Radio today (Apr-Dec 1939)

Old Man Centralab is willing to be neutral as to your choice of Volume Control as long as you select one of his famous products . . . with the wall type resistor strip that hugs the inner circumference of the bakelite housing. Choose one of the Centralab family — STANDARD . . MIDGET ... or ADASHAFT . . . STANDARD RADIOHM The old reliable "Standard" that is 1%" in diameter . . . used wherever sufficient space for this control is available. MIDGET RADIOHM l\a" m diameter . . . this small size necessary for replacements in a great many modern sets. ADASHAFT KIT Housed in a metal box, hinged, contains ten Midget Radiohms, five types of attachable shafts, etc. . . . for more than 400 makes of receivers . . . actually thousands of different models. Centralab Division of Globe-Union, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. SERVICE NOTES Charging Portable Batteries from Line A number of readers have inquired about the proposed practice of charging portable dry-batteries from the line, under conditions when the portable set is plugged into an AC 110volt outlet. Because there has been some question raised regarding this practice, the editors of Eadio Today put the query up to experienced battery engineers. We quote their comment, substantially as given in the words that follow: Some battery portables are now on the market, and others soon will be announced, which will also operate from a 110-v. line. Using the battery as a filter, it is claimed that use of the set on house current will recharge the battery. That looks fine on paper. But the actual facts, according to battery men, are that such a practice may shorten the life of the battery as much as 75 per cent, and in any event will do more harm than good. RECHARGING DRY CELLS Dry cells can be given some recharge, but the charge must follow very quickly after the discharge, and must take place at a very slow rate. The internal heat generated by the flow of current through the battery will dry out the mix and shorten the life of the battery if the battery is given normal use. Watch out carefully for any attempt to float the battery across the line, as a filter, or for recharging, and be sure, by your own tests that such a practice will not give the customer an unpleasant surprise, and yourself, a dissatisfied customer. Sells thru service calls. 6 out of 70 Gerald Saeger, operating Radio Service, Mukwonago, Wis., believes in making his service and sales work tie in to bring him more radio set sales. Saeger does most of his own repairing, therefore he knows which people in his locality have new or used radios. After he has repaired an obsolete set and made the acquaintance of the owner, Saeger lets two to three weeks slip by; usually he has given the prospect a few folders on new radio sets, and this allows time to glance through them. At a time when Saeger thinks his man is interested in a new set, Saeger loads a console into his car and drives to the prospect's home. He tells the prospect that he has a new set in his car and would like to give him a demonstration of it right in his own home — no obligation. If this procedure were worked on a cold-canvass basis it would not produce results, says Saeger, but because he has already repaired the old radio, he knows the home owner and can make such a request. "In practically nine out of ten cases the owner lets me bring the new radio in," states Saeger. "Once a prospect sees the new set in his home, observes how fine it looks and how well is brings in various stations, he can usually be sold. Out of every 10 radios brought into a home in this manner we sell 6, which gives us a 60 per cent batting average." "Automatic Volume Controls" by NRI The article on "Automatic Volume Controls — Characteristics of AVC Systems and How They Work" which appeared on pages 30, 31 and 41 of the May issue of Radio Today, should have been credited to the National Radio Institute, 16th and U Streets, Washington, D. C. This valuable presentation was taken from the Institute's course of training, and omission of the credit line occurred through a typographical error. J. E. Smith is president of the National Radio Institute, and Joseph Kaufman is director of education. Adjustable Television Antenna A television antenna with universal joint mounting, permitting adjustments in all directions, is now offered by Technical Appliance Corp., 17 East 16th St., New York City. The di-pole antenna is constructed of heavy duralumin rods held together with a sturdy center insulator. Two extension rods screw into the center rods for attaining the correct length of the di-pole. Mounting straps are provided for mounting to an iron pipe or wooden mast. Precision adjustments are possible in both the horizontal and the vertical planes, simply by loosening a nut and tightening same after the correct position is obtained. A reflector is available wherever needed, and the same easy adjustments are provided for the full antenna-reflector assembly. 56 Taco's di-pole television antenna. RADIO TODAY