RESEARCH
•
MANUFACTURING
•
COMMUNICATIONS
•
BROADCASTING
•
TELEVISION
APRIL 1956
RCA PORTABLE TV
www.americanradiohistory.com
RCA's
First
Billion-Dollar
Year
of America in
1955 did the largest volume of business
in its 36-year history, exceeding one
billion dollars in sales for the first time.
This achievement puts RCA among the
top twenty-five industrial companies in
the United States.
Sales
of
products and services
amounted to $1,055,266,000 in 1955,
compared with $940,950,000 in 1954,
an increase of 12 per cent.
Net profit before Federal income
taxes was $100,107,000, and after
taxes, $47,525,000. Earnings per share
of Common Stock were $3.16 in 1955,
compared with $2.66 in 1954.
The Corporation's Federal income
taxes, social security, property tax, and
other state and local taxes totaled
$66,611,000 in 1955. In addition, the
Corporation paid excise taxes of
$31,387,000, making the total 1955 tax
bill $97,998,000, an amount equivalent to $6.98 per Common Share.
Dividends totaling $24,069,000 were
declared by RCA for 1955. This included $3.50 per share on the Preferred
Stock and $1.50 per share on the Common Stock, against SI. 35 for 1954.
Color television— the compatible system pioneered and developed by RCA
—continued to gain momentum during
1955. The National Broadcasting Com-
pany expanded its color programing
and RCA Victor introduced the first
complete
line of color
The outlook is
move forward
TV
receivers.
bright for color
TV
establishment
of
from
a Glance
Annual Report
Products and Services Sold
Per cent increase over previous year
Profit before Federal Taxes on
Income
Per cent to products and services sold
Per common share
Federal Taxes on Income
Per cent to profit before Federal
taxes on
Per
income
common
share
Net Profit
Per cent to products and services sold
Per common share
Preferred Dividends Declared
for Year
Per share
Common
Dividends Declared
for Year
Per share
Total Dividends Declared
for Yeah
Reinvested Earnings at
Year End
Stoi kholders'
Equity at Year End
Working Capital at Year End
Ratio of current assets to current
liabilities
Additions to Plant and Equipment
to
witli increased rapidity
in 1956.
Successful
at
RCA 1955
Results
The Radio Corporation
color
new service fully justithe long years of experimentation
and the millions of dollars which RCA
has devoted to scientific research and
engineering as a basis for leadership
and steady growth.
Electronics is a science in which
progress is born of change. The American public's spontaneous acceptance
of new products ami services is highlj
television as a
fies
Net Plant and Equipment at
Year End
Number of Employees at Close
of Year
encouraging to scientific research.
Eighty per cent of RCA's total sales in
1955 were in products and services
which did not
exist, or were not commercially developed, ten years ago. Research, development and engineering
have spearheaded RCA's economic
advance to the status of a one-billiondollar sales unit in American industry.
Chairman
of the
Board
President
www.americanradiohistory.com
$1,055,266,000
VOLUME
NUMBER
15
2
CONTENTS
BROADCASTING 'TELEVISION
Page
Mass Production Plant
Opens New
Color TV
APRIL 1956
for Color
TV
3
Era of Mass Sales
5
Plan for a "National Education Reserve"
6
Electrofax
Enlarger
for
8
Microfilm
The Early Days of Television
Flight
TV
in
Laboratory Tests Military Equipment
New TV
13
15
16
UHF
RCA
TV
18
Television
World
Trade
19
Converts to Color
23
WNBQ
COVER
14
Made
Printed Circuits are
Expanding
New
RCA Employees
for
Eye for the Battlefield
Encouraging
NBC
12
a Small Package
Graduate Fellowships
How
10
24
on "Operation Deepfreeze"
Portable
26
Radios
27
Medical Color TV on Wheels
new
Victor's
portable
receiver.
New
28
Electronic Techniques for Medicine
Success Story:
NBC
Television
30
Films
"Quotes from RCA"
31
News
32
In
Brief
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RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Radio
RCA
RockeY.
U.S.A.
Building,
DAVID SARNOFF, Chairman
JOHN
Q.
CANNON,
of
fhe
80
Secretary
www.americanradiohistory.com
New York
20, N.Y.
FRANK M. FOLSOM, President
B.
GORIN, Treasurer
ERNEST
aff-^^n^r*«^^jwww.americanradiohistory.com
W
i--
=
A
JLhk world's
first
manufacturing plant geared com-
the mass production of color television re-
pletely
to
ceivers
was unveiled by
RCA
Bloomington, Indiana,
at
The new facilities, converted to color
production at a cost of more than $5,000,000, were
shown to newsmen on February 6 by RCA executives
in early February.
including Robert A.
RCA
Executive Vice-President,
Seidel,
Consumer Products, and W. Walter Watts, Execu-
tive Vice-President,
"We
lines
now
are
here,
RCA
Electronic Components.
— completely
— every 60
our Indianapolis plant.
The
now in operation
Where we were able, little
set line
ten color sets an
— one
television
$695 to
RCA's and NBC's
color
accomplishments and plans, including color
picture tube production, color set merchandising, and
Color Tube Plans Discussed
Mr. Watts' account of color picture tube production
and plans highlighted these points:
— Approximately 220,000 square
a
minute
—
These points were emphasized by Mr. Seidel
in his
talk to the press:
1956,
RCA
more than 200,000
expects to manufacture and
color
TV
plant of the RCA Tube Division
ment and manufacture of color tubes.
Pa.,
— Employment
at least
for the develop-
in this operation will be increased
50 per cent during 1956.
"This, added to
50 per cent increase during 1955, indicates the
accomplished and planned
extent of our activities
the
in
blueprint form
— over
—
a two-year period."
receivers.
Bloomington plant conversion means
that
every production line at the plant can be switched to
receivers
feet of floor space
has been added to the area set aside at the Lancaster,
by
making big color
reductions
press tour at Bloomington was highlighted by
disclosures of various aspects of
tested,
line."
— The
when
$995 price bracket."
here today,
lines
more than a year ago, to turn out
hour, we can now produce 60 sets
sell
that even
to sell sets in the
color broadcasting.
are producing color
on one of our
and we have another color
— During
And you can be sure
we will continue
are made,
seconds,"
"We
Mr. Seidel told the press group.
receivers at this rate
on each
ing in price from $695 to $995, will remain excellent
buys.
geared to produce, on each of our
a color television set
packed and ready for shipment
at
TV
Mass Production Plant for Color
whenever
it
is
and
desired,
is one of the products
Bloomington, Ind., plant, now geared to
mass production of color TV.
The "Cheltenham 21," shown here,
of the
RCA
the manufacturing process has been so simplified that
now engaged
"most of our present employees
the
in
production of black-and-white sets can be transferred
immediately to color work."
— RCA
tion to
up color
will continue to step
meet demand which
is
set
mounting
already
producsteadily
as color takes hold.
— Ground has been broken
new
Indianapolis for
at
Bloomington and
in
plant facilities, creating additional
space which will be available for color production. Present plans call for the additional expenditure of $3,000,-
000
in
all.
Foresees
Concerning
Downward Trend
color set prices,
in Prices
Mr. Seidel
said:
"Assuredly, the price of color sets will be adjusted
downward
as
production increases and
we
are able to
take advantage of the economies of mass production,
the start of
which you have witnessed
reductions will occur
— and what
not in a position to
state.
I
today.
prices will
Just
be
—
when
I
am
sincerely believe, however,
that regardless of future price, today's color sets, rang-
RADIO AGE 3
www.americanradiohistory.com
These machines at RCA's Lancaster, Pa., plant automatically deposit thin layer of aluminum which increases
Experts give final adjustment to
color
the brilliancy of color picture tubes.
—A
the
mechanization has occurred in
vast degree of
manufacture of color tubes, and
more than $8,500,000 on
— Under
this facet of
present schedules,
RCA
RCA
has spent
month by
had
an 81 -acre
minute
lost its faith in the
Plans for merchandising color sets during the coming
months were given
itself,
Mr. Watts
on
efforts
The
RCA's
equip-
ment which has been installed and of which there is
more to come has been designed to handle this tube
and this tube only. At this time, we see no reason to
depart from this view. In our opinion, no other proposed color tube
is
to
first-hand
picture of set production
the press group,
production lines
including
nearly a half-mile long.
of
large-screen
color
and that
efforts
a national
TV
medium which
is
"We
are
doing everything possible
the
— each
indication of these efforts
action by the
five
of color
TV
line
nounced
a
beginning with neat piles
tion
all
RCA
It
and packed for shipment
to
RCA
dis-
dealers.
was pointed out
to
speed
the
service
month
ago,
is
reflected in the recent
$99.95 and includes
and unlimited service for
at a
is
Company in reducing costs
contracts. The present price, ana
$40 reduction from the previous
efficient,
the
service
contract
installa-
twelve-month period
reducing
and
new, exciting
Service
speed the nationwide coverage of color
tested
to educate the
a
has been available.
manufacturing step until the instruments were comtributors
local
provides something that never before
of tubes, components, wires and solder, through every
pleted,
and
marketing techniques for
have been made
public to the fact that color
"An
They were shown production
sets,
emphasized
nationwide growth of color television," said Mr. Baxter.
was given
inspection of
Bloomington plant
at the
line of color
He
set.
media on
all
their dealers in the best
near the mass production stage."
Five Production Lines are Sboivn
A
and
color,
complete
help has been given in training distributors
basis, that
new
first
model
color sales plans have placed emphasis on
heavy advertising in
our plans to concentrate
extensive array of
P. Baxter,
RCA Victor Telethat RCA now has
pointed out
industry's
receivers, including a table
Despite doubts expressed by a few others,
this tube.
who
on the market the
has never for one
round, metal aperture mask
we have gone ahead with
group by Charles
to the
Vice-President and General Manager,
that
type of tube.
tract.
vision Division,
RCA
at
Outline of Merchandising Plans
surpass the
will
this to say:
"As most of you know,
line
production.
the last quarter of 1956.
In regard to the design of the tube
Victor big-screen
stone construction, occupying 427,000 square feet on
previously announced production goal of 30,000 color
tubes a
RCA
near end of an assembly
Bloomington, Ind., plant.
as they
sets
prices,
competent service available
at
price.
—
... In
RCA hopes to
TV by making
the lowest pos-
sible cost to consumers."
to the
group by George Leinen-
From Richard A.
R. Pinkham,
NBC
Vice-President,
now under
weber, plant manager, that some 3,800 persons are em-
the group heard of color studio expansion
ployed
way, and the prospects for greatly increased color pro-
at
4 RADIO
the plant, which
is
a
modern
structure of
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
gramming on
the
He
air.
stated that the $12,000,000
NBC color studio expansion
mean
ber will
that
program
Novem-
started last
by next autumn "we'll be
network and do more film programs
— Construction
Burbank, California,
—
we
tween
NBC
there
will
and
said:
many
of our principal
in addition to the
90-minute Spec-
expect that
be presented in
taculars, will
it's
Depending on how
color.
entirely possible that be-
CBS (Columbia
Broadcasting System),
be important color programs on
the
air
every night of the week, with several color shows on key
an
of
additional
studio
color
in
evenings like Saturday and Sunday."
Brooklyn;
— Construction
fall,
the schedule works out,
as a color studio;
this
programs themselves, Mr. Pinkham
for the
"By next
evening attractions,
New York
of the Ziegfeld Theatre in
As
a
listed
house
a technical building to
additional color equipment.
the
in color too."
The major features of the expansion program
by Mr. Pinkham included:
— Equipment
in
programming on
position to double our live color
and construction of
Immediate evidence of expanded color programming
an
of
additional
NBC's Color
at
studio
color
City;
equipment
Installation of color recording
at
at
Bur-
NBC
was the special colorcasting of eight additional
shows during March. These included the George Gobel
Show on March 3, the Dinah Shore Show on March
by
bank, so that the increasing volume of network color
6, 8, 20,
programs can be recorded and broadcast
"Texaco Star Theater", starring Jimmy Durante, on
same
the
is
time
local
in
as
New
in
color at
York, whenever
this
possible and practical;
Color
new
era in
control for Color City,
is
on the threshold of an entire
mass merchandising with the advent of color
RCA,
Frank M. Folsom, President of
television,
the National Retail
its
Burbank, including more
at
new master
retailing
Dry Goods Association
annual convention in
New
told
recently at
much from
dising system stands to gain as
the intensive
selling capacities of color television as does the retailer,"
"No one
said.
has as
much
merchandise and services to
or as great a variety of
sell
department,
the
as
chain and specialty stores of America.
