Monday, April 10, 2023

Winter Garden on WOR

 

This was another tough topic to research. WOR-AM has been operating since February of 1922. So we have a solid 100 years of history to sort through to rediscover this radio program.  I eventually found the right answer, but let me take you down the wrong research path as far as I got.

"Winter Garden" is another term with complex disambiguation. There is a town of Winter Garden in Aapopka, FL; A restaurant in London; a Winter Gardens Orchestra until about 1921, a Theater in New York City, a brand of vegetables in the 1950s, a Florida citrus cooperative in the 1970s, a Theater in Seattle, and ones in Baltimore Houston and Yankton. It's the name of a Social society in Edinburgh in the 1800s, a motel in Alabama in the 1950.  There are half a dozen novels by that title, and a litany of gardening advice. I began to have doubts. That wooden box lid could be just another bit of faux kitchen kitsch.


I have no solid contemporary references to a Winter Garden program on WOR or anywhere else. But I have a theory.  Winter Garden was built in 1896 at 1634 Broadway. That's between 50th & 51st Streets. Originally used as a horse exchange, it was converted and began to show musicals in 1911. Al Jolson starred here in a series of hit musicals from 1911 through 1925, including La Belle Paree (1911), Sinbad (1918) and Big Boy (1925). [SOURCE] Al Jolson is one of the few indirect connections to WOR. His recording"April Showers" was the first record played on WOR when it debut on February 22nd, 1922.

It was refurbished and redecorated in 1922, and again in 1928 to convert into a movie house. It still exists today link.  But that 1922 refurbishing was very big. It was actually a complete remodel by Herbert J. Krapp. They even redid the whole 7th Avenue facade and the interior was re-outfitted to 1,600 seats. In that re-launch I can imagine them trying to use radio to advertise the freshly outfitted venue. But evidence is slim. I have a tiny bit of evidence. In Radio News of August 1923 is a reference to the broadcasting of plays

"MANY PLAYS ALREADY BROADCAST - The musical comedy artists seem to feel the strain less than the others, and will play just as high if Mr. Gus Edwards is reported in the house as they will for a radio audience.The first play to be broadcast in this fashion was "The Gold Fish" in which Miss Marjorie Rambeau was starred last year. Since then a great number have traveled far through the air, among them such popular attractions as “The Old Soak," "Sally, Irene and Mary,” “The Dancing Girl" from the Winter Garden..  The majority of these have broadcast only a portion of the play, but some of them have gone out in their entirety..."

This is the best evidence I had for that theory. The problem with this theory is that the wooden box lid actually reads "Winter Garden Brand" which sounds more like canned vegetables than musical theater. There was a brand by that name based in California, and it was initially unclear how they would be connected to WOR in New York City. But the font matches...  sigh.  Sometimes you get pretty far down the road of wrong before you find the right answer.

My confirmation came in the index to the book It's One O'clock and Here is Mary Margaret McBride by Susan Ware. It lists "Sponsors, (specific)" Then lists off a laundry list of radio program sponsors: Wesson Oil, W.H. Nahigian Oriental carpets,  Dolly Madison Ice Cream, E - Z - Cut Ham , Friend's Baked Beans, B&M Brown Bread, and Winter Garden Carrots among others. There it was. Nobody suspects a root vegetable.  That rectangle of wood was probably from a produce crate, in all likelihood full of carrots. 

Mary Margaret McBride was so big in radio for 40 years she has her own 1,300 word Wikipedia article.  I wrote about her in 2007 [LINK]. I went back and fixed the typos if you want to take a gander. In 1946 Mary Margaret McBride was sponsored by Winter Garden Carrots. They were far from her first sponsor. She had already been in radio for over 12 years, having first started at WOR in New York City, in 1934.  She never actually retired from radio. 

In 1954 she and her partner Stella Karn left New York for West Shokun, NY in the Catskill Mountains. There she broadcast her program from her home three times a week carried on 920 WGHQ-AM in Kingston, NY; until she died in 1976. She had been on air 20 years longer than the station itself. WGHQ only signed on in 1954 as WSKN.

