History and Background

History and Background

Here I am listening in on a Seattle Mariners baseball game on my 1921 Westinghouse RC(RA/DA) reciever (a close-up of this radio can be seen on "1920's radios, page 3") with my Brandes Superior Matched-Tone headphones and the homebuilt antenna I built last year (a closeup of this antenna and a description can be found on "1920's radios, page 2"). This radio uses two 01A amplifier and one 00A detector globe tubes. The reciever is actually is two separate components in one cabinet. Is widely considered the first mass-produced tube-type radio in the world (released November 1920, my version is June 1921). Based on E.H. Armstrong's patent (bought by Westinghouse/RC), designed by Frank Conrad and Donald Little, and built by Westinghouse under the auspices of The Radio Corporation (RC), later called Radio Corporation of America (now RCA), which had been founded a year earlier in October 1919 (RC ,along with it's contracted companies, owned the patents on nearly every radio and tube design then in existence, was contracted with Westinghouse and General Electric to build it's radios, and would not relinquish control of this technology until the patents ran out in 1934. RCA did not build their own radios until the late 1920's) . This radio works great, and I didn't even have to restore it. These things have been getting REALLY expensive lately, and I got lucky on this one.

This picture is of me getting ready to do my very first test flight by myself back in the mid 1980's in a UH-1H Huey. I would remain a test pilot for the rest of my Army career, and would also become a test flight examiner only three years later. The guy near the door is my civilian crewchief.

A LITTLE BIT OF MY HISTORY AND BACKGROUND (very little!)

I grew up right here in the Bothell, WA area. Joined the U.S. Army back in 1974, went to flight school and became a helicopter pilot. Served in Korea (twice), Germany, Honduras, Panama, Hunter AAF Savanah, GA, Ft. Lewis, WA, Ft Irwin, CA, Ft Rucker, AL, Ft Eustis, VA. Was a VIP pilot, a Maintenance Officer, Quality Control Officer, Pilot-In-Command, did mountain rescues on Mount Rainier, WA, Aerial firefighting in Yakima, WA (that was actually fun!), did a little Aeronautical Engineering for the Army, and was a test pilot for over 15 years, amongst other stuff. Was also a Pistol Champion at FT Lewis, WA for a while. Started my camera collection while I was in the Army. Retired from the Army as an officer and test pilot after 24 years (flew UH-1 Hueys, AH-1 Cobras, CH-47 Chinooks, OH-58 Kiowas, U-21 Utes, and others). Now work for Aviation Technical Services as an aircraft mechanic (I know, this may sound a little weird, but after 24 years, I got tired of flying). Still have a valid Commercial/Instrument pilot's license from the FAA, but don't use it too much nowadays. Anyways, found after retirement, that I had a whole lot more spare time on my hands, so I really started collecting things. All kinds of things. Some of them a little strange, like sewing machines. Radios. Movie projectors. Magic lanterns. Vintage television sets. Hit-and-miss engines. Steam engines. Ect. (you can get a general idea that I am a little, er, eccentric).

This young squirt is me back in around the early 1980's. I beleive this was taken in Germany. Became a Pilot-in-Command only 3 months after getting my wings, and became Brigadier General Fredrick Franks, Jr.'s personal pilot shortly thereafter. He would promote me personally, as well as commission me and recommend me for Regular Army status after only six months.

And, in case you're wondering, this is Socrates, the radio-cat! Shown lounging in front of one of my projects, a 1948 Admiral model 30B15 10 inch console television set. With his help, it works perfectly now.