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September 1961 Popular Electronics
 Table
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.
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It was only the first
day at engineering college and already their first familiar techno-caper was underway.
Indiana's Parvoo University was about to get an initiation into the world of Carl
Anderson and Jerry Bishop, who during their high school years together solved many
a mystery and pulled many a prank in their hometown somewhere in northern Indiana.
As with all of John Frye's tales this one mixes serious electronics topics with
a bit of fun and a life lesson. There were no 'bad guys' here as in many other episodes,
but the boys did get an unexpected introduction to Parvoo U.'s president! Despite
the story's title, the day ended well. You might also interested in knowing that
Neil Armstrong was an aeronautical engineering graduate of
Purdue
University, ostensibly the alluded-to Parvoo University.
Carl and Jerry: Off to a Bad Start
 By John T. Frye W9EGV
Darkness was falling over the campus of Parvoo University this early September
evening as Carl and Jerry sat in their room on the third floor of Men's Housing
Unit Number III. Actually they were only thirty-five miles from home, and this was
just the end of their first day at school; but somehow everything connected with
home seemed far away and long ago. As they watched the winking lights of a commercial
airliner taking off from the university airfield, saw batteries of windows lighting
up in building after building, and realized that some twelve thousand men and three
thousand women students were sharing the campus of the big land-grant school with
them, they felt very small and insignificant.
The boys had taken advantage of advance enrollment back in July and had gone
through their placement tests and many other preliminaries at that time; so actually
there had not been too much for them to do on this first day. Thanks to their high
school records and their showing in the tests, both were "honor" students and were
enrolled in a Freshman Engineering course that was plenty stiff - just how stiff
they mercifully did not know at this point. Their brand-new green beanie caps -
which they had already learned to call "freshman pots" - were resting on their beds.
Carl was sitting in a chair in front of the open window looking at the Coeducational
Recreation Gymnasium across the way. From behind the "Co-Rec" building he could
hear faintly the shouts of students enjoying the two outdoor swimming pools and
the tennis courts that would be flooded in winter to form an ice-skating rink. Carl
reflected idly that there was another heated pool inside the building, plus facilities
for dancing, roller-skating, basketball, volley ball, squash, riflery, archery,
gymnastics, etc.; but none of these appealed to him at the moment.
 "Say, Jer," he said slowly, "do you feel kind of funny? I mean,
are you a little shook by all this?"
"Yep," Jerry admitted from where he sat at his combination desk-and-bureau toying
with his new Log-Log-Duplex-Decitrig slide rule. "I feel as green as that stupid-looking
freshman pot. Wonder if we ever will learn our way around this place?"
"I dunno," Carl answered with a sigh.
"While you were at the bookstore this afternoon, I wandered into a building and
came across a bunch of fellows who were peering through a little diamond-shaped
window set into the wall. When I asked what was going on, the other freshmen said
they weren't certain but they felt pretty sure that Parvoo's nuclear reactor was
behind that window. They said you could see rods moving back and forth, probably
in and out of an atomic pile in the basement. Then I looked, and sure enough, there
were some slender rods going up and down.
"About that time," Carl continued, "a janitor came by and asked us what we were
doing. When we explained that we were watching the nuclear reactor, he grinned widely
and said he hated to disillusion us but that we were merely looking into the elevator
shaft through an inspection porthole. The 'rods' we had been watching were actually
elevator cables moving up and down!
"We slunk out of there very quietly and went our separate ways. None of us wanted
to associate with those other stupid jerks!"
Jerry chuckled at his friend's story, then slid his rule back into its case that
smelled pleasantly of new leather, and came over to stand behind Carl's chair.
"I'm not homesick," he announced firmly, "but I sure do miss things. Especially,
I miss our car. I know that not being permitted to drive in this county while we're
freshmen and sophomores is a good rule, but we could explore the campus a lot faster
if we had our wheels."
"I know what you mean," Carl sympathized; "and I miss our electronic lab even
more. When I realize we're way out here without even so much as a volt-ohmmeter,
it sort of scares me. If we were back at the lab, I'll bet we wouldn't be just sitting
around staring out a window."
"Maybe we shouldn't give up so easily," Jerry muttered as he looked down at students
dropping cards and letters into a mailbox on the sidewalk just below their window.