Monday, February 27, 2023

100 years of Ruby Fluid


I was doing a bit of soldering and it suddenly occurred to me that my tin of Rubyfluid was older than some of my friends. It's dented yellow 4 oz tin that would fit inside a coffee cup. I got more curious and I found a few citations and I began doing research in earnest.  


I learned that Rubyfluid was originally a product of  the Ruby Chemical Company which was founded on November 21st, 1907 making it over 115 years old. [SOURCE]  My tin in particular is at least 40 years old. It's a common brand of soldering flux both in liquid and paste forms for use on wiring, stained glass, plumbing, and roofing, to name just a few. Older ads refer to it as a zinc chloride flux. But that may not be the modern formulation.  It's decent stuff and my dingy tin can attest to the shelf life.

1907 was before WWI, not a particularly notable year in radio. Marconi began a regular transatlantic radio-telegraph service literally a month earlier. It was a year after Reginald Fessenden had his famous Christmas broadcast. Lee de Forest was making experimental broadcasts from his lab in New York. It's very likely that some of the great founders of radio broadcasting personally used Ruby Fluid, just not from my little tin. 


 The actual patent for this soldering compound was filed in April 18th 1907. [SOURCE] It was granted on January 28th 1908. It was Orval Hoover's only patent. In the absence of a formal product or company history I put together a short timeline.

***TIMELINE***

1907 - Ruby Chemical Co. is founded. 

1908 Telephony Illustrated Journal, lists Chas. H. Hoover as Sales Manager located at Revere House in Chicago.  

The Iron Age describes an Ohio Hardware show in February attended by Ruby Chemical

RUBY CHEMICAL COMPANY, Johnstown, Ohio: Ruby Soldering Compound. Represented by D. L. Palmer and O. C. Hoover. ST. LOUIS CORDAGE COMPANY, St. Louis, Mo.: Mound City Binder Twine, Rope and Fodder Yarn. Represented by Will Cumback.

Chemical Engineer Monthly, lists patent 877,505 as a "soldering compound" by Orval.C. Hoover in a list of "recent inventions."  It describes it as below. Interesting to note that originally cochineal was used to dye it red.

"The compound consists of a solution of zinc in hydrochloric acid, neutralized by the addition of borax, rosin, and ammonium chloride, and containing also  cochineal, alcohol, and glycerin."
Chemical Abstracts Lists the formula somewhat more formally:

Orval C. Hoover, Johnstown, O. A soldering compound consisting of a solution of zinc in HCl, neutralized by the addition of borax, rosin and NH Cl and containing also cochineal, alcohol, and glycerol.
Columbus City Directory lists O.C. Hoover as a photographer located at 351 N. Washington Ave.

The Metal Worker reports for formation of Ruby Fluid in the Current Notes of the Trades column:

THE RUBY CHEMICAL COMPANY, Johnstown, Ohio, which was recently incorporated, has placed on the market a soldering and tinning fluid, invented by Orval C. Hoover, the secretary of the company

1909 - Telephony Magazine describes the new non-corrosive soldering flux in a full page piece also cites a new address at 54 North Clark St., Chicago.

.....An examination of the metallic fountain brush which forms at the same time a convenient vessel for holding, and handy instrument for applying the new flux, "Ruby Fluid," is enough to silence anyone who quotes the first two objections. When the brush is pushed tightly into the tube it forms a close-fitting stopper, so that it can be laid on a bench, or swung at the belt, by the hook shown in the illustration, without danger of leakage. Yet a pull on the bristles extends the brush to provide for a well regulated flow of the liquid, so that it can be lightly spread over just the spots where it will be useful...

1911 - The Automobile Trade Directory lists Ruby Chemical in a list of 38 makers of soldering flux. The list include Nokorode, which still exists and another 36 which do not.

1912 The Cincinnati Court Index, Electric Railway Journal  and other sources report Ruby Chemical relocating its offices

Ruby Chemical Company, Johnstown, Ohio, owing to the increase in its business, has been compelled to seek new quarters to better its business and shipping facilities, and its headquarters are now located at 157 West State Street, Columbus, Ohio. The company manufactures Ruby Fluid and Red Letter soldering flux. The company's main laboratory was at Johnstown, Ohio

The Canning Trade also describes the new offices but also their new Canadian operation:

They are also now building a Canadian factory at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, for the convenience of their Canadian customers. The firm name in Canada is The Canadian Ruby Chemical Co., Ltd., 603 Builders' Exchange, Winnipeg, Man., Canada.

