Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

ALADDIN'S ELECTRONIC LAMP Tube Paces Progress of Era and is a Magic Weapon. Aiding and Pro- tecting Soldiers and Sailors on Fighting Fronts Throughout the World. By L. W. Teegarden General Manager, Tube and Eqitipment Dept., RCA Victor Division IF ALADDIN were living and performing his incredible feats of magic today, he might well wish to modernize his equipment by dis- carding the famous lamp! Yes, the electron tube is the modern succes- sor to Aladdin's Lamp because tubes literally pace the progress of the electronic era. There is a magic iveapon which is aiding and protecting our men on fighting fronts throughout the world. At the same time, there is a magic tool which is helping our men and women at home to achieve unprecedented feats of production in American war plants. Weapon and tool are the .same— The Elec- tron Tube. Of its numerous and varied war- time uses, little may now be said— except that it is helping to seek out and destroy the enemy wherever he may be. Almost as little is generally known of the industrial uses of the electron tube. Most of us have seen it open doors in busy railway sta- tions, or know that it is function- ing quietly, but efficiently, behind the tuning dials of our radio sets. It is generally known that the elec- tron tube has been serving us for years in radio broadcasting; in the recording and reproduction of sound for motion pictures and for phonograph discs; in long distance telephone; and in numerous other unobtrusive, but important ways. Comparatively few know that the electron tube has been rapidly ex- tending its usefulness so that it is helping to solve many problems in industry. For example, in the ac- curate matching of colors; in test- ing and inspecting; in making ac- curate measurements; in providing safety controls; in high-frequency heating equipment; in controlling intricate manufacturing processes with a precision impossible with human or mechanical control alone: and in almost countless other ways. Perhaps the term "electron" tube is a bit new and somewhat confus- ing; yet, at one time, they were generally known as "radio" tubes, then "vacuum" tubes. But neither term was precise, since they are used today for many non-radio pur- poses and some of them contain gas. Hence the term "electron" tubes, the element that controls a7id powers electronic devices. Introduction of the AC powered radio tube by RCA made possible all-AC operated radio sets, powered from a convenient electric wall socket. Similarly, the development of the Iconoscope, or electronic eye of the television camera, and the re- producing Kinescope or "screen" of the home television receiver, made possible practicable, all-electronic television. A special development in phototubes—another form of electron tube—made possible the development of RCA's famous ultra-violet method of recording sound-on-film which brought new realism to sound motion pictures. In 1940, the "Per.sonal Radio" receiver made an auspicious debut on the market. It was no larger than a camera and could be carried everywhere conveniently. That per- sonal radio was historically iwpor- tant. The advent of miniature tubes stimulated engineers to re-design and scale down other radio com- BELOW: MAGIC TUBE OF TELEVISION IS THE ICONOSCOPE, "EYE" OF THE CAMERA THAT PICKS UP SCENES AND TRANSLATES THEM INTO ELECTRICAL IMPULSES. RIGHT: MANUFACTURING THE KINESCOPE, WHICH REPRODUCES IN A RECEIVER THK SCENES SCANNED BY THE ICONOSCOPE. [RADIO AGE 34]