No
one meets
numbers or more intimately.
one should be more interested in the most advanced
the buying public in greater
No
and best
public.
sight,
it
is
that,
with color Television,
motion and sound
RCA
we combine
to create a fabulous selling tool."
Mr. Folsom and Robert A.
President,
Seidel, Executive Vice-
Consumer Products, spoke
to the con-
vention before and after a special closed-circuit color
TV
demonstration designed to show
how
NRDGA
members
new merchandisThe demonstration, produced by NBC
originated at NBC's Colonial Theatre, at
color can be used effectively as a
ing technique.
TeleSales,
Broadway and 62nd
Called
NBC
on March
7; the
color schedule,
Street in
New
"Wide Wide Window,"
which
totals
now
about 40 hours
a month.
circuit
Sales,
program represented
window
retail store
window
to
bring
Says Folsom
a
translation of
the
merchandise
store's
a
typical
which serves
into television,
as
a
the
into
average television home. Included in the program were
and actual television
star of
York.
the special closed-
selling techniques.
NBC's "Home" program, was
Arlene Francis,
mistress of cere-
monies for the demonstration show, which included
participants, Jinx Falkenburg, Bill Cullen,
gerald,
on 40
Pegeen
as
Fitz-
and more than twenty-five fashion models. The
retailers,
meeting
RCA
at the Statler
Hotel, saw the program
Victor color television sets in and around
the grand ballroom of the hotel.
Said Mr.
for reaching that
selling techniques available
So
Life,"
demonstrations of varied and newsworthy merchandise,
York.
"Perhaps no other facet of our American merchan-
he
Your
"Lux Video Theatre" on March 29.
24, and the
TV Opens New Era of Mass
A,AMERICAN
is
These productions were in addition to the continuing
— Additional expansion
color film facilities, a
March
and 22; "This
Seidel:
"Right now, RCA's dealers are
selling color receivers at only
about
mounting
daily.
but the volume
will
is
manufacture
alone will
receivers.
sell
— and
at a profit
... Of
a
thousand a week
During 1956,
our distributors
— upwards
course, color
TV
—
RCA
and dealers
of 200 Thousand
needs to be sold.
But what new product doesn't? But color television
is truly wonderful, and hundreds of thousands of your
customers can afford sets now, at today's low prices of
from $695 to $995.
will
Hundreds of thousands of others
sets in coming months, as
and prices are adjusred downward."
be able to buy color
production increases
RADIO AGE 5
www.americanradiohistory.com
Plan for a "National Education Reserve"
A
"National Education Reserve" of teachers
drawn from the technological ranks of industry to serve
in their local schools has
David
SarnofF,
means of
scientists
been proposed by Brig. General
Chairman of the Board of RCA,
as
and engineers.
The
Sarnoff at the
annual dinner of the National Security Industrial Asso-
Washington on January
26.
Addressing some
1,400 leaders in government, the military services and
of
interest
first
last year.
citation referred to General Sarnoff as "a dis-
tinguished citizen, industrialist and soldier whose devotion to his nation in peace
The proposal was made by General
ciation in
award
recipient of the
the
in
President Eisenhower was the
national security."
a
the nation's critical shortage of
alleviating
between industry and government
example
to
and
war has served
in
as
an
Americans, has provided outstanding
all
leadership in encouraging vital understanding between
industry and government
in
the
of national
interests
security."
industry, General Sarnoff said:
"Our
safety
and our
industrial strength
rest
Warns
upon
our success in expanding the nation's reservoir of physicists
and
scientists,
Our economy and
seriously
unless
we
trained engineers and technicians.
national
solve
security
this
alike
will
suffer
problem promptly and
network of the National Broadcasting Company, General
Sarnoff declared that unless the lack of qualified teachers
at
grade levels for such subjects as physics, chemistry
and mathematics
vigorously."
Just before his address, General Sarnoff received the
of Critical Shortage
In his address, broadcast over a coast-to-coast radio
met
is
years hence in an even
NSIA's James Forrestal Memorial Award, presented
annually to "a distinguished American whose leadership
personnel.
has promoted significant understanding and cooperation
wish to
quickly,
more
few
a
shortage of trained
Continuing, he said:
"In the presence of so
offer a suggestion.
completely, but
"I
show up
will
it
critical
it
many
may
It
could go a long
leaders of industry,
I
not solve the problem
way toward
propose the establishment of
a solution.
Educa-
a 'National
Charles E. Wilson, left, Secretary of Defense, looks on
as Brig. General David SarnofF receives the Forrestal
Award from C. C. Felton, Vice-President of Revere
matics, physics, chemistry, engineering and related sub-
Copper &
jects,
who
served as chairman at the
annual dinner of the National Security Industrial AssoBrass,
Inc.,
ciation in
tion
Reserve' comprising qualified teachers
be drawn
to
industry.
have
I
Washington.
for at least a year
and
women
for
from the technological ranks of
mind
in
mathe-
in
— of
the release
a
teaching
— and with
reasonable
number
assignments
in
full
of
their
pay
men
local
This unique Reserve could also mobilize those
schools.
who have
reached the retirement age but whose knowl-
edge and experience would make them inspiring
In addition,
it
teachers.
could include qualified people willing to
volunteer their services to teach in night schools without
giving up their industry jobs.
Would
Enlist Cooperation of School Authorities
"The number of
teachers recruited
from any
single
organization would be too small to entail hardship for
any one
— but
the total
number comprising
could be drawn from such an extensive
www.americanradiohistory.com
list
the corps
of organiza-
tions that
it
would be
enough
large
new impetus
to give
This
teaching of the sciences in our school system.
to
would be
especially true at the high school level
our present major bottleneck.
is
which
This Educational Re-
serve would, of course, have to be strictly an interim
program,
let's
year Russia graduated twice as
Moreover, whether the
initiative
is
One
did.
reason for
can compel
state.
meet an im-
say for five years, to help
mediate situation.
gineers as against 480,000 in the United States.
its
this,
many
of course,
is
we
that a police-state
youth to enter careers most useful to the
conscripts brains even as
It
Last
engineers as
General Sarnoff,
ident Eisenhower as
who was
conscripts bodies."
it
by PresChairman of the National Security
recently appointed
taken by industry or government, the plan
itself would
drawn with the consent and cooperation of
school authorities who would prescribe the courses and
Training Commission, said that military Reserves pose
naturally be
no
regulate the instruction.
cannot overlook the need for large and strong Reserve
some degree, such
"In
a plan
would amount
by business of personnel
restitution
Men
from the school system.
and
to the
has siphoned off
it
women who
normally
a
less
vital
"When we
problem than an Educational Reserve.
contingents," he continued. "These are essential elements
in
any long-range military planning.
tional
Indeed, the tradi-
American scheme has always been
a
relatively
who
would have become teachers of the sciences have instead
small active force backed by trained civilians
gone into industry, where the rewards
be mobilized on short notice to meet an emergency.
I
think
it is
are
more
enticing.
current crisis
fair to say, in fact, that in the
"It is
common knowledge that our Military
now far below requirements. The
industry has an obligation to help develop this kind of
strength
Educational Reserve.
of this Act
"Obligation aside, industry would be well advised as
a
matter of self-interest to help replenish the reservoir
of
men and women by
trained
studies
at
stimulating
the lower educational levels.
relevant
Industry will
need more and more technically trained people for
own expanding
its
"Because of their practical experience, teachers in
would bring the breath
is
to recruit
and
train
enough
Reserve
purpose
civilians to
make our country safe and strong over the long pull.
The job is to get the story more clearly and effectively to
our young manhood and their parents. Efforts in this
direction are now under way and we hope for a better
response than there has been so far."
New
Hi-Fi Tape Recorder
They would help
of living reality into the classroom.
restore the sense of adventure to technical careers
many an
is
can
operations.
the Educational Reserve Corps
inspire
we
think and plan for robust defense,
and
able and imaginative student to follow
the scientific and technological disciplines into the college
Enthusiasm
years.
is
contagious.
Suggests Corps Be Set
"To make the project
serve Corps
should be given
through membership
in
National Basis
recognition
and
Re-
status,
an organization somewhat sim-
the various military Reserves.
ilar to
on
Up on
attractive, teachers in the
a national basis, perhaps created
It
should be set up
by an Act of Con-
gress.
have presented
"I
are
many
details to
this
concept in broad terms. There
be discussed and formulated by edu-
cators, representatives of industry
But
agencies.
I
trust
and interested
that the basic
idea has
official
enough
potential merit to justify closer examination."
General Sarnoff said that science and technology are
the "very hallmarks" of
"It
comes
Russia
are.
.
.
is
American
civilization,
as a shock, therefore, to
and added:
be told that Soviet
turning out engineers at a higher rate than
we
.
Illustrated
"According to one study, Soviet Russia, in the 26
years
between 1928 and 1954, graduated 682,000 en-
here
is
RCA's new "Judicial' tape recorder
and provision for recording
from microphone or radio-phonogaph.
featuring three loudspeakers
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
7
Electrofax Enlarger for Microfilm
A
high-speed machine which employs the
RCA
Electrofax process to turn out standard-size engineering
drawings from microfilm originals
per minute has been developed by
strated for the
The new
at the rate of fifteen
RCA
time on February 14.
first
which
enlarger-printer,
engineering drawings,
the
is
and reproducing
Conventional methods involve
of microfilm.
The Filmsort
tinuous
rolls
selected
swiftly according to category
chine
punch-card machines. The
can
also
RCA
work with 35-mm
cards can be
by conventional
Electrofax
roll
The combination
and the Electrofax machine,
access to microfilm
economical electrostatic dry-photographic process
which provides short-order reproduction,
standards in speed, efficiency and economy
veloped
at
RCA
Arthur
Laboratories.
L.
Malcarney,
General Manager,
RCA Commercial Electronic Products,
RCA is now accepting orders on the
all
announced that
Malcarney
machine, which
is
S.
contract with the
Navy, Bureau of Aeronautics, which has now taken
on the first machine at the Overhaul and Repair
Department of the Naval Air Station at Alameda,
delivery
California.
aircraft,
The
base
a typical repair center for naval
is
and the Electrofax enlarger will be used
for
way by Mr. Malcarney:
"This enlarger-printer will be combined with Film-
jobs described this
equipment developed by the Dexter Folder Com-
sort
files,
offers
new
to virtually
high-volume processors of engineering drawings, Mr.
said.
Possible applications of the device ex-
tend to government services and the aviation, building,
priced at $85,000.
The device was developed under
U.
if
of Filmsort, which permits swift
designed machine to utilize Electrofax, the swift and
de-
ma-
microfilm
desired.
commercially-
first
selection.
the filing of full-scale drawings, or recording on con-
electric
expected to revo-
is
lutionize today's techniques of storing
vital
and was demon-
and speed of
engineering and other industries which employ large
volumes of drawings.
The
trofax
—
particular features
machine include
It
is
the
first
which distinguish the Elec-
these:
equipment of
its
type which can
be used with either Filmsort cards or microfilm
—
It
is
rolls.
the only automatic enlarger-printer to use
a direct dry-photographic process, printing direct
from
a microfilm original to paper.
pany, under contract with the Bureau of Aeronautics,
and other processing equipment, to provide for Navy
evaluation of completely integrated system for low-cost
storage and high-speed processing of engineering drawings essential for the maintenance and modification of
H. G. Reuter,
Jr.,
will introduce at the
Alameda
repair
center important savings in the cost of handling and
reproducing engineering drawings and in the space
quired for their storage.
re-
Equally important, the high-
speed selection and reproduction system will make possible
rapid push-button
availability
of
filed
drawings
maintenance purposes and for reference by bidders
for
and
suppliers.
