LINKS TO USEFUL SITES & INFO
(Always Under Construction)
Topics of Interest
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Radio Comes to Rural America - a brief writeup from the book 50 years of Rural Electrification in America
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Radio Comes to Asheville - explores the huge impact in rural western North Carolina in the 1920s when radio broadcasting started
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History lesson... why did early TVs start with channel 2, not channel 1?
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Communications provided by amateur radio operators in emergencies
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Radio Spectrum Archive - captures radio broadcasts marking historic moments in time using Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology
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SWLing.com - for those who enjoy listening to shortwave radios
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Historian David Whisnant's blog on Amateur Radio in the 1920s
and beyond (with a focus on Asheville). Note: You can subscribe to this blog, and share on Facebook or Twitter. -
Vacuum tube database - enter the tube number to obtain detailed information on that tube (applications, pinouts etc.)
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Wireless Innovation Forum - advances innovative uses of the spectrum and development of critical wireless communications systems.
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History of early solar powered radios, starting in the mid 1950s.
Amateur Radio - Clubs etc. (please send us your info to add yours)
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All About Ham Radio for Beginners (many useful links)
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Ham Radio and More - 1990s radio show episodes on ham radio
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Overview of ham radio history with links to many useful sites
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ARRL Search Page to find a radio club in your area
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Heathkit Vitrual Museum - info on each ham radio kit made
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Lafayette Radio - its sixty year history (ham and CB gear)
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Brunswick Shores NC Amateur Radio Club
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Forsyth Amateur Radio Club (Winston-Salem, NC)
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Greensboro Amateur Radio Association (Greensboro, NC)
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Gaston County NC Amateur Radio Society
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Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville TN
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Lenoir Amateur Radio Club (Lenoir, NC)
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Orange County Radio Amateurs (NC)
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Pamlico Amateur Radio Society (Pamlico County, NC)
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Richmond County Amateur Radio Club (Rockingham, NC)
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Tri-County Amateur Radio Club (Randolph, Davidson, and Guilford Counties in NC)
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Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society
Vintage Radio
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ASSOCIATIONS & CLUBS
Antique Wireless Association HQ (Rochester, NY)
Ottawa Vintage Radio Club - many interesting links about radio
Southeastern Antique Radio Society (Atlanta GA area)
Carolinas Chapter Antique Wireless Assn (Charlotte NC area)
BROADCASTS – VINTAGE PROGRAMS
Old time radio shows (The Shadow, Lone Ranger etc.) - online archive
Old Time Radio Downloads - a huge free collection of vintage radio programs
CATALOGS
Montgomery Ward 1922 catalog of radios and radio parts
CRYSTAL RADIOS
Crystal radios - an explanation of how they work
Gorgeous handmade reproduction crystal radios - Geoff Roberts (UK)
Fascinating interview with Geoff Roberts from SWLing.com
Make your own crystal radio - more than 75 projects with plans
FORUMS
Antique Radio Forum - roaring twenties superhet forum (Q & A)
Antique Radios - useful forum for getting expert advice from others
FOR SALE RADIOS
Radio Attic - site for buying and selling vintage radios
Renovated Radios - Vintage radios
HISTORY
U. S. Early Radio History - a significant collection of articles about the early days
Building the Broadcast band - detailed history of how the AM 550 - 1500 was created
Secret Life of Machines - Excellent video on radio wave discovery and development
Radio - The First 50 Years (published in 1938 by Radio-Craft magazine)
Interesting online collection of vintage print advertisements for radios and TVs
How to use the incredible Antique Radios web site
Fascinating research on Appalachians and the golden age of radio
Car radios - the interesting story of their early development
Broadcasting's History - an interesting recap from the 1920s to today
The subminiature vacuum tube - a vital strategic weapon during World War II
Video bio of Edwin Armstrong - inventor of regen, superhet and FM radio circuitry
Armstrong archives - many original documents, drawings, photos etc.
Video about Armstrong's development of FM radio - how the technology works
How FM radio works - a lengthy (30 minute) radio about FM technology
1941 video by RCA on how vacuum tubes work and how they are made
Telecommunications Timeline - how we've communicated since 6 BC
New York's interesting history of radio and TV broadcasting
The Perham Collection - early radio developments in Silicon Valley CA
Acme Radio's interesting 1920s pamphlet on preventing audio distortion
MUSEUMS & COLLECTIONS
Antique Wireless Association Museum
Voice of American Museum - Gray History of Wireless Collection (phenomenal!)
The Roaring Twenties Antique Radio Museum - an amazing collection!
Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
The Classic Radio Gallery - another extensive collection of vintage radios
Tube Radioland - yet another collection of vintage radios
Early Television Foundation and Museum - great source of technical information
Roaring Twenties Superhets - awesome collection of early superheterodyne gear
Another huge private collection of restored antique radios
Museum of Radio and Technology (West Virginia)
The Birmingham Black Radio History Museum (Alabama)
Antique Radio Classified list of clubs and museums
Spark Museum of Electrical invention (Bellingham, WA)
The National Capital Radio and Television Museum
Radio Museum - online museum of vintage radios (photos, schematics)
Steven Johannessen.com - An extensive private antique radio collection
PARTS FOR RESTORATION WORK
Extensive directory of parts suppliers, manuals, schematics etc.
Renovated Radios - Vintage radios parts
Replacement tuning drive belts for vintage radios
Renovated Radios LLC - new replacement knobs and many other parts
Radio Daze - vintage radio restoration parts
Reproduction plastic dial covers for vintage radios
Reproduction grille cloth (speaker covers)
Old Radio Parts - another useful source for restoration parts
Just Radios - antique radio & TV electronics parts including high voltage capacitors
Renovated Radios - offers many unique radio restoration parts
Radio Belts - sells replacement drive belts for vintage radio tuning mechanisms
Source for square copper jewelry wire similar to 1920s radio buss wire
Voice of Music - vintage phonograph parts (styli, drive belts, idler pulleys)
Retro Radio Repair - great source for repro plastic dial covers
PERIODICALS
Electric Radio Magazine - for folks who use vintage radios
American Radio History - PDFs of radio mags from the 1920s forward
Antique Radio Classified Magazine - Info on antique radios
Radio News - a particularly interesting 1920s radio monthly periodical
Antique Wireless Association Journal
Radio Age - published by the Mid Atlantic Antique Radio Club (MAARC)
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REPAIRMEN
Golden Radio Repair - vintage radio repair (free estimates)
RESTORATION OF VINTAGE RADIOS
California Historical Radio Society - links to all available online articles
California Historical Radio Society - searchable index of online articles (PDF)
California Historical Radio Society - 20th anniversary "hints and kinks" issue (PDF)
DYI intro article (part one) on how to bring an antique radio back to life
Part Two of article on bringing an antique radio back to life
Restoring old radios - a beginner's guide covering many useful topics
Restoring old radios - guidance on lead dressing, powering up and replacing capacitors
Mid century (1900s) radios - making them look and play like new again
Soldering for beginners - an introductory tutorial
Soldering for beginners - ten mistakes to avoid (a video)
Radio plastics explained (Bakelite, Catalin, Plaskon etc)
A private collector's detailed restoration notes on dozens of antique radios.
Index to Rider's master index of radio schematics volumes I - XV (thru 1947)
Page for downloading a specific Riders volume
Schematics library on the Nostalgia Air website
Capacitor codes - how to translate id numbers into values (e. g., mfd, mmfd)
Nostalgia Air online tube substitution search (enter a tube id to find substitutes)
Magic Eye tubes - what they are, how they work, substitution chart etc.
Sams Dial Cord Stringing Manual
NCStereoMan - a vintage electronics repair technician in Asheville
Tuned Radio Frequency (TRF) radios - an introduction (see page 4)
Philco Repair Bench - useful service tips on repairing specific Philco radios
Philco Phorum - A forum for Philco radio collectors and enthusiasts
Philco Catalogs - useful for determining values (e. g., mfd) based on part numbers
Philco Radio.com - Radio restoration services & DIY information
Phil's Old Radios - Vintage radios and information
Magic Eye (tuning aid) troubleshooting suggestions
Magic Eye voltage doubler suggestions for supplying higher voltage to weak tubes
Simple method for determining the outside foil end of a modern capacitor (and why)
Tutorial on re-stuffing an old paper capacitor with a new modern capacitor (and why)
Tutorial on replacing electrolyic and paper capacitors in an old radio (andy why)
Safely powering up an old radio for testing (without destroying it!)
Restoring a vintage superhet radio parts one & two (Nuts & Volts Mag.)
Bakelite vs. Catalin - telling which is which
Choosing the right speaker to use with a 1920s radio
Building a loop antenna to use with a 1920s radio - detailed plans
Atwater Kent radios - values of parts used 1924 - 1932
User manual for a 1920s TRF radio (Stromberg Carlson 1-A)
Nostalgia Air - huge collection of vintage radio schematics
Zenith model numbers - how to understand what each number & letter means
Boat Anchor Manual Archive - manuals for vintage ham and other radios
Ryder Service Manual archive - trouble shooting manuals 1930 - 1952
Interesting 1920's User Manual for Stromberg Carlson radio
Shipping a vintage radio - how to pack to avoid damage in transit
TELEGRAPHY
All about the telegraph and deciphering Morse Code
Learn Morse Code online - the Long Island CW Club
TRAINING PROGRAMS
1946 Introduction to Radio Equipment (Navy Training Course) - good intro guide
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