Radio today (Sept 1935-Dec 1936)

RECEIVERS TODAY Automobile radio offers additional profits to dealer and serviceman * NEW YORK auto show, just closed, indicated that interest in the new car models is greater than at any time since 1929. And this soaring interest is in the more expensive cars, definitely showing that the public has more money to spend. Automotive radio this year therefore offers excellent profit possibilities for both the dealer and the serviceman. Eecognizing the demand for auto radios the automotive manufacturers have designed all cars for receiver installations. Every American manufacturer has made provision in some manner for the use of a radio in his auto.* The radio controls are mounted on the instrument panel and appear to be an integral part of the original layout. Built-in antennas are featured on closed cars not having turret top construction. Mounting holes are drilled so that the recommended receiver may be installed in the least possible time. Provision for employing header-type speakers is found on most cars. Service opportunityla an effort to make more profit for their dealers, the manufacturers are strongly advocating that all demonstration cars be equipped with 'Information on the radio equipment and antenna facilities of the 1936 autos is given on pape 34. radios, in this way the customer hears how the receiver will sound in his own car. Since many of the organizations leave the installation of the set up to either the jobber or the dealer, an excellent opportunity to make installations exists for the local servicemen. By contacting the local automotive representatives, the wide-awake serviceman should be able to contract for installation of the sets and thereby add to his income. The fact that all the auto radios employ a vibrator unit indicates that servicemen will find much revenue in replacing these devices as they wear out. One successful contact with an automotive concern will lead to many future service and installation calls. Easy sales The radio dealer can obtain receivers through his jobber since the sets are standard models with the exception of the controls and mounting plate. By cashing in on the radio promotional activities of the car manufacturers and publicizing the availability of custom-built receivers for every make car, the retailer can obtain the business lost by the automotive dealer because of his lack of radio knowledge and salesmanship. While the manufacturers supplying receivers to the automotive industry do not make the sets available to radio dealers, there are other reliable manufacturers making "duplicate" sets as far as appearance is concerned and which mount on the instrument panel. Where low price is of importance, the radio dealer can sell one of the competitive models which has a steering-column or similar type of mounting. Open cars, no aerial In considering the cost of installation the dealer should realize that none of the open-model cars and convertible coupes have a built-in antenna and that there is no way of satisfactorily utilizing the headertype reproducer. Another important fact to be remembered is that a receiver designed for use with a runing board antenna should not be used with a roof aerial, for a great loss in selectivity will result. All the General Motors cars employ the "turret top" steel roof which makes the use of a running board type antenna essential. A number of the manufacturers using a steel roof have so designed it that the top section can be utilized as an aerial, by insulating it from the rest of the car. Of the popular-priced cars, only Ford and Plymouth have open-roof construction; a chicken-wire antenna is built-in. Metal-tube sets rumored At the time of publication none of the radio manufacturers have announced metal tube sets for autos, but from current rumors it is likely Ft i 1 4 "|s= :&-£ * 'ittBV WSSf f5** *HJU>: In current European sets, the listener tunes directly to the name of the station he desires. In the set at the left, the tuning marker moves up and down over the tabulated station names. In the right-hand receiver the marker is moved horizontally across the staggered rows of station designations. Note oval speaker for better tone quality. 12 Radio Today