The Bureau
that the system's potential
of
in
Aeronautics estimates
direct savings to
Naval
aviation exceeds one million dollars annually in procure-
ment, reproduction, and storage costs."
Used with Filmsort Filing System
The new machine
is
the
enlarger-printer de-
first
signed for use with the Dexter-developed Filmsort sys-
tem
—
a relatively
new method
drawings for reproduction.
for filing
and selecting
Filmsort utilizes individual
exposures of drawings on microfilm, and each exposure
mounted on
a separate electric
accounting machine card to provide
maximum freedom
or microfilm frame
8
is
new
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
Electrofax
enlarger-printer
for engineering drawings.
naval aircraft.
"The system
RCA
supervising engineer on
project, inserts Filmsort cards in the
—
RCA
lighting
location
for
Electrofax paper which
light sensitive until
—
it
pro-
the special Electrofax printing paper, which feeds auto-
or processing, since the
matically into the machine from a roll approximately
darkroom nor
neither
requires
It
tective
special
used does not become
is
put into the printer.
is
3500
a
At
feet long.
this point, the operation
believed to be the fastest automatic enlarger-
developed
at
RCA's David
printer ever developed, with an output rate of fifteen
Princeton,
N.
J.
It is
It is
equipped with
which allows an
a sight glass
operator to check on the photographic process
all
coating
is
charge of
is
handled by push-buttons
is
and
it
has an automatic focus.
images are projected
onto a special electrosensitive coating which can be
applied to any solid surface
at
times.
Operation of the device
Sarnoff Research Center in
In the Electrofax process, light
17 x 22-inch drawings per minute.
—
becomes
mechanized version of the Electrofax printing process
made
—
in this case, paper.
photosensitive
by
The
of
application
a
During exposure, the charge
static electricity.
reduced or driven away in proportion to the amounts
Standard A-, B-, and
of light striking the different parts of the surface, leav-
C-size drawings are produced by the
machine
in
full
The image
ing a latent electrical image.
scale,
to
and larger drawings
up
reproduce
loading, with
to
up
to
How
in half-size.
It
Loading
is
one
24 multiple copies of each.
100-foot
much
the
installed.
originals
roll
same manner
The
35-mm
that
positive
a
typewriter
cards or roll
— feeding
into the lens system at the rate of
ribbon
in
is
automatically
one frame every
four seconds.
The images
to fuse
insert-
microfilm
press of a button starts the microfilm
— either
The image
image.
application of heat,
above the lens system, or by
of
particles cling to negatively charged
on the
In the
projected
through the lens onto
Finished reproductions of engineering drawings flow
from Electrofax enlarger-printer as shown at rate of
15 per minute.
is
fixed
place by brief
in
which causes the
resin
particles
surface.
new machine,
all
of these steps are carried
out in sequence and automatically.
The
Electrofax paper,
with a sensitivity several thousand times greater than
that of
at a rate
the
blueprint paper,
moves through the machine
As it emerges, bearing
of 23 feet per minute.
permanently printed reproductions, the paper
wound on an output
are
The
areas of
the surface, creating a visible print of the original pro-
the Eiilargev Operates
accomplished by placing up to 500 Film-
ing a
visible
ing charged particles of pigmented resin powder.
powder
operates in this way:
sort cards in a rack
made
by brushing the surface with a magnetic brush carryat
jected
The machine
is
can be pre-set
500 microfilm originals
can be cut
as
roll
is
from which the reproductions
needed.
Malcarney, right, General Manager, RCA
L.
Commercial Electronic Products, discusses new Electrofax
machine with Dr. James Hillier, Chief Engineer.
Arthur
RADIO AGE 9
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www.americanradiohistory.com
.
Photophone space
venient studio
411
at
Avenue, where con-
Fifth
were
facilities
was conducted
television broadcasting
In this location,
available.
daily
9 p.m. on the assigned frequency of 2000
to
1929 and
In
organization of
chase of the Victor Talking Machine Company.
engineering activities of the
kilo-
Was Used
house
was before the days of iconoscopes and
All this
changes
2100
tory, the
electronic television.
fundamental
all-
Jersey,
Subjects were scanned by a rotat-
closed.
ing disc with minute holes punched in a spiral near
in
the
occurred, beginning with the pur-
from 7 to
cycles.
Rotating Disc
1930,
RCA
Van
The
radio
Cortlandt Park Labora-
General Electric Company, and the Westing-
Company were transferred to Camden, New
and the Van Cortlandt Park installation was
The General
Electric
and Westinghouse Companies
pictures
had been active in television development during the
of 48 scanning lines each were transmitted every second.
period prior to the reorganization, and their television
This was extremely crude by present day standards, but
activities
Twenty complete
the periphery of the disc.
it
was quite an advance then!
larly
still
too.
Closeness to the
it
RCA
completed
occa-
mechanical system to an all-electronic system.
possible
from the sound movie
sets to
appear before the new-fangled television cameras.
It was here at "411" that "Felix the Cat" made his
was attached
Felix
phonograph turntable and placed
chanical scanning disc camera.
to a
slowed-down
me-
in front of the
His
antics,
and those
of the other performers, animate and inanimate, were
W2XBS
observe reception (com-
six million or so receivers
now
in
New
reception, were going on.
was envisioned,
too.
neering work, resulted in
RKO
ary,
a
of
the
previously
limited
Bedford, Kell, Schade, Tolson, Holmes, Leverenz, and
others,
made a solid foundation for the new service
upon which it could grow soundly and
the systems aspects
Theater
size
tele-
of
se-
curely into the future.
The
early
whirling discs at
Van
Cortlandt Park,
and Schenectady, had done their part
in
Perhaps the first star of TV was Felix the Cat, shown
in this 1930 picture of tests at W2XBS, predecessor of
today's
WRCA-TV
in
New
York.
This vision, and hard engipublic demonstration at the
Theater, at 57th Street and 3rd Avenue, in Janu-
The demonstration used
1930.
feet in size,
was
a screen six
by eight
and the transmission was by radio over
distance of about one mile.
disc
conversion
Pioneering Stage Completed
Pittsburgh,
of television while these experiments, aimed primarily
home
the
Thus was the pioneering stage completed. The systems work of Goldsmith, Weinberger, Smith and Rodwin, the tube and circuit work of Zworykin, Vance,
six receivers located
York City! )
The Laboratory did not overlook
vision
Particu-
television,
and viewed on
in various parts of the city to
at
January 1930.
duction, and with the iconoscope for camera pick-up,
sionally to entice actors
pared with the
in
Zworykin, which, with the kinescope for receiver repro-
crude,
Photophone recording studios made
radiated by
Camden
They
sional views of staff personnel.
television debut.
to
photographs, painted signs, and occa-
The beginning programs were
consisted of
moved
noteworthy among these was the work of V. K.
In these
six feet in diameter,
tests,
a
the scanning
with small lenses replacing
the previous simple holes around the rim of the disc.
"Provocative and Stimulating" Results
Results at the theater were reported as "provocative
and stimulating". The pictures were judged acceptable
when only head and
shoulders of subjects were televised,
but quality
was
pictures.
at best
However,
far inferior to that of
large-screen
television
motion
had
been
accomplished.
In July
1930, the conduct of further testing was
taken over by the National Broadcasting Company, and
the
equipment was
New Amsterdam
1933,
when
installed
in
larger quarters in the
Theater Roof, where
it
remained until
operations were transferred to the Empire
State Building.
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
11
July
NBC
1941, five months before Pearl Harbor,
1,
received from the
FCC
the
commercial television
first
license for its transmitter on the Empire State Building.
Thus was launched the final stage of television development which has continued, except for the short wartime interruption, to the present vast and important new
public service.
Perhaps
we
because there
That stage
is
should not
now with
the final one,
call this stage
—
one more
is
that of color television.
we
but here too
us,
imprint of the work of the pioneers.
find the
Goldsmith's con-
ception of the shadow-mask color kinescope, and Bed-
compression of color information into narrow
ford's
channels, have brought the final stage to practicality
Public
TV
David
Sarnoff
service
in
sooner than the early pioneers had dared to hope.
was inaugurated by
World's Fair
Brig.
telecast
historic
this
in
General
York
Recently, nine
New
at
men met
elaborate lights, cameras,
making
[he early history of television.
RCA-NBC
installed
the
But, in
apparatus,
all-electronic
first
1935,
with 343 lines and 30 pictures per second, and within
a year,
441
service,
the
RCA
New
York
New RCA
A
system was ready for public
which was inaugurated
World's Fair in
Flight Laboratory
has been established by
New
The new
at
the opening of the
for testing airborne electronic
in the air
One
RCA
at the
facility,
RCA
now
staff.
TV
The
studio.
scene
where they had
These were the men who had
And, amazingly,
all
in
for operations
RCA
is
to
ground radar
test pilot
and aero-
new
Air Force C-47
operation
is
New
equipped
test
equipment, enabling engineers
to observe in flight the
performance of electronic equip-
still
tele-
active
its
proximity to
defense production and design centers at
dating
of
have located our Flight
Castle because of
J.,
and
its
Camden
accommo-
facilities for
jet aircraft."
The new laboratory, occupying 27,000 square
a new hangar, includes administrative offices,
tronic test facilities,
for aircraft
borne Systems
depot-level
In
parts.
a
nearby hangar
RCA
Depot of the
Department.
This
unit
is
Air-
perform
can
maintenance on military electronic equip-
ment manufactured by the department, and
classroom
feet
elec-
and maintenance and storage areas
and spare
the East Coast Field Support
a flying labora-
transport plane
are
Equipment
"We
control systems," he said.
con-
control
fire
them
RCA-NBC.
and Moorestown, N.
limited operation,
May
of
today, in various branches of the broad television services
of
RCA
County
Castle
airborne equipment and
feature of the
with aeronautical
vision
New
Castle, Delaware.
Charles R. Sharp, veteran
— an
years ago.
Laboratory at
nautical engineer, has been appointed manager.
tory
worked 28
microphones, and asso-
the studio
in striking contrast to
and on the ground
systems for military aircraft and with
systems.
On
in April of that year.
be completely equipped by
nected with
boom
modern
Flight Laboratory Tests Military
equipment and systems
Airport in
was
television studio
formed the nucleus of RCA's Van Cortlandt Park
lines.
By 1939,
ciated trappings of the
NBC
in an
They were surrounded by the
group photograph.
for a
1939.
facilities for instructing
it
provides
personnel of the armed
ment.
forces
Theodore A. Smirh, Vice-President and General Manager, RCA Defense Electronic Products, announced that
tenance and operation of
the Flight Laboratory will serve "as a proving ground
Flight Laboratory pilots operate planes based at other
for
airborne
electronics
developed
for
the
military
services."
"It
will
RCA
be equipped with aircraft and equipment
all
types of
RCA
airborne electronics, from basic radar devices to complex
in the installation,
airports
where
RCA
is
F-86D
jets
conducting
New
based at Bedford, Mass., for
tests
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
in
Castle,
testing
flight
At present they
of
are flying
of advanced
electronic systems under development at the
borne Systems Laboratory
main-
electronic equipment.
In addition to flying aircraft based at
airborne electronic systems.
necessary for air and ground tests of
12
and plane manufacturers
RCA
Waltham, Mass.
Air-
1
TV in
a Small Package
tion to the picture tube, four crystals,
one tube
and
performs 24 tube
double selenium
a
rectifier, yet ir
functions comparable to
many
larger sets.
rectifier
Seven of the
10 tubes bear the imposing description "double purpose
duothermionic," meaning that each tube, with two electrically
separated groups of elements, provides the equiv-
alent of
two
The
single tubes.
