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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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.)
Amateur Radio Clubs etc. (please send us your info to add yours)
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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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Voice of American Museum - Gray History of Wireless Collection (phenomenal!)
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Secret Life of Machines - Excellent video on radio wave discovery and development
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California Historical Radio Society - links to all available online articles
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California Historical Radio Society - searchable index of online articles (PDF)
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California Historical Radio Society - 20th anniversary "hints and kinks" issue (PDF)
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Radio - The First 50 Years (published in 1938 by Radio-Craft magazine)
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Old time radio shows (The Shadow, Lone Ranger etc.) - online archive
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1946 Introduction to Radio Equipment (Navy Training Course) - good intro guide
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Interesting online collection of vintage print advertisements for radios and TVs
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DYI intro article (part one) on how to bring an antique radio back to life
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Part Two of article on bringing an antique radio back to life
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Electric Radio Magazine - for folks who use vintage radios
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How to use the incredible Antique Radios web site
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Fascinating research on Appalachians and the golden age of radio
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Car radios - the interesting story of their early development
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Old Time Radio Downloads - a huge free collection of vintage radio programs
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Broadcasting's History - an interesting recap from the 1920s to today
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Video bio of Edwin Armstrong - inventor of regen, superhet and FM radio circuitry
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1941 video by RCA on how vacuum tubes work and how they are made
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The Roaring Twenties Antique Radio Museum - an amazing collection!
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The Classic Radio Gallery - another extensive collection of vintage radios
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Tube Radioland - yet another collection of vintage radios
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Restoring old radios - a beginner's guide covering many useful topics
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Early Television Foundation and Museum - great source of technical information
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Roaring Twenties Superhets - awesome collection of early superheterodyne gear
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Antique Radio Forum - roaring twenties superhet forum (Q & A)
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Radio plastics explained (Bakelite, Catalin, Plaskon etc)
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Another huge private collection of restored antique radios
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A private collector's detailed restoration notes on dozens of antique radios.
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NCStereoMan - a vintage electronics repair technician in Asheville
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Tuned Radio Frequency (TRF) radios - an introduction (see page 4)
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Extensive directory of parts suppliers, manuals, schematics etc.
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Philco Repair Bench - useful service tips on repairing specific Philco radios
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Philco Catalogs - useful for determining values (e. g., mfd) based on part numbers
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Magic Eye (tuning aid) troubleshooting suggestions
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Magic Eye voltage doubler suggestions for supplying higher voltage to weak tubes
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Simple method for determining the outside foil end of a modern capacitor (and why)
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Tutorial on re-stuffing an old paper capacitor with a new modern capacitor (and why)
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Tutorial on replacing electrolyic and paper capacitors in an old radio (andy why)
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Replacement tuning drive belts for vintage radios
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Telecommunications Timeline - how we've communicated since 6 BC
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New York's interesting history of radio and TV broadcasting
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The Perham Collection - early radio developments in Silicon Valley CA
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American Radio History - PDFs of radio mags from the 1920s forward
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Museum of Radio and Technology (West Virginia)
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Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
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The Birmingham Black Radio History Museum (Alabama)
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Radio News - a particularly interesting 1920s radio monthly periodical
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Safely powering up an old radio for testing (without destroying it!)
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Restoring a vintage superhet radio parts one & two (Nuts & Volts Mag.)
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Bakelite vs. Catalin - telling which is which
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Choosing the right speaker to use with a 1920s radio
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Building a loop antenna to use with a 1920s radio - detailed plans
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Antique Radio Classified list of clubs and museums
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Antique Wireless Association HQ (Rochester, NY)
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Ottawa Vintage Radio Club - many interesting links about radio
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Atwater Kent radios - values of parts used 1924 - 1932
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User manual for a 1920s TRF radio (Stromberg Carlson 1-A)
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Acme Radio's interesting 1920s pamphlet on preventing audio distortion
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Montgomery Ward 1922 catalog of radios and radio parts
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Southeastern Antique Radio Society (Atlanta GA area)
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Carolinas Chapter Antique Wireless Assn (Charlotte NC area)
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Nostalgia Air - huge collection of vintage radio schematics
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Boat Anchor Manual Archive - manuals for vintage ham and other radios
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Ryder Service Manual archive - trouble shooting manuals 1930 - 1952
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Radio Daze - vintage radio restoration parts
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Reproduction plastic dial covers for vintage radios
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Old Radio Parts - another useful source for restoration parts
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Just Radios - antique radio & TV electronics parts including high voltage capacitors
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Renovated Radios - offers many unique radio restoration parts
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Radio Belts - sells replacement drive belts for vintage radio tuning mechanisms
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Source for square copper jewelry wire similar to 1920s radio buss wire
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Voice of Music - vintage phonograph parts (styli, drive belts, idler pulleys)
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Radio Attic - site for buying and selling vintage radios
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Golden Radio Repair - vintage radio repair (free estimates)
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Retro Radio Repair - great source for repro plastic dial covers
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Radio Museum - online museum of vintage radios (photos, schematics)
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Antique Radios - useful forum for getting expert advice from others
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Crystal radios - an explanation of how they work
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Gorgeous handmade reproduction crystal radios - Geoff Roberts (UK)
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Fascinating interview with Geoff Roberts from SWLing.com
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Make your own crystal radio - more than 75 projects with plans
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1922 Montgomery Ward catalog of radios and radio components
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Interesting 1920's User Manual for Stromberg Carlson radio
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Shipping a vintage radio - how to pack to avoid damage in transit