Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles
from QST, published December 1915 - present (visit ARRL
for info). All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
Lee de Forest, inventor
of the Audion vacuum tube, created a business called De Forest Radio Company. This
advertisement for his company's electron tubes appeared in the December 1931 edition
of the ARRL's QST magazine. If you research Lee de Forest, you will find
his name spelled in many different forms: de Forest, De Forest, deForest, DeForest,
Deforest, to give a few. When in doubt, go straight to the source, which in this
case is the signature that de Forest placed on his patent applications - he
used "de Forest." Note that the official company name, according to the advertisement
address at the bottom, is "De Forest Radio Company," (space used) yet the text
of the copy uses the form "deForest" (no space), and the marking on the base of
the tube says, "de Forest." Sometimes marketing companies screw up, so I went searching
for a more reliable source - the name given on the company's stock certificate.
Sure enough, "de Forest" was the official name.
Below the ad is a broadcast made by Jean Shepherd from station WOR in New York
in 1968, relating the time when he met Lee de Forest during WWI when Shepherd
was 17 years old. Jean Shepherd, if you don't know, is the guy who originated the
story that is the basis of "A Christmas Story," one of my favorite Christmas movies.
De Forest Radio Company Advertisement
Dry Battery Tubes Attain A. C. Performance.
A new filament makes this possible for the first time.
Remember, There's an Audion for Every Radio Need
Typical of original and unrelenting DeForest research and engineering is the
foregoing filament. Such efforts mean a DeForest version of every standard and special
type receiving or transmitting tube, always incorporating obvious refinements and
improvements to make it a worthy successor of the Audion or original radio tube.
Write for literature describing DeForest receiving and transmitting tubes.
60% greater emission area gives higher emission longer service life greater efficiency
than nickel with the same filament input voltage and temperature and is one-third
as micro phonic.
30% greater diameter filament gives stronger filament more accurate alignment
more uniform tension than Nickel with consistent life of 1000 hours and more. New
DeForest Types430-31-32-99-20 with cobalt alloy filament.
Write for literature describing DeForest receiving and transmitting tubes.
After all, there's no substitute for 25 years' experience.
De Forest Radio Company - Passaic, New Jersey
Export Department, 304 East 45th Street, New York City
Say You Saw It in QST - It Identifies You and Helps QST
Radio Personality Jean Shepherd Comments on Meeting
Lee de Forest
Mike Adams Presents Lee de Forest King of Radio Television
and Film
These articles and advertisements involving Lee De Forest appeared in
various issues of vintage electronics magazines.
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and text used on the RF Cafe website are hereby acknowledged.
