Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1953)

11 Electronics Reports: Military will have far greater control over electronics industry — in matters of priorities, materials, plant expansion, etc. — as result of coming reorganization of mobilization agencies. As of June 10, all industry divisions and boards in Office of Defense Mobilization will be disbanded — among them ODM’s electronics office and the Electronics Production Board. These groups are the only top policy bodies whose function it is to weigh essential civilian against military demands for electronics facilities, when a conflict arises. Under reorganization plan, broad general policy of meshing military and civilian needs will continue to be vested in the civilian ODM, but the defense program’s only policymaking electronics experts will be in Defense Dept. This prospect has already caused concern among some small manufacturers of specialized electronics equipment for fear that conflicts over hard-to-get components and parts might always be adjudicated in favor of the military. Staff of ODM’s electronics office— all of whom will leave June 10 — consists of Justin R. (Ted) Sypher, Robert Van Valkenburgh, Walter Campbell. Top-level inter-agency Electronics Production Board, which has been in quiescent state pending the reorganization, is headed by Richards W. Cotton, who returned several months ago to post of asst, to Philco pi’esident Wm. Balderston. * * * * Tube industry is still plagued by fear of shortages of nickel and nickel-plated parts in face of record demand for receiving and picture tubes. Representatives of industry, meeting in Washington with NPA, estimated 1953 demand for picture tubes at 9,962,000, up 30% over 1952 output. Receiving tube requirements will be about 443,000,000, or 20% over last year. Tube makers reported their suppliers are “pessimistic about being able to maintain present shipments, much less to meet increased requirements.” NPA officials described nickel situation as “critically short.” Chief E. MacDonald Nyhen of production branch, NPA Electronics Div., presided at meeting attended by: W. L. Meier, Chatham Electronics; W. P. Hollis, Federal; G. W. Henyan, GE; J. A. Miller, Machlett; Harold Butterfield & E. C. Meinken, National Union; A. L. Mcllvaine, Philco; Robert D. Wick, RCA; Wm. Van Germert, Raytheon; R. F. Marlin & J. J. Sutherlin, Sylvania; R. E. Carlson, Tung-Sol; C. A. Rice, United Electronics; L. G. Jarvis, Western Electric; M. H. Bastian & Joseph Schlig, Westinghouse. Transistorized closed-circuit TV system, RCA’s “TVEye,” described as lowest priced industrial TV introduced to date, is being shown for first time at next week’s Electronic Parts Show at Chicago’s Conrad Hilton Hotel. Newly developed camera weighs only 4 lbs., and control unit — with transitorized power supply — weighs 14 lbs. Except for vidicon camera tube, all tubes are conventional receiving types, and standard home receiver is used as monitor. Engineering products v.p. W. W. Watts said “TV-Eye” will be available early in September from RCA parts distributors and dealers and will be priced “considerably less” than any closed-circuit system now on market. Commercial availability of 4 transistor types was announced this week by RCA. “Initial output, running into thousands of transistors per month,” says announcement, will be doubled by early fall. Now in production are point-contact types 2N32 & 2N33 and junction types 2N34 & 2N35, with list prices ranging from $13.40-$18.40. Meanwhile, du Pont announced development of a new process for manufacturing pure silicon — “opening up a virtually unlimited source of the element for transistors.” Company points out that silicon will work over much wider temperature range than germanium. “TV is to our information program as atomic energy is to our armed forces.” So said State Dept. International Broadcasting Service TV development officer Richard W. Hubbell May 12 in testimony before Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee in New York investigating govt, information activities. Urging development of strong international TV service as integral part of overseas information program, Hubbell charged: “TV activities of the State Dept, have been given a low priority and blocked at every turn. [To] put it bluntly, the Department has been paying lip service to the idea of international TV while doing virtually nothing about it.” Foreign TV audience, he said now runs between 25,000,000 and 35,000,000 people, soon will reach 400,000,000. Russia is planning to exploit TV to the fullest and is constructing a network in satellite states which could reach “a large portion of free Europe,” he warned, adding that the U. S. could operate adequate international TV service for $325,000 a year, mostly through distribution of film. Paving way for large-scale availability of transistors, joint industry-military committee will meet June 30 to adopt electrical specifications and performance standards for transistors. Representing industry in meeting with Army, Navy and Air Force will be RTMA-IRE Joint Electron Tube Engineering Council (JETEC). Uniform specifications for physical dimensions and spacing of leads have already been adopted. Western Electronic Show & Convention in San Francisco Aug. 19-21, sponsored by IRE & West Coast Electronic Mfrs. Assn., will include papers on antennas, propagation, electron devices, circuits, computers, airborne electronics, microwaves, servos, telemetering, instrumentation, transistors, nuclear-radiation measurements, medical electronics, audio. World’s largest plant devoted exclusively to cathode ray instruments for science, industry and military applications was dedicated May 12 by Allen B. DuMont Laboratories at 760 Bloomfield Ave., Clifton, N. J. Instrument div., under mgr. Rudolf Feldt, began regular production from new 118,000-sq. ft. factory last month. Britons saw first 12-channel TV tuner recently at Radio Components Exhibition in London. Manufactured by Sidney S. Bird Ltd. in anticipation of day when commercial TV will give Britishers a choice of stations, tuner is controlled by 12 pushbuttons similar in appearance to those used in pushbutton radios. Electronic Coil Co., Burbank, Cal., is new company formed for manufacture of radio frequency coils. Henry J. Davis, president of Davis Electronics, Burbank, is founder & president; E. K. Setzer, ex-Standard Coil, v.p. Specifications for “civil defense radio” — low-cost, mass-produced broadcast band AC-battery set — are being distributed to industry by RTMA. Specifications were prepared by Federal Civil Defense Administration. Uhf information for the TV serviceman is compiled in new reference book, UHF Antennas, Converters & Tuners by Milton S. Kiver, published by Howard W. Sams & Co., Indianapolis (134 pp, $1.50). Color TV developments will be subject of talk by GE’s Dr. W. R. G. Baker at 45th annual convention of National Assn, of Electrical Distributors at Chicago’s Conrad Hilton Hotel, May 25. Belgium has ordered 2 complete TV studios fi’om Pye Ltd. of Cambridge, England, for $200,000. Equipment will operate on 819 or 625 lines — Belgium uses both standards — at flick of a switch. Conelrad plan for broadcasting during air alert officially went into effect May 15.