Steve
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vintageradio.co.nz
Posts: 732
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Post by Steve on Jan 26, 2023 16:52:58 GMT 12
Hi all, I'm 353 pages deep at the moment, and have sort-of promised the printers it would be there in March (thats looking less likely every day, but it shouldn't be too much later than that)... I had honestly thought it would only need about 250 pages, so this number is terrifying given its probably still going to increase by at least 20-30 pages unless I cull some stuff. I've just written a support chapter to go at the start of the book to explain a few basic things - and I was hoping perhaps a few people might take a look and give me some feedback / suggestions I can't promise I will act on any or all feedback - but I'd love to hear what people think. Have I covered everything? Did I go too deep? Not deep enough? we.tl/t-TK10xRBWgyAnyway, thanks in advance  Steve |
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Post by Peter Walsham on Jan 26, 2023 18:48:57 GMT 12
Hi Steve
Great work! I have a comment though, but I may not be right. On the Courtenay 108 radio photo caption, you say that the radio serial number is 'typed' on to the ARTS&P label. I can't help wondering if the number have been stamped on to the label using something like a rubber stamp rather than being typed on?
It might not be relevant to your story, but the limited life of the magic eye valves was more to do with the phosphor on the target 'wearing out' rather than the cathode losing its emission. The triodes in spent magic eyes are often still in working condition long after the ' green light has faded away'.
Everyone talks about radios being a 4 valve, 5 valve, 6 valve etc, but the rectifier valve is included in the valve count and also doesn't contribute anything useful to the 'power' (gain) of a radio other than providing it with DC power. I guess that shows that marketing was just as big back then as it is now. Years ago I saw a transistor radio being advertised as having (something like) 9 transistors when two of the transistors were wired as diodes!
I am really looking forward to reading the book.
Peter
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Steve
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vintageradio.co.nz
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Post by Steve on Jan 26, 2023 21:19:50 GMT 12
Thanks Peter, you're right about the phosphor being the reason they expire - I've tweaked the text on them.
And I believe you could be right, it does look to be stamped.
Yes, rectifiers add nothing to the performance of the set, but then most radios had one (ignoring battery sets for the purpose of that argument). And, interestingly, rectifiers were exempt in the electron stream count for the purposes of calculating the licensing costs for ARTS&P as well. You may note that I have implemented the policy on my site of adding the text 'and silicon rectifier', or similar, when reporting the valve count of sets without a valve rectifier to try and provide some comparison.
I did have several paragraphs (similar to the text on the tech page of my site) on the difference between 4, 5 and 6 valve and more sets and the social implications of calling a 5 valve set a 6 valve just because it had a magic eye... but it all got too deep for the purpose of the book and I removed it all again.
Thanks for the feedback, I will make some adjustments.
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Post by Peter Walsham on Jan 27, 2023 6:17:08 GMT 12
Good morning Steve
I had to make about 6 edits to my post about the valve count before I was even partly happy about the post, so I can totally understand your point on having written several paragraphs about it then deleting it. At the end of the day, your book primarily focusses on the history of the Radio Corp, and a radios valve count wasn't unique to their radios, Another thing which I thought about while reading your comments about the ARTS&P's licencing fee being based on the numbers of electron streams. I was aware that rectifiers were excluded from the count, but I am not sure if I have ever read whether the likes of triode-heptode & triode-hexode converter valves were classed as having two electron streams, and whether double-diode triodes, and double-diode pentodes were classed as having three electron streams?. Some radios (Radio (1936) Ltd being a good example) often had a separate double diode valve (the 6H6) as the detector & AGC rectifier. Was this considered as having two electron streams?
Bugger these cans of worms!
Peter
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Post by Richard on Jan 27, 2023 8:45:35 GMT 12
Thanks Steve, the teaser looks great to me.
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Post by elorens on Jan 27, 2023 20:19:07 GMT 12
Looks very good, Steve. It's nicely laid out, the illustrations are excellent, and I couldn't find a single typo!
I was trying to think of any other things you might put in this general info chapter, and the only possible one was money value. Some readers might wonder how much they would have to pay for one of these beauties. But there is also a case for leaving this out, since such information would probably date quite quickly.
This is a chapter of support, but not introductory, material. Presumably you will introduce the topic elsewhere?
Looking forward to seeing the end result!
Cheers, Lawrence
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Steve
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Posts: 732
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Post by Steve on Jan 27, 2023 23:10:38 GMT 12
Thanks, Lawrence, I've lost hair thinking about valuing things as well - but the bottom line for me is that I am not a valuer, or a second hand dealer, or even an expert in this field. As we all know from trade me, prices and buyers can be fickle.
I get people emailing me all the time asking what their radio is worth - mostly I either just say, "probably not much", or I tell them that's not a service I am qualified to provide. Generally speaking, both of those things are true in most cases.
I am going to take the same route in the book - it's too much of a minefield.
And yes, there is also a preface, an about me chapter (because I can), and probably (to come) a background chapter with some general background on the history of radio. Then the first chapter is based in Russia, starting with the birth of the founder of the company - and it moves forward from there.
I might actually release one proper chapter as a thank you to everyone for their support and patience - stay tuned for that...
Cheers, Steve
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Steve
Society Members
vintageradio.co.nz
Posts: 732
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Post by Steve on Jan 27, 2023 23:20:04 GMT 12
Good morning Steve I had to make about 6 edits to my post about the valve count before I was even partly happy about the post, so I can totally understand your point on having written several paragraphs about it then deleting it. At the end of the day, your book primarily focusses on the history of the Radio Corp, and a radios valve count wasn't unique to their radios, Another thing which I thought about while reading your comments about the ARTS&P's licencing fee being based on the numbers of electron streams. I was aware that rectifiers were excluded from the count, but I am not sure if I have ever read whether the likes of triode-heptode & triode-hexode converter valves were classed as having two electron streams, and whether double-diode triodes, and double-diode pentodes were classed as having three electron streams?. Some radios (Radio (1936) Ltd being a good example) often had a separate double diode valve (the 6H6) as the detector & AGC rectifier. Was this considered as having two electron streams? Bugger these cans of worms! Peter Mixers and first audio valves were apparently (and it seems reasonable to me) considered 2 electron streams - but I have never been able to understand the numbering on the labels when taking that into account - a 5-valve superhet set with a standard lineup, like 2A7, 58, 2B7, 42, 80 should be (respectively) 2 electron streams, 1 stream, 2 streams, 1 stream, exempt. That adds to 6... but 5 valve sets always have labels with 5 on them. I suspect there is more digging to do there, but my brain is full. |
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