This past weekend was the Vintage Radio and Phonograph Society annual convention, held in Richardson, TX (Dallas).
While not precisely an AM ham radio event, most of what was there is old radios and boatanchor stuff that receives AM and shortwave. Naturally there are radios with FM, TV sets and phonographs and some 'hi-fi' gear, and random BC and technician test equipment at these events. Because the latter two as well as any 'recent' ham gear are not as common in the event, they are usually had for very cheap including sometimes RF power tubes. Maybe some here are interested in this kind of pursuit. I find it a lot of fun and also nice people who do all kinds of radio and electronics. I don't have but one photo, but there will be some on their www page after a while I hope.
There were four auctions:
- literature/paper and vacuum tubes
- general items with low-starting bids
- silent auction
- Main auction of higher-end items
A technical session was given on Early Vacuum Tubes, Patents and Scams, scientists, and the liars and frauds of those days. The DeForest and Fleming tubes and development were detailed, also the Sodion tube, and patent avoidance methods.
There was also an 'equipment contest' with several categories:
1. Crystal Radios Pre 1940
2. Non Radio Electrical Equipment Pre 1940
3. AC Table Transformer Radios Pre WWII
4. AC/DC Non Transformer Radios Pre 1960
5. Transistor Radios Pre 1965
6. Electrical Phonographs & Related Accessories Pre 1950
7. Wind Up Acoustical Phonographs & Related Accessories
8. Novelty Radios -- Tube ,Transistor or Hybrid
9. Radio-Related Ads, Ephemera, and Accessories
10. Test Equipment Pre 1950
11. Table Top Art Deco Radios (Includes Catalin, Chrome front,
others)
12. Battery Radios Pre 1928
13. Foreign Tube Radios
14. Microphones
15. Loudspeakers & Headphones
16. Open Category (Radio related items not belonging in any
other categories)
- The categories change somewhat each year to rotate through a wider array (ham, military, etc.) and members can suggest categories to the Board.
Couple things I noted in the contest, One was the largest broadcast mike I've ever seen - the body of it was about the size of a coffee can, suspended by thick rubber strips in a frame. The note said it was a stage mike and also used for orchestras.
There was also a really hot arcade 'shocking' device. For the price of a penny (a dish-full of which were thoughtfully supplied by the contestant), one could activate an induction coil for about 15 seconds, and grab two knobs. Twisting one of the knobs caused a pointer to move from 0 to 500, and the shock level to increase proportionally. In my opinion it was actually dangerous. I quit well below full scale. It won second place in category 2.
The last event was a banquet with a detailed history of broadcasting given by guest speaker David Ostmo who is a Regional Engineering Director for the Sinclair
Broadcast Group.
During the convention, several door prizes and raffle prizes were also awarded - mainly a few professionally restored antique radios e.g. Sterling 7-C-696 and Zenith 8-S-129.
For my part I bought a box of large US-made old panel meters, and sold a Western Electric tube, type D-86327, the high-insulation version of the later 104-D. It's also called the 'repeater tube' or the 'tennis ball' tube. This is a 1922 triode that uses 4V@1A for the filament, so it was a somewhat large tube for audio purposes.
There is more about the event and about the Society here:
http://www.vrps.org/