"Personal" has a V-type disappearing rod an-
tenna which
adjustable for best reception in normal
is
For areas where signals are weaker, and
signal areas.
where outside antennas are required
new
The
red,
for larger sets, the
portable has a connection for an external antenna.
sets are
gray,
being made available in four colors
ivory,
and
For
black.
easy
handling,
—
a
matching carrying handle which folds inconspicuously
a table model radio
portable TV set.
larger than
Little
RCA's new
is
into the top of the cabinet has
also a
manipulating two knobs.
the cabinet can be tilted
RXA
only
receiver
The tuning
a high-quality,
under
than
larger
slightly
set
RCA
as the
now
is
in
Victor "Personal," the compact
a
an advertised price of $125, the "Personal"
meet with wide appeal
as a
second
Charles
controls of the "Personal" are located
gamut of
those usually found on console models.
set in
P. Baxter,
RCA
many
expected
is
The new
RCA
"Personal" TV
with current console model
households.
Vice-President and General
Man-
Victor Television Division, emphasized in
announcing the novel
set
"the use of precision-
that
new
chassis, enables the 'Personal' to give typically excellent
Victor performance and high-level reception com-
parable to
much
larger receivers."
Tube Weighs Only Three Pounds
Picture
The
little set
wide, and 12"
s
measures IOV4 inches high, 9\k inches
inches deep.
It is
picture tube developed by the
tube
itself
inches,
around a compact
Tube
weighs only three pounds, and
Division's
Division.
The
has an outside diagonal measurement of 8V2
inches long.
of the
built
RCA
According
general
new
to
Lee
marketing
F.
is
than
less
Holleran, the
manager,
the
1
Tube
shortness
tube has been achieved by employing wide-
angle, 90-degree deflection.
The economical design
sized
by the
fact that
it
of the "Personal"
is
selector,
and volume.
a
the home, in the office,
in
Included are fine tuning, contrast, brightness, vertical
With
designed components, developed expressly for this
RCA
attached,
small panel on top of the cabinet, and they run
and horizontal hold, channel
production following more than
year of intensive development and design work.
ager,
is
for the best view-
radio.
Known
and
the stand
up or down
table
a
the
to
When
is
detachable simply by
new compactness
and portability with the introduction of
22-pound
new
is
ing angle.
Victor television has achieved
(
model
been provided. There
matching stand, which
empha-
contains only 10 tubes in addi-
RADIO AGE
13
www.americanradiohistory.com
is
RCA
shown here
in contrast
Victor "Haverton 24."
RCA
.en
x,
Announces Graduate Fellowships for Employees
graduate fellowships in the
business
administration and
established for
its
employees by
of
fields
dramatic
RCA
in
science,
have been
arts
honor of Brig.
General David Sarnoff, Chairman of the Board of
C
The move was announced by Dr.
President and Technical Director of
man
RCA
of the
and includes
RCA, who
Education Committee.
each of the fellowships
is
RCA.
B. Jolliffe, Vice-
He
Chair-
is
stated that
valued at approximately $3,500,
a grant to the fellow, tuition fees,
and an
unrestricted gift to the college or university selected.
first
engineering and dramatic
arts,
RCA's
including
fellowship in medical electronics, which has been
Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.,
established at Johns
with a grant of $3,500 to be made in the Fall of 1956.
"The fellowship
at
Johns Hopkins University em-
phasizes the growing importance of electronics in the
medical profession," he noted.
Nine
other
awarded
Operation of the program was described this way
by Dr.
fellowships in the fields of science, physics, elec-
ate
trical
RCA
graduate
fellowships
will
be
to students at the following universities:
California Institute of Technology (Science)
Jolliffe:
"Recipients of the David Sarnoff Fellowships will
be chosen from the various
Guided by executives of
sidiaries.
ployees
RCA
choose
will
Employees
will
an
divisions
their divisions,
appropriate
be given
a
and sub-
leave of
graduate
em-
school.
absence for the
"This
is
an expansion of a program which has been
that there are
poration
It
a recognition
is
many men and women within
who wish
to
Columbia University (Physics)
Cornell University (Engineering Physics)
University of Illinois (Electrical Engineering)
New
York University
(Electrical Engineering)
Princeton University (Electrical Engineering)
duration of the fellowship.
in effect for several years.
Carnegie Institute of Technology (Dramatic Arts)
improve
by
RCA
the Cor-
their educational quali-
by graduate study. Such improvement is also
advantageous to our program of personnel development.
Rutgers University (Physics)
Yale University (Dramatic Arts)
33 Undergraduate Scholarships Granted
"In addition to the fellowships,
RCA
has granted 33
fications
"The association of General
these fellowships
Sarnoff's
name with
especially appropriate, since
he advanced through the ranks of the organization. General
is
recommended adoption of the RCA Scholarship
Plan in 1945 and fully realizes the need for helping
young people within the Corporation. On September
undergraduate
dramatic
arts,
scholarships
in
the
fields
of
music and industrial relations
science,
at desig-
nated colleges and universities throughout the country,"
"The
Dr. Jolliffe said.
are selected
recipients of these scholarships
by the respective colleges and
universities.
Sarnoff
30, 1956, he will complete fifty years of service with
RCA
and
its
predecessor company, the Marconi Wire-
Telegraph Company of America, which he joined
messenger boy."
less
as a
Each scholarship provides
"RCA
made
has also
a grant of
"RCA
tions for a
from
to the student.
several contributions to educa-
tional institutions to assist in
for financial aid
$800
meeting the growing need
industrial corporations.
has been a contributor to educational institu-
number of years. For the year 1956, its conamount to more than $250,000. This is
tributions will
First Fellowship in
Medical Electronics
Besides the David Sarnoff Fellowships, Dr. Jolliffe
said,
14
RCA
is
awarding ten college and university gradu-
in addition to aid to
RCA
employees under Tuition Loan
and Refund Plans and other indirect aids to employees
that can be used for self- improvement."
RADIO AGE
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A New TV Eye for
B
•
attlefield
camera and
television, in the
back-carried
a
form of
a hand-held
with which a
transmitter
soldier-scout can send battle pictures to a receiver half
a
U.
mile away,
S.
the
is
electronic
latest
addition
the
through woods and hedgerows, and over ditches and
When his mission is completed, he can move
streams.
new
readily to a
Laboratory
unit
was
the U.
Fort
at
S.
RCA
by
Army
Signal Corps Engineering
Monmouth, N.
demonstrated publicly for the
In tests of the equipment,
first
two
specifications
where
J.,
the
with the Signal Corps' hand-sized transceiver
as a
The hand-held camera, which resembles a cigar box
shape, weighs only 8 pounds. The transmitter, in
in
back-pack form, weighs 47 pounds, complete with
to headquarters.
the
unit
unprecedented
provides
mobility
by
combat
for operation.
television
With
the battery-operated equipment, the
announcement pointed
previously
models to supply the power
inaccessible
out,
the
spots,
TV
scout
moving
can
reach
unhampered
can
According
The
supply.
tests,
up pictures
transmit
eliminating the cable connections that have been needed
in earlier
picture
Monmouth
Signal Corps pointed out that the self-contained
television
power
built-in
effec-
reconnaissance team to send verbal
and visual information back
The
was
— one equipped
and
other
—
with the compact camera and transmitter,
performed
it
time on February 20.
soldiers
with
Camera Weighs 8 Pounds
built
to
location, taking his electronic eye
him.
Army's combat communications system.
The new
laid down by
tively
to
the Battlefield
be
handled,
them
distances
up
in
the
Fort
radio.
to
camera can pick
mile away and can
a
to a receiver half a mile distant.
The camera can be
In scouting,
done
as
by transceiver
to the Signal Corps, the
at
its
voice which accompanies
it
is
used for a variety of functions.
held with the aid of a pistol grip
which enables the scout
to steady the camera and to
"pan" or sweep across the scene of action. Mounted
on
a tripod,
can operate unattended
it
as a silent sentry
or as a front-line artillery observer. Placed in helicopters,
it
could be used in directing air-sea rescue operations.
The
Signal Corps pointed out that an
might
be stationed
also
unaffected by
gamma
unmanned camera
in a suspected radioactive area,
radiation that
would endanger
a
soldier.
The
small camera has four interchangeable lenses,
including a wide-angle lens for viewing a broad sector,
and
a telephoto lens for
viewing distant
subjects.
The
transmitter, resembling a small suitcase in appearance,
is
on
capable of transmitting continuously for two hours
its
five-cell
battery
is
rechargeable silver zinc battery.
The
about one-third the size and weight of an
automobile battery, and can be replaced easily in two
minutes.
Receiver
Is
Mounted
in Jeep
At the receiving end, the Signal Corps has mounted
the 10-inch aluminized picture tube and
its
ing circuits in a jeep for fast mobility.
system of the jeep provides the necessary
receiver,
accompany-
The electrical
power for the
and either commercial power or ordinary house-
hold current can be used as well.
televised picture can
into a commercial
be relayed
TV
system.
From
rhe jeep, the
to a headquarters or fed
In a pinch, according to
the Signal Corps, the receiver can be used in a fox-hole.
For
During demonstration at Fort Monmouth, N. J., soldiers
equipped with RCA-built portable TV transmitter and
transceiver radio send data to headquarters.
a
commander
comprehensive view
of
in the receiving jeep can
combat
action,
a
push buttons on a
console to bring in pictures taken by five
cameramen
at
different locations in the field.
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
J
5
How
Printed Circuits
are
Made
of electronic circuits
is
being widely adopted
throughout the electronics industry
as
a
The printing
greater
and economy
efficiency
devices, including radio
in
flat
are
means of achieving
the
and television
which wire connections
printed on a
in
assembly
sets.
replaced
of
many
Printed circuits,
by copper
strips
board, permit hitherto complicated assembly
economy of materials,
new degree of simplicity in replacement of
parts. RCA now employs printed circuits like those shown
The
at left in its black-and-white and color TV receivers.
pictures on these pages, taken at RCA's Camden, N.J., plant,
show the steps involved in making printed circuits.
processes to be mechanized, result in
and provide
Process begins with preparation of a large produc-
1.
photo-master of the original circuit drawing. Here
photo-master is copied from small drawing at top.
tion
a
Photo-master is used to produce a glass negative,
2.
seen here being inserted in photo contact printer. The
negative contains a number of duplicate patterns.
www.americanradiohistory.com
3.
Image
is
printed on a plastic board with a veneer of
photo-sensitized copper.
the printer,
Here the board
is
inserted
in
against the glass negative, for exposure.
Up to several hundred circuits are printed on master
board, which is then cut into strips. Here RCA's selfsetting shear automatically positions board for cutting.
5.
Exposed board is then developed photographically
and put through an etch bath which dissolves unexposed
copper, leaving replica in copper of the original circuits.
4.
6.
Each printed circuit board is punched to provide
components. RCA's Programmed Punch
Press, (above) can punch virtually any pattern.
for insertion of
www.americanradiohistory.com
UHF
Encouraging
U,LTRA-high-frequency
public attention recently with two important develop-
—
mittee
the presentation
of
RCA
super-power tube which has
to
of
of an experimental
March 15
mittee on Interstate and Foreign
to the Senate
clared that the battle for
fighting in
the public
UHF
television
interest,
E.
W.
RCA,
de-
Commerce, Dr.
Engstrom, Senior Executive Vice-President of
is
Com-
well worth
and he presented
suggestions to aid this important phase of
TV
relating to the technical
TV
performance of
channels, appeared at the invitation of the
to
UHF
tion of
discuss
equipment
the
for
status
UHF
— Authorization
of
transmitting
television.
in the
UHF
Committee
and
receiving
His suggestions were:
by the Federal Communications
Commission of higher power
for
UHF
the
FCC
to de-intermix
on
a sufficiently
UHF
nucleus of predominantly
a
UHF
may grow and
expand.
stations.
— Repeal
by Congress of the excise tax on
As
preface to these suggestions, Dr.
a
Engstrom
said:
that
a
I
making
these suggestions,
do not have, nor do
complete answer to
questions
the
all
do so
I
in the belief
believe that anyone has,
I
which have
been raised during the start-up period of
seems clear that there
be fully
will
upon
act
no
is
UHF.
single plan or solution
It
which
Rather, one must consider and
effective.
of the valid proposals."
all
stations.
No Known
Sees
UHF
Alternative to
Referring to the need for an understanding of
RCA's new super-power UHF tube is shown in this picture
by L. P. Garner, who directed development group at
Lancaster, Pa., plant.
all-
channel color television receivers.
