A small bit of Radio History, Lee De Forest Audion, Marconi

[wa1ufo]

Beautiful tube-a work of art but solid state was the first radio technology and we have returned to it.73s!

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@wa1ufo

I wish I would taken a picture of an all original, very early crystal set, Ed Bell had. It was large and had it's original Glass Cover.

[tomlynntigard]

@wa1ufo, Look at 2:40 the small print says "Trademark Fleming valve..." Recognition where recognition was due. Without the Fleming Valve the third element never would have been inserted to allow amplification. Both were geniuses, who perhaps couldn't explain technically what was happening, but geniuses just the same.

[sparkyct55]

Thanks for showing me this. My Grandfather was Lee deForest and I never really paid much attention to his work when I was a child. He died when I was 13

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Your Grandfather's invention, the Triode Vacuum Tube, was the start of all electronics. An amazing position to hold in world history, it literally changed the world. And I still find the function of the Triode Tube fascinating. Thanks.

[nlimchua]

@AllAmericanFiveRadio With all due respect to Mr. DeForest, although he came up with the idea of the audion, he never seemed to fully understand the principles behind it and its inner workings. History will show that it was the man who would eventually become his nemesis (and inverntor of FM and superheterodyne), Prof. Edwin H. Armstrong who would eventually write the papers that would detail everything needed to know about the audion.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@nlimchua

Empire of the Air, Excellent book. And the documentary by Ken Burns based on this book is the best radio history ever made.

[douro20]

The first widely used audio tube was the French "R" valve. It is still being manufactured by KR in the Czech Republic.

[mistertentpole]

So... does it still work? That would really be interesting.. Built to last? :)  thanks for sharing.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

No the filament is open but it would not look any different if it was good. Hope to find a working one some day.

[EnerG15]

That is a very old one! Weren't the first "successful" vacuum tubes manufactured around 1920? I new they were experimenting with them earlier than that but, they were very crude.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes, about the first big commercial tube was the triode 01A. The first ones were short pin brass base with a vacuum tip at the top. The filament was 5 volts at 1 ampere.

[ryanperkins7]

great video! i am studying about De Forest and his audion tube for a Final exam on Monday! This helped a lot! Thanks!

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks and good luck!

[walterdelbono]

awesome...

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks.

[BlueTubeProject]

What a great tube thanks for sharing it with every one

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks.

[coolbluelights]

Wow! that is extremely rare and a priceless piece of radio history! I know they had a lot of problems with patents back in the early days, Magnavox for example, got in trouble with that. that's why they have patent info all over the early tubes I think. Thanks for sharing that!

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Your right there where all kinds of patent problems between companies and people too. It was very messy sometimes. Thanks.

[laurdy]

those are EXTREAMLY rare and almost any science museum would probarbly want one

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks. I have been thinking about that. My sister works in a state museum and a very good friend's daughter works at the Smithsonian.

[umajunkcollector]

I suppose that younger folks would think it's a wierd light bulb, but even they are obselete, being replaced by those floresant thingies.

[tmnt220]

Thats definately an antique you have there rick. I wonder how much its worth?I have some old tubes myself. Never know when they will come in handy on a repair. Tubes are getting almost extinct now.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

I have no clue about monetary value. I do know you are right about how much the cost on tubes have increased. When I first bought an ordinary 01A it was $19 and I thought that was awful. Now they are $60, !@&#*. So the tubes in most of my 1920s radios are worth more than the radio. Thanks.

[rafalrrrr]

Amazing electron tube !!!

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

The history is really amazing too. Thanks.

[joernone]

Rick,

It's stunning what our ancestors invented...from absolute scratch with nothing to guide them but an idea and repeated trial and error. The internal combustion is another example. Truly mind blowing.

Thanks.

Regards,

John

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks John,

All inventers fail a lot, actually most of the time. They keep trying things and build their progress on small successes. And then sometimes, something amazing is discovered.

Regards,

Rick

[umajunkcollector]

To hold a peice of history in your hands, and even better, to understand it. Most people of today would have NO CLUE as to what it is. Thanks Rick!

D-junkman

aka Don

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Don,

The beginning of electronics/radio is very interesting. The best documentary I have seen on the beginning of radio is by Ken Burns from the book Empire of the Air. It is terrific!! To hold a real peace of that history is amazing.

[umajunkcollector]

I have an old VHS of that from PBS. I will have to dig it out, have not seen it in many years. I wonder if it is on YT? Thanks for reminding me aobut it, great stuff. I also like to see stuff about Tesla, another unsung hero of mine.

[gmcjetpilot]

Rick what was the tube used for?

The outer cylinder is the plate?

The coil in the middle is the grid?

So the vertical wire is filament and must also be the cathode?

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

It was used as an AF and RF amplifiers, and a detector also. Yes the outer cylinder is the plate. The name comes from the original 1906 Audion, the plate was actually a small metal plate. The coil is the grid and in the original it was a wire bent back and forth covering about the same area as the plate. De Forest placed it between the plate and the filament. The filament is the part that emits the electrons. The filament was named by Edison. The grid was named by De Forest.

[gmcjetpilot]

Thanks Rick. Great info. Your description is spot on. I just wiki Audion and it shows it just as you described.

[eufaula1]

Fascinating video, Rick!! How did you get hold of one?

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks. I must have gotten this from a friend in the Midwest many years ago, 20+. I thought I had a De Forest Audion but could not find it. Well yesterday I was looking for something and saw a Philco tube box and this was inside. I have put the Audion in a new white and labeled tube box.