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Description
This very rare crystal radio receiver, or tuner, is believed to be the prototype for the very successful United Wireless Type D tuner, which went into production in 1908. (It may actually be the predecessor Type C). The Type D Tuner based on this unit was put into production in 1908 and became the United Wireless standard receiver for both marine and land stations well into World War I. By 1910, United Wireless had more than 80 land stations, including many along the Pacific Coast, and more than 400 ships equipped with their apparatus. This prototype was probably made by Harry Shoemaker, chief engineer for de Forest's United Wireless Telegraph Company. It has transitional features and arrangements of the Type C and proposed Type D models. This receiver has one two-slide coil and one single-slide tuning coil in a mahogany box. A carborundum detector with its potentiometer, and a shunt switch for shorting the detector during transmission, were mounted on top of the cabinet. The batteries were inside the cabinet.
Type
image
Identifier
F63E980A-5001-4B79-846C-523590181742 2003-1-162
Subject
United Wireless Company Radio--Receivers and reception De Forest Radio Telephone & Telegraph Co De Forest, Lee Shoemaker, Harry
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