"In
Engstrom, with a background of experience
of the use of booster
—
ment.
Dr.
FCC
Encouragement of multiple owners and others
with resources and know-how to undertake the opera-
six
develop-
the
from which
service areas
of the use of directional
stations.
broad basis to create
an all-time record in
set
transmission.
In a statement on
— Authorization by
— Action by
FCC
the
stations.
and translator type
Senate com-
a
aiding the growth
for
UHF, and development by
UHF
RCA
by
suggestions
six
UHF
antennas by
drew renewed
available in the very-high-frequency band,
ments
— Authorization by
television, devised to per-
mit the growth of television beyond the twelve channels
Television
performance
vision
making
Engstrom
said,
need the
UHF
nels
our
for
application
correct
a
"There
is
in
each
no known
for
situation,
Dr.
alternative, for
channels in addition to the
still
growing black-and-white
for the color service
which
tele-
and
frequency
ultra-high
at
VHF
we
chan-
service and
the newest of the mass
is
communications media."
In
reference to the excise tax, Dr. Engstrom told
Committee
the
channel color
that
sets
if
Congress were to exempt
from such
a
tax,
all-
"we would then
appropriate steps to provide for the production
take
of only all-channel color receivers as soon as practicable
thereafter."
"We
He
continued:
believe that removal of the excise tax
be sufficient reason for
all
manufacturers to
color receivers tunable to both
words, all-channel receivers.
VHF
As
and
UHF;
would
make
all
in other
color receivers replace
black-and-white receivers, which they are bound to do,
the
UHF
audience for both black-and-white and color
transmissions
grow
is
would grow.
"In conclusion,
UHF
That the
basic to the success of
television
is
it
is
my
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
audience
opinion that the battle for
well worth fighting in the public
(Continued on page 25)
18
UHF
UHF.
Expanding World Trade
By Albert
RCA
Wo,ORLD
Watters
F.
RCA,
Vice President of
Operations Manager
International Division
business, always an active interest of
today promises to be a major factor in
The
RCA
year 1955 saw
its
International Division reach
RCA
the highest level of sales and profit in
1956
RCA,
future growth.
history.
The
delivering further evidence of progress.
is
quarter showed the highest sales volume on record
first
main categories of the Di-
All the
for the Division.
vision's activity are
expanding: direct export of
RCA
products, both consumer and capital goods; manufacture
RCA
and assembly of
products by RCA's associated
companies; licensing of
This upward drive
among which
RCA
RCA
patents and inventions.
the result of several factors,
is
policy
The Radio
paramount.
is
Corporation of America believes in international trade
and
as a corporate opportunity for service
equipped
has
RCA
profit,
and
with
the
Division
International
instruments for gaining an appropriate share of world
Henrique Ascanio,
Ondas
tion
F.
of
left,
General Manager of radio
del Lago, Maracaibo, Venezuela,
sta-
and Albert
RCA Vice-President and Operations Manager
RCA International Division, discuss agreement
Watters,
the
establishing
TV
first
station in western
Venezuela.
business.
The past few weeks have seen striking examples of
RCA's intensive new cultivation of world trade. In
March of this year, the first of 100 links in a countrywide microwave system was opened in Cuba with Major
General Fulgencio Batista, President of the Republic
of Cuba, sending the
the
first
Campo
telephone
teletype message and
first
call
between two military
Other new
and Ciudad Militar.
Batista
equipment demonstrated
making
to
rique Ascanio,
in
RCA
in that thriving city, thus
important market
in
station
Ondas
del
Lago
TV station, the
TV to another
extending
and distribution of
RCA
Switzerland.
in achieving distribution of the
the world.
At the same time
TV
in
in
of the world's largest.
many
is
carrying on expansion plans with
ciated companies.
The companies,
RCA's
12
asso-
located in Argentina,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, India, Japan,
Italy,
Mexico, Spain and Switzerland, are reinforcing
the
in
which they are rooted.
The
RCA
associated
company
England,
in
RCA
catalog throughout
plant facilities and has begun production and sale of
RCA
custom High Fidelity equipment.
first
International
demonstration
for
a
broadcast
Mozambique which will be one
The Division also was making
other areas.
and aiding the economic welfare of the countries
Photophone Limited, has moved into bigger and better
is
heavy shipments of consumer goods to Puerto Rico,
Egypt, Peru and
International Division, which handles the for-
a basic step
Uruguay and contracting
studio installation
sales
Carrying on Expansion Plans
RCA
records in England,
This
RCA
Division was participating in the
of
1956 unit
progress on several fronts, enlarging sales opportunities
Venezuela.
During the same period negotiations were concluded
facture
—
be three times those of 1954.
will
eign trade operations of Radio Corporation of America,
with London Decca and associated companies for manu-
West Germany, and
line,
in
gained world acceptance
areas, has
RCA
signed a contract with Hen-
Maracaibo, Venezuela, to equip his
first
This
markets.
President Batista included
owner of radio
new line of radio receivers
Germany for our export
originally made for soft currency
finalization of a
bases,
mobile microwave and mobile radar.
Shortly thereafter
March saw
and record players made
S.A., the associated
company
Industria Electronica,
in Spain,
now
is
assembling
communications equipment for the Spanish government,
as
well
as
manufacturing records and record players.
The reorganized company
tralia
in
Australia,
Proprietary Limited, will
RCA
commence
of Aus-
the
manu-
facture of records in 1956.
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
79
On
Spitsbergen, Norwegian island north of the Arctic Circle,
this
RCA
transmitter operates regularly not far from the North Pole.
RCA
technicians work on a temporary antenna atop a
12,000-foot peak
RCA
Brazil,
in
is
Radio,
Victor
tube plant
manufactured there beginning
TV
in
Belo Horizonte
at
Electron tubes will be
the state of Minas Gerais.
industrial applications.
company
associated
S.A.,
new
building a
1957 for radio and
in
picture tubes are
RCA
produced in a new wing of the
now being
Victor factory in
Corporacion de Radio de Chile,
has started
associate,
developed by
RCA
facturing plant, the
new
Ontario, to
augment
production
at the
plant
plants
at
Smith
in
Falls,
being
C.V., the
tube manu-
a
Renfrew,
and electron tube
RCA
Victor Company, Ltd.
new Renfrew
plant and
Montreal,
at
there
In
the original
are
two other
production, one manufacturing records
Ontario, and one
making radio and
TV
The Canadian program
manufacturing expansion,
of the Canadian economy.
Ottawa,
Quebec,
Toronto,
Montreal
of distribution, as well as
is
in
line
and
with the growth
Distribution centers located
Vancouver,
Halifax
efficient service to dealers
Calgary,
make
Winnipeg,
possible
spearheaded from
20 RADIO
RCA
more
New
York. Specialized services are provided
companies, as well as management counsel,
all
organized to assure the rapid flow of information on
management,
finance
and
production,
merchandise
techniques.
New RCA
developments such
are quickly passed
on
high-speed record
as
to the overseas
the technological pace of
parallels that of
Late
RCA
RCA's
RCA
TV
receivers,
companies so that
overseas manufacturing
plants in the U.
year, Laboratories
last
lished by
Europe similar
the United
oratory.
RCA,
S.
was
Ltd.,
estab-
International Division in Zurich, Switz-
to those provided to
States
RCA
licensees in
through the Industry Service Lab-
This followed the establishment of
laboratory
service
in
Tokyo,
to
provide
a
similar
service
to
licensees in Japan.
Within the past year additional licensing agreements
and distribute the
to press records
have been made between
RCA
RCA
record catalog
and companies
in France,
In each of these countries records are, or will be,
factured
label,
increasing
finest in
affiliates
International Division head-
New
manu-
RCA monogram
establishing the RCA
and distributed under the
volume and
trade-mark more firmly than ever
The
and to the public.
This expansion of overseas companies and
is
to these
Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Norway, and South Africa.
sets at Prescott, Ontario.
in
quarters in
erland, to provide facilities for services to licensees in
at
Montreal plant of RCA's associated
headquarters
now
SA. de
was recently opened
radio, television
Canada,
addition to the
are
Mexico.
in
first
RCA's Chilean
Plans
Mexico, to build
in
parts plant
in
industry.
Victor Mexicana,
company
associated
S.A.,
produce tubes for electronic
to
equipment for home and
company
Colombian Andes.
the
production, or the design and assembly of
Sao Paulo.
A
in
as the
symbol of the
recorded music in the world.
RCA
Jersey,
International Distribution Center at Clark,
is
now
being enlarged to handle the
creasing flow of direct export business, which
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
is
in-
doubling
the
volume of a few years ago. Increased shipments of
consumer products are going
to
markets open to
all
Increases have been notable in radios. Ortho-
imports.
Bogota and
RCA
Whirlpool
major
links all
microwave radio
Communications Systems Speed Progress
Communications systems, engineered and
by
RCA
in the future,
Less than a year ago, a
which
line.
expected that this system will be
It is
still
VHF
installed
its
communications system
cities of the
relay
country with modern
government of the Do-
minican Republic. The completion of
was begun
November
in
RCA
equipment was delivered by
International Division to the
International Division in cooperation with
which means more
voices will be calling and speeding business in Colombia.
phonic High Fidelity, tubes, records, sound products,
and the
Cali.
expanded further
this system,
which
1953, appropriately enough
distributors and companies, are accelerating social and
coincided with the four-day holiday commemorating the
economic progress
25th anniversary of the Government of Generalisimo
Europe, the Middle East, Africa,
in
Asia and the Americas.
Doctor Rafael Leonidas
There are over 200,000
Microwave
channel
countries
like
Colombia,
Republic,
and
Cuba,
The
RCA VHF
wide
hookup connecting the World's
radio
the
In
Dominican
systems
prove
calls
Last year, at
of their kind in South America,
over the towering Colombian
inauguration ceremonies of the
RCA
to the
to the
governors of Antioquia
mayors of Medellin and
Cali.
His
Mundo
sound
basis.
in
the
new House
is
In
Saudi Arabia, RCA's new single-sideband two-way
radio has found important application.
a
Each
microphone and
and adding of
As peoples and governments
Middle
II
its
working
after
RCA
bank
and
its
branches.
Thailand, the
Asia
was ready
in the
own RCA-equipped
with
In
oldest
votes.
in Latin America, the
for progress through electronics,
Africa
East,
World War
The
operating between Bogota and Medellin, and 28 between
provided with
cally to facilitate recording
new radiotelephone network.
now
a
sound rein-
stand and voting plate which operates electro-mechani-
International Division
radiotelephone channels
RCA
of Representatives Building.
representative's desk
with them.
VHF
Paz
la
Libre) with the nationwide
performing useful functions on
is
(11,800 feet) and "El Campanerio" (12,000 feet) into
There are 20
nationwide
this
(Feria de
Fair
In Panama, a complete
voice was transmitted from peaks such as "La Teta"
the cities in the
recently a special
to
forcing and voting tally system was recently installed
1949, General Gustavo Berrio Muiioz, Minister of
and Valle and
More
Ciudad Trujillo
in
network.
world
radiotelephone system linking with the chain built
Communications, spoke
was added
y Confraternidad del
an
system in Colombia employs huge
beaming telephone
in
link
and swift means of communication.
first
RCA
a
Trujillo.
RCA
many governments.
Venezuela,
RCA
parabolic reflectors,
Andes.
of
around the world, serving
in service
range of industry as well as
effective
miles
began
to build for the future
Republic of Mexico
radio network to
The Bank's 72 branches
RCA monogram looms
the launching of a
new
now
has
communicate
are linked
prominently
television service, as
I
shown
E5S7
RADIO AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
in
here.
21
with
stations
transmitter-receiver
five
in
Mexico City
and ten similar units are in the Bank's main operating
zones, speeding banking service, and lowering the costs
of banking operations.