"I always figure that a really good technician is one who can get the most out of
the equipment he has at hand. Carl, do you remember that Candid Camera show with
the mailbox that talked?"
"Sure," Carl answered as he stood up to see what Jerry was staring at. "Are you
thinking that we could give that mailbox down there a voice? I don't see how. We
don't have an intercom set."
"Maybe we could make one," Jerry mused. "After all, an intercom is nothing but
an audio amplifier and two speakers. One speaker acts as a microphone while the
other functions normally on the output of the amplifier. A switch alternates the
roles of the remote speaker and the unit speaker so that either can be used for
talking or listening.
"We both have our transistor radios," he continued. "We could take a speaker
out of one and drop it down inside the mailbox for use as the remote. The audio
section of the other radio can serve as the amplifier. Then all we need is a switch
to swap the set speaker and the remote speaker back and forth between input and
output of the amplifier, and down at the radio store this afternoon I just happened
to pick up this bat-handle d.p.d.t. toggle switch from the bargain counter."
"Hold it!" Carl interrupted as he bolted for the door. "We'll need a two-wire
cable of fine wire to run to the slave speaker, and if we're in luck, I know where
we can get it. I'll be back in a sec."
He was, too; and in his hand was a pair of very beat-up hair clippers. "I just
remembered that the guy next door threw these into his wastebasket when he unpacked
this afternoon and discovered they had been clobbered on the trip from home. They're
the cheap vibrator type with a coil of fine wire inside. We can unroll all we want
and twist a couple of lengths together to form a cable that will never be seen."
"Fine," Jerry applauded. "Now the only thing that bugs me is how we're going
to unsolder connections inside the receivers and solder new leads to the switch,
speaker, and so on."
"Leave that to me," Carl said as he slid back his closet door and took a small
traveling case down from the top shelf. After he had spread his electric razor,
toothbrush, hairbrush, and after-shave lotion out on his bed, he dived back into
the bag once more and came up triumphantly with a small pencil-type electric soldering
iron and a little roll of rosin-core solder.
"You may get old Carl away from home without his wallet, his toothbrush, or even
his pants; but you're not going to get him away without some kind of soldering iron,"
he boasted. "We can split that clipper cord and make leads out of it to go to the
switch. You go ahead and solder the switch into your radio while I take the speaker
out of mine and bring out leads from the output transformer."
 Both boys were thoroughly familiar with the circuit of their identical
sets; so it didn't take long to carry out Carl's suggestions. Then they removed
the coil of fine wire from the electric clippers and started winding it in a big
loop around the backs of the two desk chairs placed at opposite sides of the room.
Two such loops were made, and then the ends were fastened together and the loops
unwound simultaneously while the wires were twisted together to form a two-wire
cable of fine enameled wire easily long enough to reach down from the boys' window
to the mailbox below. They connected one end of this cable to the speaker from Carl's
radio, and the other end to the toggle switch and the ground connection of Jerry's
receiver.
With the switch in one position, the remote speaker voice coil was connected
to the output winding of the transformer in Carl's receiver; the plate winding of
this transformer was across the volume control of Jerry's set. With the switch in
the other position, the voice coil output of Jerry's speaker went through Carl's
output transformer back to the volume control, and the remote speaker was connected
to the secondary of the radio's output transformer. Carl took the little remote
speaker out into the hall to check on the operation of the haywire arrangement;
and, as haywire arrangements frequently do, but shouldn't, it worked perfectly.
Dusk was falling rapidly by this time; so no one noticed as the boys removed
the screen from their window and let the little speaker down the side of the building.
Then Carl went outside and quickly fed the fine wire along a little groove cut in
the sod beside the sidewalk running out from the building.
When Carl reached the main sidewalk, he ran the wire into a section notch that
led to the foot of the mailbox. The speaker, with a short length of dark twine fastened
to it for retrieving purposes, was dropped into the mailbox; and both the twine
and the fine wire were Scotch-taped to the side of the box so that they would be
as inconspicuous as possible. After this was done, Carl scampered back up to the
room.
They did not have to wait long for a victim. Almost immediately a car swung to
the curb, and a tall, gray-haired, pleasant-looking man stepped out and dropped
a letter into the box.
"Thank you!" Jerry said into the speaker of his receiver. "We'll take care of
this immediately. Not snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night - and all that
rot, you know." He snapped the switch.
