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- Program for a Radio Broadcast of Dance Music Played by Henry Ford's Old-Time Dance Orchestra, 1944 - From January 1944 to July 1944, a Ford-sponsored half-hour radio program, "Early American Dance Music," featured Henry Ford's Old Time Orchestra. Broadcast live from Ford Motor Company's recording studio at the Engineering Laboratory, the program achieved a fair amount of popularity--though most of it with an older audience.
- 1944
- Collections - Artifact
Program for a Radio Broadcast of Dance Music Played by Henry Ford's Old-Time Dance Orchestra, 1944
From January 1944 to July 1944, a Ford-sponsored half-hour radio program, "Early American Dance Music," featured Henry Ford's Old Time Orchestra. Broadcast live from Ford Motor Company's recording studio at the Engineering Laboratory, the program achieved a fair amount of popularity--though most of it with an older audience.
- Radiola Broadcast Receiver, Type 1375, Used at Tuckerton Wireless Station, 1922-1923 - This radio equipment was used at the German-built Tuckerton Wireless Station in New Jersey. A powerful 820-foot antenna communicated with an identical station in Germany. National security concerns during WWI led to the seizure of Tuckerton by the U.S. government in 1917. It is cited to be the origin of information leaks leading to the RMS <em>Lusitania</em> disaster through U-boat attack.
- 1922-1923
- Collections - Artifact
Radiola Broadcast Receiver, Type 1375, Used at Tuckerton Wireless Station, 1922-1923
This radio equipment was used at the German-built Tuckerton Wireless Station in New Jersey. A powerful 820-foot antenna communicated with an identical station in Germany. National security concerns during WWI led to the seizure of Tuckerton by the U.S. government in 1917. It is cited to be the origin of information leaks leading to the RMS Lusitania disaster through U-boat attack.
- Finch Facsimile Transmitter, 1938-1940 - From 1938-1940, the <em>Detroit News</em> experimented with a domestic radio-facsimile subscription service. This transmitter converted images and text into electrical impulses, sent over the radio waves--reassembled by receivers in the homes of customers. The idea was revolutionary, however, the process was slow and signal reception was unreliable beyond a mile or two of the transmission tower.
- 1938-1940
- Collections - Artifact
Finch Facsimile Transmitter, 1938-1940
From 1938-1940, the Detroit News experimented with a domestic radio-facsimile subscription service. This transmitter converted images and text into electrical impulses, sent over the radio waves--reassembled by receivers in the homes of customers. The idea was revolutionary, however, the process was slow and signal reception was unreliable beyond a mile or two of the transmission tower.
- Radio Goniometer Used at Ford Airport, circa 1927 - The radio beacon may be Henry Ford's most important contribution to aviation. Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted the Morse code letter "A" (dot-dash) in one direction and the letter "N" (dash-dot) in another. The pilot steered until the separate signals merged into a steady hum.
- circa 1927
- Collections - Artifact
Radio Goniometer Used at Ford Airport, circa 1927
The radio beacon may be Henry Ford's most important contribution to aviation. Early pilots depended on landmarks, preventing reliable navigation in bad weather. Ford's engineers developed a radio beacon that simultaneously transmitted the Morse code letter "A" (dot-dash) in one direction and the letter "N" (dash-dot) in another. The pilot steered until the separate signals merged into a steady hum.
- Sparton Radio Model 558-B, 1937 - This 1937 Sparton radio was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, a designer renowned for his use of streamlined forms. A study in contrasts -- the blue mirrored finish and curved sled-like base suggest speed while the five jutting parallel panels appear almost architectural -- this expensive and glamorous radio had a limited market during the Great Depression.
- 1937
- Collections - Artifact
Sparton Radio Model 558-B, 1937
This 1937 Sparton radio was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, a designer renowned for his use of streamlined forms. A study in contrasts -- the blue mirrored finish and curved sled-like base suggest speed while the five jutting parallel panels appear almost architectural -- this expensive and glamorous radio had a limited market during the Great Depression.
- Heathkit Portable AM Transistor Radio, Model XR-2P, circa 1962 - The Heath Company was founded in the 1920s as a "do-it-yourself" electronics kit provider. "Heathkits" provided simple, accessible instructions understandable to amateurs and experts alike. As hobbyists built radios, televisions, and computers from scratch, they gained electronics skills. These kits were not novelties, but emphasized access to affordable, advanced, high-performance technology. Parallels can easily be seen within present-day "Maker" culture.
- circa 1962
- Collections - Artifact
Heathkit Portable AM Transistor Radio, Model XR-2P, circa 1962
The Heath Company was founded in the 1920s as a "do-it-yourself" electronics kit provider. "Heathkits" provided simple, accessible instructions understandable to amateurs and experts alike. As hobbyists built radios, televisions, and computers from scratch, they gained electronics skills. These kits were not novelties, but emphasized access to affordable, advanced, high-performance technology. Parallels can easily be seen within present-day "Maker" culture.
- Zenith "My Radio" Pendant Transistor Radio, circa 1970 - The size of radios shrank following the advent of transistor technology. Even the smallest vacuum tubes were bulky, and their power consumption ensured the need for large batteries. Transistor radios made of lightweight plastics were cheap and truly portable. With the addition of an earphone a radio such as this allowed the listener to enjoy a completely personal listening experience.
- circa 1970
- Collections - Artifact
Zenith "My Radio" Pendant Transistor Radio, circa 1970
The size of radios shrank following the advent of transistor technology. Even the smallest vacuum tubes were bulky, and their power consumption ensured the need for large batteries. Transistor radios made of lightweight plastics were cheap and truly portable. With the addition of an earphone a radio such as this allowed the listener to enjoy a completely personal listening experience.
- Reactance Coil, Used at Hammond Radio Research Laboratory, 1915-1920 - John Hays Hammond, Jr., is considered "the father of radio control." In 1926, he built a medieval-inspired castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts, as his home and research laboratory. With 400 patents to his name, Hammond developed radio control, autopilot function, and targeted missile detonation. A reactance coil is an inductor, blocking high-frequency AC power, allowing low-frequency DC power to pass.
- 1915-1920
- Collections - Artifact
Reactance Coil, Used at Hammond Radio Research Laboratory, 1915-1920
John Hays Hammond, Jr., is considered "the father of radio control." In 1926, he built a medieval-inspired castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts, as his home and research laboratory. With 400 patents to his name, Hammond developed radio control, autopilot function, and targeted missile detonation. A reactance coil is an inductor, blocking high-frequency AC power, allowing low-frequency DC power to pass.
- Radio Microphone, Used at Hammond Radio Research Laboratory, circa 1915 - John Hays Hammond, Jr., was largely responsible for launching the field of radio control. In 1926, he built a medieval-inspired castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This site served as his home and research laboratory. With over 400 patents to his name, Hammond developed ideas for radio control, autopilot function, and targeted missile detonation. This device was used in Hammond's laboratory.
- circa 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Radio Microphone, Used at Hammond Radio Research Laboratory, circa 1915
John Hays Hammond, Jr., was largely responsible for launching the field of radio control. In 1926, he built a medieval-inspired castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This site served as his home and research laboratory. With over 400 patents to his name, Hammond developed ideas for radio control, autopilot function, and targeted missile detonation. This device was used in Hammond's laboratory.
- Magnavox Speaker Driver, Used Inside the Tower of Jewels Building, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915 -
- 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Magnavox Speaker Driver, Used Inside the Tower of Jewels Building, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915