May 1935 Short Wave Craft
[Table
of Contents]
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles
from Short Wave Craft,
published 1930 - 1936. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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If you need a cheap, quick lightning arrestor for your antenna or
just about any type of wired system, this idea from Mr. Burgess
Brownson looks like a good idea. He used an automotive spare plug.
Voltage breakover points can be set by varying the spark gap distance.
The old vacuum tube transmitters and receivers had a better of chance
of surviving a lightning strike because the components were able
to handle much more of a shock than our modern semiconductor sets
with miniature, closely spaced components. Still, the spark plug
setup is better than nothing, if for no other reason than to protect
the shelter. it should suffice. This and many more 'kinks' are offered
in this 1935 Short Wave Craft.
$5.00 for Best Short Wave Kink
The Editor will award a five dollar prize each month for the best
short-wave kink submitted by our readers. All other kinks accepted
and published will be awarded eight months' subscription to Short
Wave Craft. Look over these "kinks" and they will give you some
idea of what the editors are looking for. Send a typewritten or
ink description, with sketch, of your favorite short-wave kink to
the "Kink" Editor, Short Wave Craft.
$5.00 Prize Winner: Tuner for BC Band

Here is a description of the broadcast adapter which will permit
the reception of stations operating on the regular broadcast band
using a short-wave receiver.
To operate this instrument, remove the plug-in coil and connect
the new long wave tuner. This can be done either with a 4-gang switch
or the leads from the tuner can be connected to a tube base which
will plug into the plug socket. - Alfred Koczan.
Handy Iron Stand

During a repair job I needed something to rest my hot iron on
and hit upon the idea depicted above. It consists merely of two
large nails driven in a board as shown in the drawing. - Edward
Brown.
Novel Lightning Arrester

Here is just one more use for discarded spark plugs. Procure
an old spark plug, one whose insulation is not damaged, and clean
it thoroughly by removing all carbon. Then obtain a length of iron
pipe which can be either threaded or which has an inside diameter
large enough to permit the insertion or a plug with sufficient tension
to hold it firmly. The entire instrument should be driven into the
ground as far as possible. - Burgess Brownson.
Simple Wire Cleaner

Here is a. simple kink which can be made from an old hacksaw
blade or a steel knife. File a V-slot in one end with a three-cornered
file, and tape the entire instrument all but the cutting end. -
Chas. Wilde.
Cord Clip

During the course of experimenting I made a simple fastener which
can be used to hold a line-cord securely and eliminate the danger
of pulling it loose from its connections to the transformer. The
drawing clearly shows how a Fahnestock clip can be used for this
purpose. Screw down in the ordinary manner and use a small length
of heavy wire or bus bar to prevent it from opening. - Henry Shry.
Wave Trap

Many short-wave fans w-ho are experiencing trouble due to interference
caused by local broadcast stations can use this simple method to
overcome the difficulty.
This wave trap can be made from parts which usually can be found
in the junk box. The coil consists or 72 turns of No. 22 insulated
wire wound on a coil from 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The condenser
should have a capacity of 0.00025 mf. The wave-trap should be connected
in series with the aerial as shown in the diagram; then procede
to adjust the tuning condenser until the interference from the local
station disappears. - George Forest.
Adapter Plug

When building a short-wave adapter I was in need of an "adapter
plug" and quickly constructed one from parts found around the "shack."
The drawing clearly shows that a wafer socket is fastened to an
old tube base and the necessary connections made between the terminals
of the two units. Small metal brackets are used to hold the wafer
firmly in place.
Try this kink when you are in need of an adapter. - J. H. Aceredo.
Transposition Block

This is my idea of a cheap, still effective transposition block.
Many experimenters have a great assortment of old bakelite sockets
and by removing the shell from the base a very effective transposition
block can be made. Many of the older type sockets can be used in
this manner and we should hare no difficulty in finding them in
the nearest junk box. - Frank Tapper.
Loudspeaker Code Set

When in need of a loudspeaker code practice audio oscillator,
I hit upon the following idea. The input transformer to the speaker
being center-tapped provided the necessary center-tapped for the
Hartley circuit. The 0.01 mf. tubular condenser was found to be
the most effective and gave the most pleasing tones. Various pitches
can be obtained by varying the resistor. - R. 'V. Bullers.
Flux Holder

In answer to your call for kinks I am sending you the following:
A few years ago I hit upon the idea of using an old toothpaste tube
as a soldering flux container. Cut the hard rim off the bottom as
shown in the drawing and clean the container thoroughly. Open it
and fill with soldering flux.
After it has been filled, solder the bottom together again and
the job is finished.·-Francis Kemec.
Wire Tips from Old Tube Socket

I have been reading your "Kinks" in Short Wave Craft for some
time, and think them very useful. So I thought that I would send
one of my own in to you.
I have been using this kink for some time and it has proved very
useful. The prongs on old discarded tubes can be used when soldered
to antenna, ground, and battery leads, to make a very handy and
efficient mean of connecting to Fahnestock clips.
They can easily be removed by breaking the entire tube base.
Once you get the knack of it, it will prove very successful in making
a low resistance connection. - Louis Hartman.
Nifty Keying System

If one desires to hear his own keying other than through monitor,
while transmitting, the sketch illustrates how it may be done without
any cost providing one has a buzzer and a couple of' standard dry
cells.
No. 1 is a small piece of any good dielectric about 2 inches
long, 3/8 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick, drilled at both ends with
holes of suitable size, to fit the screw on the key lever which
adjusts the spring tension, and the screw one happens to have, for
making contact to the spring.
No. 2 a small strip of spring steel bent as shown and fastened
down at both ends. The bend permits of fine adjustment as the contact
screw by swinging the dielectric strip backward or forward. Nuts
should be placed above and below the dielectric strip on the contact
bolt to hold it firmly in place. When the contact bolt or screw
has been adjusted and the nuts tightened any further adjustment
required may be made by simply moving the strip backward or forward.
This extremely simple kink works perfectly. - Harry Porter.
Fish-Rod Antenna

Being in need of a collapsible and compact aerial for my portable
set, I obtained an old fishing rod, one of those very small collapsing
kind. Then I removed the paint, the ferrules, and the handle; then
I had the large end threaded to fit a base which I mounted on my
set. This made a very good aerial far my small "transceiver."
The diagram will explain more fully. - R. Tweedie.
Posted May 29, 2015
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