In
two-way
Colombia,
communication
radio
is
speeding the construction of an important transportation
artery connecting
two of the country's major
road, covering a
distance of
The
rugged mountains.
tial to efficient
tion
contractors found radio essen-
and instruction for working crews.
system between
on the
coast.
teported
at
CMA
The
first
radiotelephone
free election held
police departments of
now
airlines are
These
Kuwait and
Air France, Sabena,
of Mexico.
using or have ordered
airlines
include
Swissair,
The Royal
BOAC,
Pan American,
Australian Air Force
is
using this equipment.
Television
is
growing
in
many
expansion anywhere in the world,
spectacular sttides in Cuba.
ing there,
CMQ-TV
Two
countries.
TV
Rivaling
continues to
make
networks are function-
and Television Nacional, along with
independent station Channel
2.
Two new
cently added to the Television Nacional
In
naval bases
are similarly equipped.
weather radar.
Iberia,
its
RCA
over
results
polling places in the
Major world
RCA
communications
In December, 1955, the Republic of Laos
in the country.
Formosa
RCA
uses an
land operations and
its
election
equipment
to
The
operation, handling the flow of informa-
The Indonesian Navy
now
cities.
1,000 miles, winds over
stations re-
network bring
RCA Training School has trained Cubans
operate the giant microwave system being built for
the Cuban government.
Cuba, an
www.americanradiohistory.com
WNBQ
T
JLh
.HE
the
first
Chicago
station in
on Sunday, April
attendance via
—WNBQ,
—began
all-color television station
NBC-owned TV
tions
in
world's
Converts to Color
television
the
opera-
with a nationwide audience
15,
The formal
screen.
inauguration was announced by Robert
W.
"Wide
President, near the conclusion of a broadcast of
Wide World"
in
program devoted
a
NBC
Sarnoff,
general
the
to
theme of entertainment.
Watching monitors
at
Merchandise Mart, home of
reception
a
WNBQ,
was
Chicago's
in
a distinguished
gathering of governmental, civic, and broadcasting
dustry leaders.
Merchants'
in-
Invitations to the reception, held in the
and
Merchandisers'
to officials of the Federal
were extended
Club,
Communications Commission,
the National Association of Radio and Television Broad-
and the City of Chicago,
casters,
of
officials
RCA
NARTB
as well as to the press,
NBC
managers of
station
and other broadcasters
affiliated stations
for the
NBC,
and
visiting
Convention meeting on April
Chicago
16.
«SW
Following the inauguration ceremony by Mr. Sarnoff, guests
were conducted on tours of the new color
RCA-NBC
studios and the
floor of the
Exhibition Hall on the 20th
Throughour the week,
Merchandise Mart.
broadcasters were invited on guided tours of the color-
Howard
converted station.
Wherever they turned during
—
—were confronted by
inauguration, broadcasters
public
the
as
week following
RCA
The
Distributing Corporation and the
RCA
pany
dozens of locations
installed
color
receivers
—
the Merchandise
around Chicago
department
WNBQ
in
stores,
provided
a
in
bank
in
lobbies,
Service
Com-
Mart lobby,
in
hotels,
in
etc.
continuous closed circuit color feed
from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m., consisting of
programs which were in color. Color
local or
film
network
was
trans-
on March
programs were being broadcast.
The changeover
to the official
WNBQ
locally.
will
In addition
ceremony of "Wide Wide World," there
were two other network color originations from
WNBQ.
"Camel News Caravan" will originate from Chicago
on Monday, April 16, and "Today" will offer a remote
broadcast from
"Weekday"
WNBQ
two days
later.
"Monitor" and
sky writing
attracting
work programs and
will offer coverage.
Net-
stars will salute the station.
"WNBQ's Spectrum
promotion campaign
is
Spectacular,"
the
as
known, was placed
station's
in operation
15.
The campaign
(in
three
colors)
utilized
and other devices for
Broadcast an-
the attention of the public.
nouncements
are being
made
to invite the public
special groups, such as schools, to tour the
new
and
color
studios after operations have been started.
The
station
TV
has four color television studios, five
camera chains and associated equipment,
and two color film camera chains.
plans
call for
In addition,
WNBQ
the construction on the roof of the Mer-
chandise Mart of a building with 25,000 square feet
devoted to various
An
TV
production and service shops.
additional 25,000 square feet has been leased for
further expansion and possible use as an outdoor color
TV
production area.
The
will present radio features about the event.
Radio network news programs
momentum
increased in scope and
It
newspaper and trade paper advertisements, radio and
television announcements, program features, car cards,
live color
to color television by
19.
peak day of April
until the
mitted during the times that network black-and-white
be heavily promoted nationally and
C. Luttgens, the station engineer.
the
the Chicago
well as
color television.
,
Checking over blueprints for WNBQ's conversion to
color are, left to right, Henry T. Sjogren, assistant general manager of WNBQ; Jules Herbuveaux, NBC VicePresident and General Manager of the station, and
will
RCA-NBC
have
RCA
Exhibition Hall, on the 20th
The Exhibition Hall
windowed public viewing
continuously.
leads
to-ceiling
corridor,
the
RCA
floor,
color receivers which will be operating
Hall of Color, overlooking rhe
new
into a
floor-
known
as
color studio.
RADIO AGE 23
www.americanradiohistory.com
f
NBC on
.he National
T„
international
American expedition
has scored one
"11th
on the current
clips
to the Antarctic.
Department provided the
pedition, the
Company
after another
Broadcasting
"news beat"
first
"Operation Deepfreeze"
NBC News
The
tape recordings and the
These exclusive reports have been
Hartigan,
B.
NBC
E.
Byrd on
his
first
Navy
The
ex-
calls
"Operation
Films Used in
full-hour, all-color
arctica:
Hartigan's reports have covered every aspect of the
expedition from the jumping-off point in
New
Air Base,
Zealand
whose plane had crashed,
a
a rescue of a
group
dramatic flight over the
unlike the "Old
World" of Europe, or
The program showed
human
story
men
underlying
The camera
working, traveling, and
living under severe Antarctic conditions.
Some
of the most
memorable footage of "Antarctica:
Third World" was shot by Hartigan when he joined
two
New
Zealanders on
a
112-mile hike along the
shoreline, dragging behind
them two
sleds
after
with 700 pounds of gear.
New
Zea-
injured his knee so severely that he was forced to stay
non-stop 2,550-mile flight from
During the
hike,
Hartigan
behind while the other two went ahead for help.
Hartigan's filmed reports have appeared on
NBC-
TV's "News Caravan," "Today," and other shows.
Turning the camera on himself, he recorded
His
lonely vigil in the icy wastes.
tape recordings have been broadcast on such programs
became overdue, he speculated
NBC
"New World"
the
McMurdo Bay
land.
as
the
largely unexplored.
is
the
recorded the struggle of
Navy
historic,
The program pointed up
the scientific effort to tame a continent.
McMurdo
an
NBC-TV's
documentary program entitled "Ant-
Third World."
geographical South Pole, and the landing of four large
planes on an ice runway in
NBC-TV Documentary
of North and South America,
through the ice-breaking work of the U.S.S. Glacier,
McMurdo
film
his
long-range significance of the fact that the Antarctic,
major phase of Amer-
ican participation in the International Geophysical Year.
the arrival at
made from
Hartigan's exclusive film was also used in
work of
the
of exploration to the South Pole.
pedition, which the United States
Deepfreeze," represents the
photos
Still
of the expedition to be provided to
the newspapers and wire services.
motion
first
correspondent-cameraman
who accompanied Admiral Richard
latest tour
first
photographs of the ex-
first
picture film, both in color and in black-and-white.
William
Hour News."
were the
Radio's
"News
of the World," and
WRCA's
Photos on these pages are taken from film record of
NBC's William B. Hartigan. This shows U.S.S. Glacier
off Antarctic coast.
24 RADIO
to
When
his
his
companions
aloud, sound-on-film, as
whether they might have met with an accident and
Rescue of crew of this reconnaissance plane which
crashed in Antarctic waste was filmed by Hartigan.
Two men were
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
hurt
in
crash.
landed, stranding Hartigan and the pilot with
it
perilous struggle through the surf
The
is
on
a life raft.
objective of the present Antarctic expedition
to select sites for bases, air strips
which
the
All eleven were rescued only after a long and
others.
and supply depots
be used for exploration in the International
will
Geophysical Year, which begins
NBC
Davidson Taylor,
1957.
officially in July,
Vice-President in charge of
Public Affairs, has declared that the network will keep
abreast of future developments of the I.G.Y. and report
on them
as they occur.
"The I.G.Y.
cooperative effort of the private
a
is
scientific societies of all the
Aboard
the U.S.S. Edisto, Hartigan films the Antarctic
and
shoreline
as he narrates
himself,
NBC
telecast.
He
recalled
commentary
for
Mr. Taylor
as well as the
U.
same
return.
hike, the other
and only
his
own
free world."
that
on the
earlier
two had slipped into an
ice crevasse
solidly-placed pick-axe had saved
them
important contribution to
from
result
a single scientific project.
"Evaluations and other ramifications of the Inter-
A
Second Brush with Death
Navy men were
stranded on
boarded a helicopter sent out
rescue plane
itself
to pick
UHF
"It
our determination here
is
them
opments,
But the
Television
as they
Success of the
test,
upon the twelve
VHF
built
channels and only a partial use
UHF channels.
VHF channels in
UHF channels were
of the 70
Television needs
twelve
order to
The
provided to meet
We
been
fulfill
promise.
weak
The 4,500,000
at
watts of radiated
power produced
Lancaster were obtained by feeding approximately
need.
100,000 watts, generated by the electron tube, into the
UHF
antenna, which had a gain of nearly
may come
to fulfillment."
improvement of
UHF-TV
broadcast equipment and
of the
RCA
Tube
Division.
On
Pa.,
16,
in
RCA
UHF transmission.
engineers to
The developmental super-power tube was combined
an experiment with an
RCA
super-power antenna
to radiate 4,500,000 watts of continuous
frequency of 537 megacycles-
wave energy
— more
than four
times the output of the most powerful existing
on allocation considerations
UHF-TV
as related to
broadcasting:
an electron
two flat-brimmed straw
placed brim-to-brim, enabled
an all-time record
V. Heffernan, Financial Vice-President of
testified
plant
tube constructed of machined metal and ceramics, with
the general size and shape of
NBC,
"If
February
50.
Appearing before the same Committee on March
28, Joseph
major technical achievement bearing on
techniques was announced at the Lancaster,
a
broadcast
this
Earlier, a
at
TV
must work, therefore, toward solutions of the
television
hats
Watts,
areas.
growth problems which have appeared in order that
the
shall
Electronic Components,
service throughout the present so-called fringe or
more than
its
W. W.
according to
RCA
makes possible extended and improved
stature of television today has
we
that
significant devel-
occur and for as long as they continue
Executive Vice-President,
The
NBC
all
to occur."
stations.
{Continued jro?n page 18)
interest.
at
continue to report on the network
up.
several
for
beyond 1958.
Ridley Beach, he
became hopelessly bogged down when
Encouraging
years
When
another brush with the hazards of the Antarctic.
nine
Geophysical Year will continue
national
Hartigan was rescued, but long afterward he had
in
who believe that the
may constitute the most
human knowledge ever to
scientists
results of these investigations
all.
set
Red China,
and the other great nations of the
S.
"There are some
might never
major nations of the world,"
"including the U.S.S.R. and
said,
for
our generation
UHF
fails
service in the
to lay a broad foundation
70 channels reserved
for that
purpose," said Mr. Heffernan, "then other communication services will
move
of the spectrum.
If
will forever
be
this
in
and make use of that part
happens,
lost to broadcasting
this
spectrum space
and no other band
of frequencies anywhere near as well suited for television
is
the 70
UHF
available.
The
issue,
simply stated,
is
shall
channels continue to be available to broad-
casting or shall they be lost to other radio services?"
RADIO AGE 25
www.americanradiohistory.com
.
.
RCAs New Portable
\3ix new
portable radios, operating on either batteries
AC-DC power
and featuring non-breakable "Impac"
cases and a rotating antenna which eliminates the need
for shifting the set around for best reception, have been
or
RCA
for the 1956 market.
was announced by James M. Toney,
Vice-President and General Manager, RCA Victor Radio
introduced by
The new
line
who
and "Victrola" Division,
cent of
radios purchased last year by the public
all
— an
portables
pointed out that 29 per
were
"more and more persons
indication that
are realizing that the portable
the ideal all-purpose
is
radio."