The man turned on his heel and stared down at the mailbox for a few seconds.
Then the grinning boys heard his pleasant, well-modulated voice coming from the
speaker: "Thank you! I knew our post-office department was accommodating, but I
didn't realize it went quite this far."
"Don't you feel a little silly talking to a mailbox?" Jerry asked.
"No, not at all," the man said, calmly taking a penlight from his breast pocket
and beginning to examine the box. "I'm afraid I frequently talk to much less receptive
ears."
As he finished speaking, he located the string and carefully lifted the little
speaker from the box; then he pulled the cable taut, and it pointed an accusing
finger straight at their window. The man snapped the wire loose from the speaker
and started walking toward the building.
In a couple of minutes later the boys heard a knock at their door. Carl opened
it to reveal the tall, gray-haired man standing there holding out their speaker.
"I believe this belongs to you," he said pleasantly. "May I come in?"
The stammering youths pushed the guest chair toward him and sat down at their
respective desks.
"Now, I don't like to be a kill-joy," the man began, "but I wonder if you two
have ever heard about the severe penalties exacted for tampering with the U. S.
mails or post-office department properties."
Neither boy uttered a word.
"Well, they are rather serious," the man continued, as he casually looked over
the rat's nest of wires on the window ledge, "If you had bothered to look, you would
have seen that the mail is supposed to be picked up from that box about this time.
In fact, there's the truck now. If the mailman had found your speaker and reported
it, as he is supposed to do, you might have gotten into a bit more trouble than
you anticipated. That's why I brought your speaker back to you."
He took hold of the doorknob as he finished speaking. "I like to see students
who have imagination and ingenuity," he commented, "and I trust that before long
you two will have enough demand on these qualities from your studies so that there
won't be much left over for pranks."
"Thanks a lot, sir," Jerry recovered himself enough to say. "We never thought
about tampering with the mails. Are you an instructor here at the university, or
something?"
"'Or something possibly covers it," the man admitted with a smile. "Pardon me
for not introducing myself. I am Mr. Hedde, the president of this university. And
I see by the nameplate on the door that you are Jerry Bishop and Carl Anderson.
Welcome to Parvoo University, men. I hope your stay here is a pleasant and richly
rewarding one and that you will bring credit to our school. Good night."
He was gone, leaving behind two white-faced youths staring open-mouthed at each
other.
"Good gravy," Jerry breathed; "fifteen thousand people on the campus and we have
to pick out the president to get smart with! We're certainly off to a great start."
"Yeah," Carl said shakily. "Let's put those radios back together and turn in
before we get expelled!"
Posted July 11, 2019
(updated from original post on 12/25/2014)
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Carl Anderson and Jerry Bishop were two teenage boys whose
love of electronics, Ham radio, and all things technical afforded them ample opportunities
to satisfy their own curiosities, assist law enforcement and neighbors with solving
problems, and impressing – and sometimes toying with - friends based on their proclivity
for serious undertakings as well as fun.
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Carl & Jerry, by John T. Frye
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- See Full List -
Carl and Jerry Frye were fictional characters in a series of short stories that
were published in Popular Electronics magazine from the late 1950s to the early
1970s. The stories were written by John T. Frye, who used the pseudonym "John T.
Carroll," and they followed the adventures of two teenage boys, Carl Anderson and
Jerry Bishop, who were interested in electronics and amateur radio.
In each story, Carl and Jerry would encounter a problem or challenge related
to electronics, and they would use their knowledge and ingenuity to solve it. The
stories were notable for their accurate descriptions of electronic circuits and
devices, and they were popular with both amateur radio enthusiasts and young people
interested in science and technology.
The Carl and Jerry stories were also notable for their emphasis on safety and
responsible behavior when working with electronics. Each story included a cautionary
note reminding readers to follow proper procedures and safety guidelines when handling
electronic equipment.
Although the Carl and Jerry stories were fictional, they were based on the experiences
of the author and his own sons, who were also interested in electronics and amateur
radio. The stories continue to be popular among amateur radio enthusiasts and electronics
hobbyists, and they are considered an important part of the history of electronics
and technology education.
