Serving the worldwide community of radio-electronic homebrewers.
Providing blog support to the SolderSmoke podcast:
http://soldersmoke.com
Listen to Past Episodes
Just go to http://soldersmoke.com. On that archive page, just click on the blue hyperlinks and your audio player should play that episode.
http://soldersmoke.com
Thermatron fans beware! There is some trash talking of tubes in this 1953 Bell film. But there is also a lot of recognition of the contribution made by our beloved valves. I especially liked the report on the historic 1915 phone transmissions from Arlington, Virginia. ( I drive past the transmitter site every work day). FIVE HUNDRED TUBES combined to send the human voice from Arlington to both the Eiffel Tower and to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. FB OM! 59! I was disappointed, however, that this film failed to recognize another momentous 1953 achievement in sold state electronics: In that year, 11 year-old Pete Juliano built his first solid state amplifier -- an audio amp using a CK722 transistor. Read about it here: http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/03/pete-juliano-homebrwing-with.html
The fact that Pete was homebrewing solid state circuits at the time that this film was made is a reminder of the vast experience that he has, and of how much technological progress we have made in such a short period of time.
Just now watching this interesting old documentary, I discovered it's on the AT&T YouTube channel on which there is a playlist "AT&T Archives." 212 videos of Bell Labs documentaries like this one on transistors. Great stuff. Apparently, though, AT&T is little more than a brand nowadays. Nokia now owns Bell Labs. --Todd K7TFC
In response to popular demand, "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" is now available as an e-book for Amazon's Kindle.
Here's the site:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V9FIVW
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For the print version:
For shipping from a printer in the U.S. (probably better for N. American buyers) Click here: SolderSmoke USA Version
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For shipping from a printer in the UK, Spain, or the USA (probably better for UK and other European buyers)
Click here: SolderSmoke EU Version
The two versions are identical, except for a minor difference in the paper used. That's why the prices are a bit different.
Bill's OTHER Book (Warning: Not About Radio)
Click on the image to learn more
W4HBK's QRSS Grabber: The Amazing Pensacola Snapper (Live!)
Re: D-104 Original Crystal Element Wiring
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Print out and polish an electronics-themed chess set using metal-infused
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A New Line of Transceivers ~ DifX
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A New Definition of HAM!
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The VK3BVW Winter DX Survey
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*courtesy: VK3BVW*
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CW adapter for BritX
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The desain is using Atmel ATTINY13 with 1KB flash is moret han enough to
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New 3D Printer Project
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|My poor little 3D printer has been busy for the last week or so printing
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Sticker Shock
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CW keys cost too much, or do they?
I read various forums and blogs for the same reason you might be reading
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VXOs-Simple Minimalist's Signal Sources.
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With the recent advancement of technology, the availability and
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UHF Travels
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Many amateur experimenters stay in the familiar comfort zone of HF. A small
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Volca Sync DIY
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A few weeks back Cameron (yes - the Cameron who started all this
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Posts
Just now watching this interesting old documentary, I discovered it's on the AT&T YouTube channel on which there is a playlist "AT&T Archives." 212 videos of Bell Labs documentaries like this one on transistors. Great stuff. Apparently, though, AT&T is little more than a brand nowadays. Nokia now owns Bell Labs. --Todd K7TFC
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering when and why corporate giants like Nokia arose. Did they have to globalise by acquisition just to stay afloat?
ReplyDeleteI also smoked (burnt out) several transistors as early as 1953. So that means not much has changed in 60 plus years.
ReplyDeletePete N6QW
Interesting video. To think what the transistor and fiber optics have enabled in communication.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate to see Dr. Shockley speak about his work on the transistor at my university in 1982. Fascinating stuff.