1913 - Columbus City Directory, Lists Ruby Chemical Co. staff: Fred H. Perfect as Mgr, Orval C. Hoover as "supt." at 157 W. State.

1916 - Industrial Commission of Ohio. reports business statics including the employee count at Ruby Chemical as a total of 6.

1918 - Columbus City Directory, Lists Orval C. Hoover as the VP of The Ruby Chemical Co. and a photographer located at 351 N. Washington Ave H2409 Indianola Av.

1919 - Hardware Review publishes a lengthy review under new products. Ads display wooden boxes.

RUBY FLUID SOLDERING AND TINNING FLUX
     The Ruby fluid is a non-explosive, non-poisonous and non-corrosive fluid compound, designed as a flux for soldering and tinning on all metals without destroying, damaging or tarnishing either the metal or the coating, and is a complete substitute for acids, zinc chloride, salmoniac and other mixtures commonly used as a flux. Is is in every way a practical commercial product, the quality of which is not affected by age, temperature or exposure in open vessels.
     The claim of the manufacturer, the Ruby Chemical Co., of Columbus O., is supported by the fact that they ship it in tin wood jacketed shipping cans, ready for use.  It is also used from their It is also used from their "Ruby Fluid Fountain Brush," a receptacle made from tin tubing, in a convenient form to enable electricians or roofers to carry the fluid in their pocket or belt.
     Experiments in chemistry and metallurgy have proved that it is not necessary to "cut" or dissolve the surface of metals in order to cause solder of tinning metals to unite with them; also that metals coated with acids, or zinc chloride or other corrosive mixtures, and heated to the high temperatures necessary to fuse the solder or tin, will absorb certain elements which cause rust to form on iron and steel and verdigris on brass and copper, even though apparently washed and polished out.
     By special methods of filtration and distilling employed by the manufacturer of Ruby Fluid, these poisonous elements are entirely separated from the elements necessary in a perfect soldering flux, only the essential  properties being retained, which are neither poisonous nor corrosive. Therefore metals on which Ruby Fluid has been used are not affected with rust or tarnish.
     The Ruby Fluid flux appeals to the mechanic because it has no fumes, either poisonous or otherwise.  It is not poisonous to the hands or person. It is quick acting and shipped ready for use, and leaves the finished product clean and without tarnish.
     It appeals to the manufacturer because it makes a tight joint with a very thin film of solder, thus saving many times its cost in solder alone.  It is harmless to the finest of metal, thus avoiding the necessity of washing or buffing out the work, at a waste of time. When used in soldering machines it does not gum, and when used by hand it will not "pit" or "eat" the coppers, and will retain the tinning much longer than any other flux. Ruby Fluid flux has been on the market for the last nine years. It's fame among brass bed makers, art glass workers, electricians, auto factories, and sheet metal workers is unequaled.

1921 EMF Electrical Year Book lists both Ruby Chemical and Ruby Fluid Alphabetically:

RUBY CHEMICAL CO., THE -  68-70 McDowell, Columbus, Ohio. Manufacturer of soldering flux. Business established 1909. President, Dr. A. P. Taylor; vice president, H. A. Bishop; secretary, treasurer and general manager, Fred H. Perfect.  

RUBYFLUID.-Trade name for soldering flux manufactured by the Ruby Chemical Co., 68-70 McDowell, Columbus 8, Ohio

1941 - RadioCraft Magazine lists Ruby Chemical at the address 68 -70 McDowell St., Columbus, Ohio, "Rubyfluid " as a maker of solder, flux and solder paste.

Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office lists serial 441,747 as a patent filed in March 20th for Ruby's stainless steel soldering fluid. They claim use since June 1937.

1946 - Radio Magazine -  Ads display large tins with screw caps. But the address is now 61 McDowell Street, Columbus, OH.

1951 - Hardware Age, advertisement list Ruby Checmical is listed at 56 McDowell Street.

1956  Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office lists registration 144,038 filed by Fred H. Perfect for a Rubyfluid logo.

