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Windfreak Technologies Frequency Synthesizers - RF Cafe

McWatts Comic Strip
December 1956 Popular Electronics

December 1956 Popular Electronics

December 1956 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.

s from Popular Electronics.

McWatts was an electronics-themed comic that appeared in Popular Electronics magazine back in the 1950s. Artist Carl Kohler's main character is a stereotypical "Joe Sixpack" type of electronics hobbyist who dreams up unique ways to deal with situations. This edition shows McWatts in a scenario where, presciently enough, he experiences having his radio controlled airplane treated to what modern day "drone" pilots are experiencing on a more and more frequent basis - being shot down. In this case the hostile fire came from some kids with slingshots. Fast-forward to 2015 and we are now seeing reports of people using shotguns and rifles to down the privacy-invading craft being piloted by unqualified pranksters. Back in the McWatts era, getting "shot down" was much more likely to occur when non-protected frequency usage (27 MHz band intermixed with the CB radio band) caused death-inducing interference that resulted in loss of control. Nearly all modern systems use bullet-proof spread spectrum modulation in the 2.4 GHz ISM band.

Other Carl Kohler Masterpieces:

Readers of Popular Electronics magazine in the 1950's through 1970's (including me) looked forward to Carl Kohler's many humorous electronics-related stories and illustrations a few times each year. Carl's leading man was one of print media's first DIYers, and his wife suffered his often less than successful escapades in a sporting manner. Christoverre Kohler, Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Sylvia Kohler's son , contacted me to provide some amazing additional information on his parents. Be sure to read Carl Kohler's Life & Times per Son, Christoverre.

McWatts Comic Strip

McWatts comic from the December 1956 Popular Electronics - RF CafeBy Carl Kohler

 

 

 

 

Posted February 10, 2022
(updated from original post on 3/30/2015)


These Technically-Themed Comics Appeared in Vintage Electronics Magazines. I personally scanned and posted every one from copies I own (and even colorized some). 256 pages as of 4/18/2025.

Windfreak Technologies Frequency Synthesizers - RF Cafe