April 1945 QST
 Table
of Contents
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles
from
QST, published December 1915 - present (visit ARRL
for info). All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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Most Ham radio operators know that
Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an order during World War II
that effectively suspended the hobby of amateur radio for the duration of the war.
Many guys sold or donated equipment to the military and/or civil defense organizations
out of a sense of patriotism. The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) gave a symbolic
tip of the hat to them in this advertisement that I scanned from the back cover
of my copy of the April 1945 QST magazine. Of course RCA pitched the ruggedness
of its vacuum tubes in the process. By this edition's printing, there was a general
sense that the war was nearing an end and eager Hams would not have to wait much
longer to re-engage in their beloved hobby. Indeed, the next month Germany surrendered
and four months after that Japan surrendered. WWII was over at long last.
How RCA Kept Chennault's Tigers Flying
Radio amateurs will be glad to know that equipment which they helped develop
is performing important jobs in war.
According to a recent news report by a former Communications Officer of General
Chennault's 14th Air Force, amateur-type equipment carried the burden of American
Air Force ground communications during the fighting retreat up the Burma Road.
Bombed from pillar to post, driven from cave after cave, temple after temple,
communications men kept one jump ahead of the Japs. In this ordeal, their equipment
was transported by truck and by oxcart over 2000 miles of the world's roughest terrain
- through bomb craters, jungle mire, and over jagged mountain trails.
There were no replacement tubes or parts, Equipment had to last, and last, and
last - while taking merciless punishment. Some of the original RCA-802, 813, 872,
and 5Z3 tubes were still in service after nearly three years f constant use.
This is but one example of the splendid war record of American radio men, many
of them former hams - and of yeoman service RCA amateur=type equipment is performing
on far-flung battlefronts.
You can expect great things from RCA postwar, for all of our war-born "know how"
will be applied to building better equipment for America's Radio Amateurs.
The Fountain Head of Modern Tube Development is RCA
Posted August 3, 2020
(updated from original post on 11/14/2012)
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