1971 World Aviation Directory lists the Ruby Chemical Co at 68-70 McDowell St. , Columbus , Ohio 43216 ( Tel . 614 221-3055) and Dale F. Baker General Manager.

1975 - Directory of Ohio Manufacturers lists the same address as above for Ruby Chemical as in 1971 but Dale F. Baker now as treasurer.

2010 - Superior Flux purchases Ruby Chemical, the makers of RubyFluid Liquid Flux and RubyFluid Paste Flux, located at 6615 Parkland Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44139

 

I did find one anachronistic reference to Ruby Chemical (above).  All reputable sources cite the formation of the Ruby Chemical company as 1907.  But I found another, earlier reference in a July 1891 issue of Pharmaceutical Era.  It's in st. Louis, MO instead of Johnstown, OH. Disambiguation is difficult on 100+ year old citations but I found a J. C. Grant Chemical Company which moved to East St. Louis from Chicago in 1902 at the same address. They're separated from each other at that address by at least a decade, and to our Ruby Chemical by some 400 miles.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

This post was put behind a warning

 

 

I write about radio history. History can be dry, academic even boring for some. But my background was in rock music and radio so sometimes a bit of blasphemy or profanity, creeps in; maybe even a little dash of slander. I've been writing this blog for almost 20 years and all that colorful language has passed with little notice.  But that changed recently. I received the below message.  Apparently of all the things I've ever written it's an LGBT radio programs which are the most objectionable.  Oy vey.

I'm mostly amused that it's KRAB causing trouble all these years later. I did reach out to Charles Reinsch, KRAB historian to let him know.  He was unshaken of course. History is immutable. What happened already happened. My 2019 post and it's subsequent censoring changes nothing. But I'm sure Lorenzo Milam would be proud.

I requested a review, but I'm not optimistic in the current environment. AI in all reality is heavy on the Artificial and pretty light on the Intelligence.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2023

TAB Books


Technical Author's Bureau Books was based in Blue Ridge Summit, PA on the Maryland border about halfway between Gettysburg, and Hagerstown. It's s small town, even today the population is just 1,089.  That's fewer people than TAB released titles. 

TAB was founded by Verne M. Ray and Malcolm Parks Jr. in 1964. Some sources report that Technical Author's Bureau became TAB Books Inc. in 1980 but use of the TAB logo precedes that by at least a decade. 

Their bibliography is a highly varied assortment of technical books ranging in size from pamphlets to large compendiums; ranging in topic from radio, to computing, electronics, aviation, and into pure engineering. Some books are from anonymous teams of magazine editors and other authors appear dozens of times. 

The TAB Books name appears on all of these titles alongside either the TAB logo, the G/L logo or the Foulsham-Tab  F/T logo. The G/L stands for Gernsback Library. Early editions of some G/L marked texts preserve the known TAB book numbering but do not bear the TAB Books like Ex. Rapid Radio Repair by G. Warren Heath and Oscilloscope Techniques by Alfred Haas. The overlap goes through at least book #83, Fun With Electricity in 1967.

In 1988 TAB acquired Highmark Publishing. It was was acquired by the McGraw-Hill Inc.in that same year and their release schedule fell off sharply. the latest release I've found was in 1997.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of titles. I starting working on a list, compiling by author from the books listed on the inside pages of other texts. The list ballooned to absurd proportions and I had to scale-back my ambitions for now. After the McGraw purchase and numbering seems to have stopped. You can find some of these titles in Google Books, and on the World Radio History site of course. [LINK]


