Radio WittiQuiz
December 1937 Radio-Craft

December 1937 Radio-Craft [Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio-Craft, published 1929 - 1953. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

Radio-Craft magazine solicited inputs from its readers for a series of 'WittiQuiz' questions and answers related to radio and electronics, with a stipulation being that there had to be some aspect of humor included. That meant that some of the multiple choice answer options needed to be inane. For most of the questions, the process of elimination is pretty easy, but a couple could cause some head scratching - especially if you are not really sure of the answer. This group starts at number 28, so obviously preceding issues had questions 1 through 27. At some point I will probably acquire them and post other WittiQuizzes.

Other Radio WittiQuizzes: November 1937 | December 1937 | October 1938

Radio WittiQuiz

Free - A 1-year subscription to Radio-Craft to each person who submits a WittiQuiz that in the opinion of the Editors is suitable for publication in Radio-Craft. Read the following WittiQuizes; can you spot the correct answers? Now send in your idea of one or more good WittiQuizes based on some term used in radio, and win an award. (Contest rules at end of dept.)

(28) When a radio man says that a radio set has lots of "bugs" in it he means -

(a) There are lots of electrons crawling around in the set.

(b) It is infested with insects.

(c) There are unsolved troubles in the set.

(d) There are lots of dizzy comedians or half-wit announcers broadcasting.

    by Carl J. Spehr

(29) Parallax is -

(a) A laxative.

(b) A rubber cement.

(c) A method of testing eyes.

(d) A device on a camera to focus it.

(e) An aberration in reading caused by perspective.

    by P. M. Lamberton, Jr.

(30) Any "ham" knows that his monitor is a device to -

(a) Check his signal frequency.

(b) Regulate his code speed.

(c) Warn him of too high a volt-age being used.

(d) Prevent interference.

    by Earl Roberts

(31) Nichrome is -

(a) The radio center of the U.S.S.R.

(b) A gas which produces a reddish glow when ionized.

(c) A rare element used in radio tube filaments.

(d) An alloy of nickel, chromium and iron having high resistivity and able to withstand high temperature.

    by Eldon Ahwai, San Fernando, Trinidad, B.W.I.

(32) If you were sent to find a padder you would look for -

(a) A small rubber mallet used for striking the chassis in checking for "intermittents."

(b) A high-voltage insulating material.

(c) A small adjustable condenser.

(d) A rubber cushion for floating chassis or variable condenser. (e) A machine for stuffing mattresses.

    by R. H. Miner

(33) A transformer is -

(a) A wig.

(b) A device for transferring A.C. from one circuit to another by means of electromagnetic induction.

(c) A name for a person who betrays a confidence.

 (d) A beauty parlor operator.

(e) A device that will increase or decrease the potential of an alternating current applied to one of its windings.

    by S. Wilbert Stone, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada

(34) A microphone is -

(a) Used to detect the presence of microwaves.

(b) A new type of telephone for people whose ears are not set back as far as the average person's.

(c) A device for converting sound waves into electrical impulses.

(d) A radio tube with loose elements.

(e) A new telephone for children.

    by W. W. Landford

(35) When we say "fading" we refer to -

(a) A term used in dice games.

(b) The gradual decrease of a received signal.

(c) The loss of color, as from washing.

(d).A colloquial term indicating loss of youth.

    by Wayne Foxworthy

(36) By baffle board we mean -

(a) The Board of Regents.

(b) A piece of material used to enhance the reproduction of low frequencies.

(c) An "ouija" board.

(d) A projecting piece that hinders easy placing of chassis in cabinet.

(e) A mystery story that puts one to sleep.

    by Irving Schlam

(37) Counterpoise has been defined as -

(a) A wire or other device that acts as a second plate of condenser with aerial wire and air.

(b) A weight used to balance another weight.

(c) Irritability, fussiness, the opposite of poise.

(d) A waitress leaning gracefully over the counter.

(e). A term used in radio musical composition.

    by S. O. Harries, Williams Lake, B. C.

(38) Anyone with an interest in radio knows that a microphone jack is -·

(a) A popular radio announcer.

(b) An instrument for raising or lowering a microphone.

(c) A contrivance to receive a plug to which is wired a microphone.

(d ) Money received for radio broadcasts.

    by Lester Rogers, Pleasantville, Lunenburg Co., Nova. Scotia.

<answers below>

Answers

(28)   (c)

(29)   (e)

(30)   (a)

(31)   (d)

(32)   (c)

(33)   (b)

(34)   (c)

(35)   (b)

(36)   (b)

(37)   (a)

(38)   (c)

Contest Rules (this, of course, does not hold anymore since Radio-Craft is out of publication)

(1) An award of a 1-year subscription to Radio-Craft will be given, each month, to each person who submits one or more Wiitiquizzes that the Editors consider suitable for publication in Radio-Craft.

(2) Wiitiquizzes should preferably be typed; use only one side of paper.

(3) Submit as many Wiitiquizzes as you care to - the more you submit the more chance you have of winning - but each should be good.

(4) Each Wiitiquizz must incorporate humorous elements, and must be based on some term used in radio, public address or electronics. Each Wiitiquizz may have 4 "answers," only one of which of course will be correct; and, only 1 of which is non-radio.

(5) All answers must be grouped, by question number and correct-answer letter, on a separate sheet of paper.

(6) All contributions become the property of Radio-Craft. No contributions can be returned.

(7) This contest is not open to Radio-Craft employees or their relatives.

Posted June 2, 2020
(updated from original post on 9/29/2015)