the oldest radio station?

world's first commercial radio station, KDKA, began broadcasting in Pittsburgh in 1920.

Why do radios no longer have AM?

The decline in AM audio was due more to regulation than to method of modulation. One aspect of radio not understood by most listeners is the concept of occupied bandwidth, or the amount of spectrum that a station uses to transmit its signal.

Does AM stereo still exist?

Current status. Globally, interest in and use of AM stereo has been declining steadily since the 1990s, as many music stations have continued to move to the FM band. As a result, the vast majority of AM stations broadcast news/talk or sports/sports talk formats.

Is AM radio still around?

There are over 6,000 AM stations in the U.S. today. And they still have a huge audience of listeners, typically locals who seek out the latest weather, traffic, and news information. Most still listen in their cars or trucks.

Why was the 1920s called the Jazz Age?

Scott Fitzgerald termed the 1920s "the Jazz Age." With its earthy rhythms, fast beat, and improvisational style, jazz symbolized the decade's spirit of liberation. At the same time, new dance styles arose, involving spontaneous bodily movements and closer physical contact between partners.

What did the flapper symbolize?

Today the easily recognized image of the flapper symbolizes the 1920s for many people. The flapper—with her short skirts, short hair, noticeable makeup, and fun-loving attitude—represented a new freedom for women. The old restrictions on dress and behavior were being overthrown.

Why was radio so powerful to people in the 1930s?

It provided a great source of entertainment with much loved comedians such as Jack Benny and Fred Allen making their names on the wireless. It marked the advent of the soap opera, a running story that people could return to, with characters they could sympathise with and love.

Is Asbestos still used in Bakelite?

Because the naturally occurring mineral was cheap and easy to work with, manufacturers often used asbestos plastics by default for many other types of products as well. While Bakelite contained asbestos from at least 1909 to 1974, most American manufacturers phased out asbestos around the mid-1980s.

Do people still make Bakelite?

Bakelite stock is still manufactured and produced in sheet, rod and tube form for industrial applications in the electronics, power generation and aerospace industries, and under a variety of commercial brand names.

How can you tell the difference between Bakelite and plastic?

Bakelite feels heavier when compared to some other types of plastics, like celluloid. Hold another type of plastic you have identified in one hand, and a piece you know to be Bakelite of approximately the same size in the other. You will often notice the heavier feel of Bakelite.