TITLE  No. AUTHOR  YEAR
Servicing Record Changers
59 Henry Mileaf
1956
Rapid TV Repair
60 G. Warren Heath
1956
Transistor Techniques
61 Radio Electronics Staff
1956
Transistor Circuits
63 Rufus Turner 1957
Elements of Tape Recorder Circuits
67 Herman Burstein & Henry Pollack
X
Electronic Hobbyist's Handbook 69 Rufus Turner X
Electronic Puzzles And Games 70 Matthew Mandl
1958
Oscilloscope Techniques 72 Alfred Haas 1958
Model Radio Control 74 Edward L. Stafford X
Transistors - Theory & Practice
75 Rufus Turner X
Servicing Transistor Radios
76 Leonard D'Ario
X
Rapid Radio Repair
78 G. Warren Heath
1959
Designing and Building Hi-Fi Furniture
79 Jeff Markell X
Fun with Electricity 83
Tom Kennedy Jr. X
Installing Hi-Fi Systems
86  Jeff Markell & Jay Stanton
X
Transistor Projects
89 Radio Electronics Staff
X
Radio Control handbook
93
Howard McEntee
X
Transistors - Theory & Practice
94 Rufus Turner
X
How To Fix Transistor Radios & Printed Circuits
96 Leonard Lane
1959
Industrial Electronics
99
Tom Jaski
X
Basic Math Course for Electronics
100 Henry Jacobwitz
X
Practical TV Troubleshooting
102 Compiled by Gernsback Library
1957
Basic Radio Course
104 Paul Kenian
X
Basic TV Course
105 George Kravitz
X
Radio Servicing Made Easy
107 Leonard Lane 1961
The Oscilloscope
108 George Zwick
1963
Basic Transistor Course
111 Paul Rodget Kenian
1962
Learn Electronics By Building Easy-to-Build Projects 112 John Schroeder 1973
Getting Started With Transistors
116 Lou Garner
X
Electronics Data Handbook-Rev. 2nd Edition
118
Martin Clifford
X
TV Sweep Oscillators
119
X
X
Hi-Fi Troubles
120 Herman Burnstein
X
Advanced Radio Control 122 Edward L. Stafford X
Color TV Repair
123
X
X
The Handbook of Electronic Tables
125
Martin Clifford
1965
Servicing AGC Circuits
126
X
X
Skill-Building Transistor Projects & Experiments
129 Lou Garner
X
Basic Oscillator Handbook
130
Norman Crowhurst
1966
Test Instruments for Electronics
131 Martin Clifford X
Radio Control Manual 2nd Edition 135 Edward L. Stafford
X
Easy Way To Service Radio Receivers
429 Leo Sands
X
Amateur Radio Extra-Class License Study Guide
453 73 Magazine
X
VHF Ham radio Handbook
460 Edward G. MacKinnon
X
104 East Transistor Projects You Can Build
462
Robert M. Brown X
6 East Home-IMprovement Projects
343
Steven Bolt X
Electronic Hobbyist's IC Project Handbook
464 Robert M. Brown X
Ham radio Projects For Novice & Technician
468 Bert Simon X
Ham Radio Incentive Licensing Guide
469 Bert Simon
X
104 Simple One-Tube Projects
486 Robert M. Brown
X
Transistor Circuit Guidebook
470 Byron Wels
X
64 Hobby Projects for Home & Car
487
Robert M. Brown & Mark Olsen
1969
Semiconductors from A to Z
493 Phillip Dahlen
X
Audio Systems Handbook 494 Norman Crowhurst 1969
Tape Recording For Fun & Profit
497 Walter Salm
1969
CB Radio Operators Guide
499 Robert M. Brown
X
Working With Semiconductors
501 Albert C. Saunders
X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 1
502 Robert L. Goodman X
How To Fix Transistor Radios & Printed Circuits
504 Leonard C. Lane
1969
Installing & Servicing Home Audio Systems
505 Jack Hobbs
X
How to Read Electronic Circuit Diagrams
510 Robert Brown & Paul Lawrence
X
Understanding Solid-State Circuits
513 Norman Crowhurst 1973
Philco Color TV Service Manual
522 Robert L. Goodman X
 Guide to Radio - TV Broadcast Engineering Practice 523 Edward L. Stafford X
104 Easy Projects For The Electronics Gadgeteer
524 Robert M. Brown
1970
Amateur Radio Advanced Class License Study Guide 527 73 Magazine X
Pulse & Switching Circuits
528 Jarvey Swearer
X
Handbook of Magnetic Recording
529 Finn Jorgensen
X
Basic Electronics Problems Solved
