Electronics "B" Quiz
July 1969 Popular Electronics

July 1969 Popular Electronics

July 1969 Popular Electronics Cover - RF CafeTable of Contents

Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Popular Electronics, published October 1954 - April 1985. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

This Electronics "B" Quiz by the Popular Electronics magazine's quizmaster Robert Balin appeared in the July 1969 issue. Most of his quizzes are fairly easy to score well on, some are pretty darn difficult, and some are a cinch. This one falls into the latter category. That said, I could not get item #2, and honestly even after seeing the answer at the bottom of the page, it still doesn't seem familiar. Don't let the sketch for item #1 throw you because it shows a vacuum tube; just mentally substitute a FET. Item #6's answer is not "bulb;" it refers to the base type. You'll need some familiarity with color TV analog signals to get item #9. If you don't know about color TV signals, then calculate your score as [number correct]/9*100%.

Electronics "B" Quiz

By Robert P. Balin

To test your knowledge of electronic terminology, identify the circuits, objects, etc. in the sketches. Each starts with a "B" and the number of letters is indicated by the spaces.

 

1. An oscillator: B____

2. A capacitor: B____

3. A filter circuit: B____

4. An antenna: B____

5. An amplifier: B____

6. A lamp base: B____

7. A type of coil winding: B____

8. A coupling transformer: B____

9. A signal in color TV: B____

10. A plug: B____

 

See answers below.

Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics, Electronics-World, QST, and Radio News were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing of all I have posted thus far.

RF Cafe Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

Vintage Electronics Magazine Quizzes

 

Electronics "B" Quiz Answers

1  BLOCKING oscillator is a form of RC relaxation circuit using a plate transformer to provide the out-of-phase feedback voltage.

2  BATHTUB capacitor is a rugged, hermetically sealed, metal-cased unit designed for aircraft, marine, and tropical applications where the component must operate under severe heat and humidity conditions.

3  BANDPASS filter attenuates frequencies to either side of the desired pass band.

4  BATWING antenna is an element of the Super Turnstile antenna used in FM broadcasting.

5  BRIDGE amplifier circuit balances out supply voltages to prevent d.c. from flowing through the speaker voice coil.

6  BAYONET base lamp uses a guide pin designed for use in a slotted sleeve socket.

7  BIFILAR winding is folded back on itself so that the mutual and self-inductive emf's cancel to make it effectively noninductive.

8  BALUN is an antenna coupling transformer used to match a balanced output circuit to an unbalanced transmission line or vice versa.

9  3.58-MHz color BURST signal is used to synchronize the TV transmitter and receiver color phase reference oscillators.

10  BANANA plug uses four phosphor-bronze spring metal leaves to produce a compression fit in a matching jack.

 

 

Posted February 16, 2023