The
price range of the
new
sets,
as advertised na-
runs from $29.95 to $139-95, said Mr. Toney,
tionally,
adding that the lowest-priced model
this year will retail
for $5 less than last year's similar three-way
model pack-
aged in the non-breakable "Impac" plastic
The
new
case.
portable line also includes, in addition to the six
models,
RCA
two
Victor's
which were announced
A new
— The
operation,
is
one incorporating
standard broadcast band.
as well as the
RCA
Strato- World
including
The
six
Each
is
Shipmate,
All of the portables
— The
volume
for
weak and strong
In addition to the
a
— The Wanderlust,
of the six
total
each
in
five-tube
and
are
de-
with enclosed
with the
chassis
circuit.
"Wavealuminum
a five-tube chassis with
well as extra-powerful circuit.
a
(
polished
$39-95
"Globe Trotter",
a
)
six-tube
chassis,
equipped with slide-rule vernier tuning with rubber-
mounted 3-gang condenser, which provides tuned radio
frequency amplification for stations in weak signal areas,
and extra-powerful
circuit.
— The New Yachtsman,
rule dial
($49-95).
a six-tube chassis
with
slide-
and vernier tuning, two-band equipment
long-distance
26 RADIO
reception
on
stations.
line of portable radios,
of a
—
new
Mr.
twin-speaker
a single-play,
either
the
shown here
radios for
— equipped
finder" rotating antenna.
instance
extra-powerful
and incorporating
New
of amplifier, speaker
new RCA portable
the "Wanderlust,"
front and vernier tuning for precise station selection, as
— The
for difficult recep-
3-speed
player nationally advertised at $39-95.
($34.95).
finder" antenna,
new
Toney announced introduction
"Victrola" portable phonograph
$2995 )
antenna
tele-
and cabinet, supersensitive permanent-magnet speakers
and automatic volume control to maintain uniform
equipped with the "Impac" non-
Midshipman,
"Wavefinder"
48-inch
include the "Golden Throat"
Tone System, an exacting balance
mounted
features,
a five-tube chassis
(
a pull-up
tion as encountered in trains and buses. ($139-95).
includes rectifier.
— The
AM
antenna for short-wave broadcast, and "Magic
Six Models
and the tube
ferrite core antenna.
and 7-band
Short-Wave Bands,
Loop" and "Signal Finder" antennas
scribed briefly below together with their nationally ad-
breakable case,
a six-tube chassis
scopic
well as extra-powerful circuits
models, and their main
vertised prices.
II,
International
Other features include
using 90-volt batteries.
The
circuit.
band.
Victor "Wave-
finder" rotating directional rod ferrite antenna
set, as
extra-powerful
two domestic short-wave bands and one standard
One
Four of the new models feature the
on the top of the
band, plus
broadcast
($69-95).
transistorized portable sets
last fall.
portable in the 1956 line
band
a marine
standard
Radios
for
marine or the
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
with
1956
is
"Wave-
Medical Color
V.-/OLOR
RCA
to
Wheels
now been put
television for medical use has
on wheels by
TV on
permit closed-circuit telecasting
from
of surgical and clinical demonstrations
practically
any hospital in the country.
This
is
latest
development
in television aids to
a van carrying three color
sary control
TV
cameras and
room equipment. The
of
first
medicine
all
its
neces-
kind to
be produced, the unit has been purchased by the Philadelphia pharmaceutical firm of Smith, Kline and French,
which has pioneered
in closed-circuit color telecasts for
medical and surgical meetings throughout the country.
The mobile
areas
studio will be operated from parking
adjacent to hospitals.
Its
color cameras, placed
within a hospital, will send their signals by cable to
from which the
the unit,
by closed
telecasts will
circuit to projector
be transmitted
and screen
meeting. Included in the equipment
at a
medical
RCA's 3-Vidicon
is
compatible color camera for medical use, developed by
RCA
Laboratories and scheduled for installation at the
Army's Walter Reed Medical Center
part of a large-scale
there.
With
all
RCA
of the
on commercial color
in
Washington
new equipment, which
TV
as
color television installation
operates
standards, Smith, Kline and
French will be able for the
first
transmit medical colorcasts to
time to originate and
G.
TV
stations for local or
network broadcast.
F.
Roll,
Public
Relations
French, signs contract for
Director
RCA
Smith,
for
color
TV
Kline
"studio on
R. Hopkins, Manager, RCA Broadcast
and TV Equipment Department, looks on.
wheels," as A.
TV
Importance of Color
is
Cited
The growing importance of color television
new service to medicine was emphasized by G. F.
as
a
Roll,
Director of Public Relations for Smith, Kline and French,
in
&
an announcement of the purchase from
RCA. He
closed-circuit telecast through last
December, the com-
pany has produced such programs before 79 medical
and surgical meetings, with a total of 1,135 clinical
706 surgical operations,
and
presentations
involving
pointed out that Smith, Kline and French sponsors an
nearly
average of 15 programs a year in closed-circuit color
400,000 visitations by surgeons and doctors, he added.
TV
surgical
cal profession, highlight latest
clinical techniques
visitations
"The
ment
Why
and medical meetings.
"These colorcasts, presented
and
as a service to the
medi-
50,000 to 60,000
by surgeons and physicians," he
K.
availability of standard studio broadcast equip-
and to add appreciably
and
F.
medical
to the value of these
demonstrations
for
medical
first
of these demonstration broadcasts, accord-
ing to Mr. Roll, was presented by
S.
K. and
F. in
June,
1949, before the convention of the American Medical
Association
"We
it
this
for
medical demonstrations?
way:
have concentrated on color presentations be-
cause the realism which color visualization provides
In surgery, for example,
in
Atlantic City, N.J.
From
the pioneer
TV
is
medium.
form and contrast alone are
not sufficient to provide a true picture of
human
tissue,
areas of infection, location of vital arteries and veins,
or the extent of circulation.
The
addition of color in
such televised presentations, particularly those of broadcast quality, provides the required realism
audiences."
The
television
attracting about
the essence of the value of the closed-circuit
said.
duce clearer definition and greater color accuracy of
S.
color
Mr. Roll explained
advances in surgical and
attract a total of
for closed-circuit colorcasts will enable us to intro-
picture,
900 hours of programming and
ticity.
Color
TV
and authen-
also gives a sense of third dimension,
not obtained in black-and-white pictures, which
is
in-
valuable in revealing the extent and depth of lesions
and
incisions."
RADIO AGE 27
www.americanradiohistory.com
New
/LECTRONIC
Electronic Techniques for Medicine
diagnostic
techniques
may
help
the
doctor of the future by reporting on the physical condition of a patient and indicating steps that should be
taken to treat ailments, according to Dr. V. K. Zworykin, television pioneer
and Honorary Vice-President of
RCA.
With today's trend toward an era in which everyone
may expect detailed medical checkups at frequent intervals, and with new diagnostic techniques bringing an
increasing number of tests in each checkup, Dr. Zworykin foresees the likelihood of "an impossible load" on
the doctor in interpreting and performing such check-
may
ups without assistance that electronics
provide.
These points were made by Dr. Zworykin
at
the
national convention of the Institute of Radio Engineers
in
New
and
York.
His
talk
talks presented
by
the three-day meetings.
which
was one of 25 technical papers
RCA
scientists
Among
time gave
and engineers
at
these were five reports
A
leading electronic contribution to medicine is RCA's
shown here in operation at Armed
electron microscope,
engineering details
Forces
RCA's magnetic tape recorder for television.
Dr. Zworykin, as Chairman of the IRE Professional
Group on Medical Electronics, talked of the present
simply with
and expanding role of electronics
This data could, furthermore, be placed on punch cards
for
the
first
full
Institute
of
Pathology, Washington.
of
in
providing help to
As
the form most significant for the health of the patient.
to
medical science.
a possible solution
to the difficulty
which may
face the doctor of the future in handling an expanding
and increasingly complicated
Dr. Zworykin suggested a
series of
new
medical checkups.
electronic development,
record presenting physiological data in
a
provide
a
permanent record
for the preceding examination
"The information provided by the various tests
which are made at different times with today's examining
At each
from the punched card
would be compared with
the newly obtained data, immediately indicating to the
examining physician the changes which had taken place
condition of the patient."
in the physical
saying:
for the patient.
successive examination, the data
Suggests System Based on Computing Techniques
On
a whole series of measurements, such as electrocardio-
known electronic computing techmore elaborate system might be developed, Dr. Zworykin suggested. He described it this
gram, temperature, blood pressure,
way:
techniques might be considerably more meaningful
etc.,
if
could be recorded
the basis of
niques, an even
simultaneously by a single piece of electronic equipment
"Looking farther into the future, we can imagine
operated by a technician. In large part the recorded data
the testing apparatus to feed the information derived
might be
from the
norm
in the
form of deviations from
for the age, height
which could be
"Thus,
28 RADIO
set
the
on the
trained
a prescribed
and weight of the patient,
testing apparatus.
physician
would be provided
tests
and converred into numerical quantities
into an electronic computer,
in
its
memory
The computer would apply
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
which would have stored
the best medical
knowledge of the
this stored
day.
information to
the correlated data obtained
at
from the patient to arrive
regarding the physical condition of the
verdict
a
patient, and, eventually, indicating steps for the correc-
tion of malfunctions.
"While such
a
complete diagnostic device admittedly
appears rather remote,
an
electronic
whether the patient
attention.
cal
is
Such
appears
it
which
system
or
is
less fantastic to
would
merely
imagine
indicate
not in need of further medi-
more modest equipment might
prove extremely useful
in
reducing the case load of the
physician."
Dr.
Zworykin talked of these future
possibilities
against a background of increasing reliance by physicians
and biologists upon electronics experts
to
select
the
techniques and to build and operate the electronic appa-
needed by medical science.
ratus
Referring to such
apparatus used in medicine and biology today, he pointed
to the use of black-and-white
instruction
and color television
for
and visual consultation over distances, x-ray
systems, the electron microscope, the television microscope, infrared and ultrasonic equipment, and an array
of measuring devices such as electronic particle counters,
RCA
radiation meters and electrocardiographs.
transmit views of tissue for
Dr. Engstrom
by Society
D,
E.
of
Awarded Medal
W. Engstrom,
RCA, was awarded
Executive
Senior
Vice-
the
ruary 12 in recognition of "outstanding achievements"
in the technical field.
The award followed by
a
few days
JLmportant
Member
of the Royal Swedish
Academy
of Engi-
the
first
time in
The John Ericsson Medal honors the Swedish-born
American inventor and engineer among whose many
many
made by Dr.
E.
fame.
F.
W.
The medal
presentation was
Swedish-born
Alexanderson,
pioneer in radio and electrical engineering,
who
of
the
aspects of electronics with
RCA's
"a
amazing
rapidity."
research and development
transistors,
been so extensive that
tions have
it
which are revolutionizing
related semi-conductor devices,
work on semiconductors,
Irving
called
technology of transistors and
to the
explained that
use.
book. Dr.
RCA,
Wolff, Vice-President, Research, of
major contribution
War
RCA
by
comprehensive book, "Tran-
a
Announcing publication
He
from exten-
transistors
covering transistor theory, design and
sistors I,"
achievements was design and construction of the "Mon-
Book
technical advances resulting
neering Sciences.
itor" of Civil
New
and engineers have been made available pub-
scientists
licly for
to
RCA
Development by
and development of
sive research
shown here,
used, as
pathological examination.
Subject of
Is
the announcement of Dr. Engstrom's election as a For-
eign
also being
is
Transistor
Swedish Engineers
John Ericsson Medal
by the American Society of Swedish Engineers on FebPresident of
Color TV
and their applica-
"scientific
and engi-
neering reports have accumulated in an unprecedented
praised
Dr. Engstrom for "ability and creativeness" and for his
manner." As a
result, the
book includes many previously
unpublished reports which
RCA
feels
to
be of major
leadership.
significance in this
In his remarks of acceptance, Dr. Engstrom spoke
field.