530 Donald Arnold Smith
X
Servicing Modern Hi-Fi Stereo Systems
534 Norman Crowhurst X
General Electric Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 1
536
Robert L. Goodman X
125 One Transistor Projects
537 Rufus Turner
X
Computer Circuits & How they Work
538 Byron Wels
X
Transistor Projects for Hobbyists & Students
542
Larry Steckler
X
TV Trouble Diagnosis Made Easy 544 X
1970
Electronic Musical Instruments
546 Norman Crowhurst X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual—Vol. 2
562 Robert L. Goodman X
Modern Radar: Theory, Operation and Maintenance 575 Edward L. Stafford X
How to Use Color TV Test Instruments
577 Robert L. Goodman X
Modern Radio Repair Techniques 580 Art Margolis
1971
199 Test & Alignment Procedures 593 Art Margolis 1972
199 Color TV Troubles and Solutions 595 Robert L. Goodman 1972
Basic Color Television Course
601
Stan Prentiss
1972
Japanese Monochrome TV Service Manual Repair 602 Charlie Buffington
X
How To Build Solid-State Audio Circuits
606
Mannie Horowitz
1972
Basic Electricity & Beginning Electronics
628 Martin Clifford X
Aviation Electronics Handbook 631
Edward L. Stafford X
Simplified TV Trouble Diagnosis
633
Robert L. Goodman 1973
Modern Electronics Math
655
Martin Clifford
X
Fm Stereo-Quad Receiver Servicing Manual
660 Joseph Carr X
Understanding & Using the Oscilloscope 664 Clayton L Hallmark X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual -Vol. 3 668
Robert L. Goodman X
 Electrical Wiring and Lighting for Home and Office 671 Edward L. Stafford X
Understanding & Using the VOM & EVM
672 John Cunningham 1973
Professional Picture Framing for the Amateur
674 Jack & Barbara Wolf
1974
Pictorial Guide to CB Radio Installation and Repair
683 Forest H. Belt
X
TV Tuner Schematic / Servicing Manual - Vol. 1 696 Robert L. Goodman X
Electronic Measurements Simplified 702 Clayton L Hallmark
1973
Indexed Guide to Modern Electronic Circuits 706
Robert L. Goodman X
Radio astronomy For the Amateur
714
David L Heiserman X
Complete Guide to Outboard Motor Service and Repair
727
Paul Dempsey X
The Complete FM 2-Way Radio Handbook 735 Clayton L Hallmark 1974
Vintage Airline Color TV Service Manual 741 Tab Editorial Staff
1975
Color TV Case Histories Illustrated 746 Robert L. Goodman X
The Complete Auto Electric handbook 748 X
X
Auto Electronics Simplified
749 X
X
4 Channel Stereo From Source To Sound
756
X 1973
Troubleshooting with the Dual-Trace Scope 772 Robert L. Goodman X
How to Make Jewelry Like a Pro 775 X X
Op Amp Circuit Design & Applications
787 Joseph Carr
X
Microelectronics 794 X
X
Master Handbook of HAM Radio Circuits 801 Editors of 73 Magazine
1977
 Flying Model Airplanes and Helicopters by Radio Control 825 Edward L. Stafford X
Impedance 829 Rufus P. Turner
1976
 The Complete Broadcast Antenna Handbook 833 John E. Cunningham X
Zenith Color TV Service Manual - Vol. 4 838 Robert L. Goodman X
Build Your Own Working Robot
841
David L Heiserman X
CB Radio Schematic / Servicing Manual Vol 4.
862
X
Microphones - How They Work & How to Use Them
875 Martin Clifford X
Color TV Case Histories Illustrated: Photo Guide to Troubles/Cures - Vol. 2
876
Robert L. Goodman X
General Electric Color TV Service Manual—Vol.3
879
Robert L. Goodman X
Do-It-Yourselfer's guide to chainsaw use & Repair
892
Charles Self
1977
CET License Handbook - 2nd Ed.
901 Joseph Carr
1976
Concrete & Masonry
902 Tab Books
X
How To Build Metal/Treasure Locators
909 Robert J. Traister
X
Servicing Zenith TV Modules 918 Robert L. Goodman X
Practical Electrical Installation Repair & Rewiring
925 John E. Traister
1979
Servicing Medical & Bioelectric Equipment
930 Joseph Carr X
