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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" (13 in all) are offered
in this 1935 issue of Short Wave Craft magazine.
$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 proceed 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.
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