This content was generated by the ChatGPT
artificial intelligence (AI) engine. Some review was performed to help detect and
correct any inaccuracies; however, you are encouraged to verify the information
yourself if it will be used for critical applications. In some cases, multiple solicitations
to ChatGPT were used to assimilate final content. Images and external hyperlinks
have also been added occasionally. Courts have ruled that AI-generated content is
not subject to copyright restrictions, but since I modify them, everything here
is protected by RF Cafe copyright. Your use of this data implies an agreement to
hold totally harmless Kirt Blattenberger, RF Cafe, and any and all of its assigns.
Thank you. Here are the major categories.
Electronics & High Technology
Company History | Electronics &
Technical Publications | Electronics &
Technology Pioneers History | Electronics &
Technology Principles |
Technology Standards
Groups & Industry Associations |
Electronics & High Technology
Components | Societal Influences
on Technology | Science &
Engineering Instruments
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-
Lie Detector Tells All - November 1955
-
The
Educated Nursing - April 1964
- Going Up
- March 1955
-
Electrical
Shock - September 1955
- A Low Blow
- March 1961
- The Black
Beast - May 1960
- Vox
Electronik, September 1958
- Pi in
the Sky and Big Twist, February 1964
-
The
Bell Bull Session, December 1961
- Cow-Cow
Boogie, August 1958
- TV Picture,
June 1955
- Electronic
Eraser, August 1962
- Electronic
Trap, March 1956
- Geniuses
at Work, June 1956
- Eeeeelectricity!,
November 1956
- Anchors
Aweigh, July 1956
- Bosco
Has His Day, August 1956
- The Hand
of Selene, November 1960
- Feedback,
May 1956
- Abetting
or Not?, October 1956
-
Electronic Beach Buggy, September 1956
-
Extra Sensory Perception, December 1956
- Trapped
in a Chimney, January 1956
- Command
Performance, November 1958
- Treachery
of Judas, July 1961
- The Sucker,
May 1963
-
Stereotaped
New Year, January 1963
- The
Snow Machine, December 1960
-
Extracurricular Education, July 1963
-
Slow Motion for Quick Action, April 1963
- Sonar
Sleuthing, August 1963
- TV Antennas,
August 1955
- Succoring
a Soroban, March 1963
- "All's
Fair --", September 1963
-
Operation
Worm Warming, May 1961
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-
The Electronic Bloodhound - November 1964
-
Great Bank Robbery or "Heroes All" - October 1955
-
Operation Startled Starling - January 1955
- A Light
Subject - November 1954
- Dog
Teaches Boy - February 1959
- Too Lucky
- August 1961
- Joking
and Jeopardy - December 1963
-
Santa's Little Helpers - December 1955
- Two
Tough Customers - June 1960
-
Transistor
Pocket Radio, TV Receivers
and
Yagi Antennas, May 1955
- Tunnel
Stomping, March 1962
- The Blubber
Banisher, July 1959
- The Sparkling
Light, May 1962
-
Pure
Research Rewarded, June 1962
- A Hot Idea, March
1960
- The Hot Dog
Case, December 1954
- A
New Company is Launched, October 1956
- Under
the Mistletoe, December 1958
- Electronic
Eraser, August 1962
- "BBI", May 1959
-
Ultrasonic
Sound Waves, July 1955
- The River
Sniffer, July 1962
- Ham Radio,
April 1955
- El
Torero Electronico, April 1960
- Wired
Wireless, January 1962
-
Electronic Shadow, September 1957
- Elementary
Induction, June 1963
- He Went
That-a-Way, March1959
- Electronic
Detective, February 1958
- Aiding
an Instinct, December 1962
- Two Detectors,
February 1955
-
Tussle
with a Tachometer, July 1960
- Therry
and the Pirates, April 1961
-
The Crazy Clock Caper, October 1960
|
 Carl & Jerry: Their Complete Adventures is
now available. "From 1954 through 1964, Popular Electronics published 119 adventures
of Carl Anderson and Jerry Bishop, two teen boys with a passion for electronics
and a knack for getting into and out of trouble with haywire lash-ups built in Jerry's
basement. Better still, the boys explained how it all worked, and in doing so, launched
countless young people into careers in science and technology. Now, for the first
time ever, the full run of Carl and Jerry yarns by John T. Frye are available again,
in five authorized anthologies that include the full text and all illustrations." |
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