The 676-page book, published by
of the objectives of scientific and engineering develop-
contains
ment
engineers.
Of
published.
"Transistors I"
today,
and
called
United States "to be
for an
first
and
intensive effort by the
to build an
impregnable
41
papers by
technical
this total,
RCA
strength" in intercontinental missiles in order to deter
able
aggression.
Center, Princeton,
from the
N.
31 are
is
new
the
RCA
RCA
Review,
scientists
and
papers never before
priced at $4.50 and
is
avail-
Review, David Sarnoff Research
J.
RADIO AGE 29
www.americanradiohistory.com
?|^
Success Story:
NBC
Television
on
based
in
popular
Wylie's
Philip
Evening Post
Films
series
stories, starring Forrest
of
Saturday
Tucker and filmed
Bermuda by Bermuda Productions,
Ltd.,
RKO-
and
Pathe, Inc.
were
Sales abroad
today's revenue
and
both in the light of
significant
in the creation of a
good atmos-
phere for future sales to countries with rapidly growing television audiences. Inner Sanctum and the half-hour
Hopalong Cassidy
March
'n
Company
1953, the
3,
established the
NBC
National
Film Division
company
operating division of the
Broadcasting
as a
major
handle an
to
creasingly important business in film syndication.
testing to
its
growth
lively
in the
in-
At-
ensuing three years,
the Division during recent weeks has:
— reported
— moved
New
a record
sales year for
to larger quarters
1955;
— been
new
in
Kagran Corporation,
President Robert
greater flexibility
Having
the
Films
erates
heavy
of
W.
Sarnoff as a
controls
17 successful
NBC
TV
bourne for broadcast next
is
NBC
plus
14 million feet of
16-mm and more
film,
amounting
de-
move
Miles of film
markets, and 14 programs are sold in
Tele-
more than 100
the New York
market alone.
Sales in 1955
The
increase
is
were 20 percent higher than in 1954.
attributed not only to
new
productions,
which were quickly and profitably distributed through
a series of major regional sales, but also to continued
brisk activity in such perennial best sellers as
Dangerous
Assignment, Badge 714, Life of Riley. Victory at Sea,
and Hopalong Cassidy.
The new productions commissioned
three
TV
film
series
of
in
1955 included
39 half-hour episodes each:
Donovan, Western Marshal, starring Douglas
Kennedy and Eddy Waller, filmed in Hollywood by
Vi-Bar Productions; The Great Gildersleeve, starring
Willard Waterman, produced by Matthew Rapf at the
Hal Roach Studios in Hollywood; and Crunch and Des,
Steve
30 RADIO
to
—
Television
NBC
are re-
fall.
now
includes about
March
of
Time
library stock,
received and processed in 1955 nearly 1,000,000 feet of
film exchanges,
Domestically, 12
vision Films programs have been sold in
TV — and
favor with the British
million feet of cross-indexed and catalogued film,
and administers the largest library of stock film footage
in the television industry.
won
Film Library, which
film series, op-
two streamlined and self-contained
commercial
audience.
from scratch three years ago
competition,
British
the
more efficient operation and provide
for NBC's syndicated film business."
started virtually
face
now
and merchandising,
licensing
to
NBC
to Associated Redif-
The Visitor and Life of Riley were sold
BBC. Through its Australian representatives,
Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd., NBC Tele-
to
21
advertising agency;
transferred to the
that "will permit
in
TV
The
a
were sold
vision Films sold seven programs in Sydney and Mel-
on Fifth Avenue
NBC's wholly-owned subsidiary, and taken the
new name "NBC Television Films."
The transfer to Kagran, whose activities previously
were limited
showing on
for
series
and Roy Rogers to Associated Television
ported immediately to have
York;
— appointed
scribed by
fusion, Ltd.,
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
than 700,000 feet of
some 800 hours of
a typical storage aisle
Television
Film
Library.
35-mm news
film.
in
the
NBC
R CA
Quotes from
scale.
Robert A.
Execu-
Seidel,
Consumer
Products,
National
the
Goods
Dry
New
Staff
to the Philadelphia
Club
of
March
the
In the face of such competition,
ability
of
RCA and
NBC,
House
Printing
Craftsmen,
1956.
11,
Sacks,
Vice-President,
to
Retail
Association,
January
York,
Emanuel
RCA
Vice-President,
tive
this challenge
management
becomes
a
very survival as a free society."
Philadelphia,
1956.
10,
Charles
The Impact
"Why
50,000 color
all,
nearly
in
use
40 million
—and
which
color,
RCA
Well, in
TV
receivers are
to
compatible
thanks
pioneered and de-
veloped, black-and-white receivers do
not go blind
when
color
is
on the
when
colorcast the
is
view
it,
white,
is
.
.
Color
of people
who
in color or black-and-
greater than
gram were
.
number
whether
show
a
if
the
same pro-
carried in black-and-white.
is
exciting
— and
there
a ready market for color sets:
is
field
of entertainment differs
one respect from
in
need to explain the impact of
sion.
many
That
is
no
televi-
has provided entertainment,
It
education and public
affairs with wings
and now, with the inception of color
message
of this influence
—
is
conveyed in
We
breath-taking beauty.
and
are aware
we
are also
aware of the responsibility that goes
with it.
By constantly striving to
.
.
.
improve the quality of programs and
by giving to the American people the
best that our ingenuity can provide,
we may
is
others.
all
wide exposure. There
its
television, its
But experience, backed by
cold figures, proves that
in
air.
All sets receive color pictures in black-
and-white.
"The
may
sets are pres-
American homes?
ently in
Responsibility in Entertainment:
TV:
the excitement, you
all
ask, if only
of Color
having
feel that satisfaction of
performed our function
well.
."
.
.
millions are waiting for the opportunity to see color shows."
L. Weaver, Jr.,
Chairman of the Board,
NBC, to National Appliance and Radio-Television
Sylvester
Dealers' Association, Chicago, January 16, 1956.
TV
The
Market:
you have the confidence in the
schedule and the programming that
"If
we have
as
broadcasters,
you would
not worry about black-and-white sales
falling
apart
offering
those
—because
the people
who
is
what we
so
good
still
buy the new
to
two
large-screen,
cost black-and-white sets that
available
are
that
will not be able to afford a
color set in the next year or
to
will
low-
you have
them."
www.americanradiohistory.com
Pres
meet
matter of our
P.
Baxte
®KfiUJSi
Record Economy
A
.
.
.
novel coupon plan which enables
customers to obtain free three $3-98
records in the course of a year and to
buy up to 24 additional $3.98 records
$2.98 each has been inaugurated by
at
RCA
the
Now
The
year
first
World,"
works
History
It's
.
.
of
and placed
Wide
"Wide
NBC
gram, has been recorded on 38
film
pro-
reels of
the reference de-
in
partment of the Library of Congress
in
Washington
as
contemporary
of
an authentic history
life.
According
to
the
NBC
first
such assemblage of an entire series
announcement,
this
is
The
on March 4
to
Librarian
Congress,
collection
of
NBC
Taylor,
L.
you can
.
.
.
by radio with
talk
the operators of your fork
strad-
lifts,
dle trucks, towing tractors, yard cranes
and other materials-handling
RCA
vehicles.
new two-way
has introduced a
coupon book from the record dealer
radio system which can be used inter-
for $3.98, then chooses free any classi-
changeably,
Quincy Mumford,
by Davidson
popular
dealer's stock,
the
of
first
month
album in the
which he turns in
$3.98
for
27
the
Each
coupons.
for the next year he
in
vices,
without
conversion
de-
materials-handling
electric
operating with 24-, 32-, or
vehicles
The new equipment
36-volt batteries.
voltage-conversion
features
built-in
of the advance release of two albums,
facilities
which
and he can buy one
nomical radio operation and extended
coupon and $2.98
is
notified
at the dealer's for
In July and
battery
October, the customer can obtain free
32-volt
two more $3.98 albums by presenting
the special coupons to the dealer. The
interchange
a
was presented
or
cal
the
of live shows to be admitted by the
Library.
It
way: the customer buys his
Now
.
adventurous
the
Victor Record Division.
this
Calling All Fork-Lifts
saving
total
on
each.
record
purchases
more
promise
eco-
Conversion from 24- to
life.
operation
involves
two
of
jump from 32
only
the
while
plugs,
a
36 volts requires
to
only rotation of the radio's vibrator.
through the year adds up to $31.96.
Vice-President in Charge
Ho
Westward
.
.
.
of Public Affairs, and Sherrod E. Skin-
with the sponsor-
ner, Vice-President
Motors
General
ing
commercial aviation
Corporation.
In a
Said a spokesman for the Library, the
collection
—
a
"a valuable
is
the
of these
.
.
The
RCA
catalog,
Now
.
.
Tube Division
This time
"RCA
it's
tents are technical data
and
56
types
publish-
Camden
24-page
demonstration of RCA's
The concamera
cathode-ray
tubes, together with tabular data
a
tube type.
You
20 cents from
or
and
socket-connection diagram of each
from
RCA
Tube
32 RADIO
can get your copy for
RCA
Tube
Commercial
distributors
Engineering,
Division, Harrison, N.
J.
recently
for
of
beer,
bottled beverages.
to
latest
for
ale
The
at
and
briefing
a
ment and techniques
inspection
days
three
a
TV
of
spent
is
on 45 types of
phototubes, six types of
companies
ing
Photosensitive Devices
and Cathode-Ray Tubes."
tubes,
.
equip-
electronic
and
other
was
objective
acquaint users and purchasers of
the
RCA
inspection
machines with
Boulevard,
The RCA-developed
over
line.
"inspector" looks
150 bottles a minute with
its
electronic eye.
AGE
www.americanradiohistory.com
plant
RCA's
electronic
for
David H. Robin-
Custom Aviation
Manager,
Equipment, explains
tion
is
that
the
reloca-
intended to provide proximity
with engineering and manufacturing
facilities
obtain
ment.
spection stage on the production
Olympic
in
RCA
son,
sales
the in-
Angeles,
aviation equipment.
mum
at
for
aviation
11819
to
J.,
Los
manufacturing
advanced methods for obtaining maxispeed and efficiency
activities
custom
of
commercial and private
for
Camden, N.
.
Emissaries of ten of the major brew-
sales
all
line
department.
facilitate cus-
have been transplanted from
aircraft
Clinic for Brewers
ing again.
service,
RCA
sales
and
to speed
equipment
times that will be of great value to
scholars of the future."
Get Your Copy
move
tomer
documentary
two dimensional record
out to Los Angeles for RCA's
It's
the
eye"
and to enable customers to
manufacturing, and
design,
assistance
A
a
at
single
establish-
prominent item handled by
department
radar
detect storms
miles ahead.
is
which
RCA's
enables
lying as
"weather
pilots
much
as
to
150
You always get more
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whether you spend $199 95
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"HIDDEN PANEL" TUNING.
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ol
\
>
expert installation and maintenanc
most TV areas— Inn onlv to
available in
RCA
TV
Vic lor
MomjIoclureCs
nolionally
"""
T°'
V °" ern °'
P
TV.
\
console masterpiece!
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See Mi "°" B "'<-- Martha
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www.americanradiohistory.com
Now RCA color TV helps
doctors of tomorrow
give you better surgical care
With the new, compact RCA color TV system
developed specifically for medical use, students
in other parts of the hospital can now see
vivid close-ups of operations on standard color
receivers. They can study enlargements of pathological slides that often determine the course of
surgery. And what they learn today, of course,
will help them to give you better care tomorrow.
Here is another milestone in electronics from
RCA. And continually, RCA scientists at the
David Sarnoff Research Center, Princeton, N. J.,
search for new horizons of "Electronics for
Living" that make life easier, safer, happier.
—
In other parts of hospital medical students see close-ups of
operation on Big Color
RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Fight Cancer with a Checkup
.
RCA
Victor TV. Shown above:
"Director 21" model.
Electronics for Living
.
.
and a Check.
www.americanradiohistory.com