Handbook of Marine Electronic and Electrical Systems 939 Edward L. Stafford X
Mimeograph Operation, Maintenance and Repair 941 Howard Hutchinson
X
CBers Manual of SSB 959
Edward L. Stafford X
Microwave Oven Service & Repair
962
Clayton Hallmark
1977
CBers Handy Manual of Base Stations
969
Edward L. Stafford X
Miniprocessors: From Calculators to Computers
971 David L Heiserman X
TV Tuner Schematic/Servicing Manual - Vol. 2 979 Robert L. Goodman X
The Master Handbook of Still & Movie Titling for Amateur & Professional
1001 Elinor Stecker-Orel 1979
The Upholsterer's Bible
1004 Percy W. Blandford
1978
How To Repair Movie & Slide Projectors
1011 Robert Villastrigo
1978
How to Design and Build Electronic Instrumentation
1012 Joseph Carr
X
How to Repair Video Games
1028 Robert L. Goodman X
How To Produce Slide Shows & Movies With Sound
1031 X X
Hot To make Old Time Photos
1039
John McDonald & Melba Smith Cole
1981
101 Quality Wooden Toys You Can Make
1046 Hugh & Judith Ryan
1980
How to Install Everything Electronic in Cars, Boats, Planes Trucks & RVs
1056 X
X
Computerist's Handy Databook/Dictionary
1069 X
X
The Complete Handbook of Robotics
1071
Edward L Stafford Jr.
X
Radio Control Handbook - 4th Edition 1093
Edward L Stafford Jr. X
Digital Interfacing With An Analog World
1070 Joseph Carr
1978
 How To Build Your Own Vacation Home
1074
Charles R. Self
1978
How To Build Your Own Log Home & Cabin From Scratch 1081 S. Blackwell Duncan 1978
HTV Field & Bench Servicer's Handbook
1082 John Spillane 1979
All About Telephones 1097 Van Waterford 1978
How To Take Great Great Sports Action Photos
1098 X X
How To Design & Build Your Own Custom TV Games
1101 David L Heiserman
1978
How to Cast Small Metal & Rubber Parts
1105 William A. Cannon
1979
Computerist's Handy Manual 1107
Clayton L. Hallmark 1979
Lasers, The Light Fantastic
1108
Clayton L. Hallmark X
How to Make Your Own Lamps and Lampshades
1112 Bruce Mitton
X
77 Furniture Projects You Can Build
1122 Editors of Family Handyman
1980
The Complete Bed Building Book
1124 HyDee Small
1979
Building Fiberglass Ship Models From Scratch
1127 Richard V. Humphrey 1981
The Complete Handbook of Leathercrafting
1129 Jane E. Garnes
1981
Radio Control Manual - Systems, Circuits, Construction 1135 Edward L Stafford Jr. X
How To Build Your Own Working Robot Pet
1141 Frank DeCosta
1981
How To Repair Old-Time Radios 1148 Clayton L. Hallmark X
The Complete Handbook of Centrifugal Casting 1153 Philip Romanoff
1980
Practical Troubleshooting with the Modern Oscilloscope
1162
Robert L. Goodman X
The Complete Handbook of Sewiong Machine Repair 1163 Howard Hutchinson
X
77 Weekend Kitchen Projects You can Make
1165 X
X
Model Radio Control-3rd Edition 1174 Edward L Stafford Jr. X
The Complete Handbook of Lampglass Art
1175 Nadine H. Roberts
X
Practical Troubleshooting with Modern Electronic Test Instruments
1177 Robert L. Goodman X
Troubleshooting Microprocessors & Digital Logic 1183 Robert L. Goodman 1980
The Master Guide to Electronic Circuits
1184 Thomas M. Adams
1984
The Master IC Cookbook 1199
Clayton L. Hallmark 1980
The Complete Microcomputer Systems Handbook 1201 Edward L. Stafford
1979
Basic Drafting
1202 Martin Clifford X
Make Your Own Gemstone Jewelry
1208 X
X
44 Weekend Plastic Projects You can Make
1215 X
1081
How To Troubleshoot & Repair Electronic Circuits
1218
Robert L. Goodman
1981
 Advanced Radio Control, Including Rockets & Robots - 2nd Edition 1222 Edward L Stafford Jr. X
Master Handbook of Electronic Tables & Formulas 3rd Ed.
1225
Martin Clifford
1980
Practical Knots & Ropework 1237 Percy Blandford
1980
Electrical Wiring Handbook 1245 Edward L Stafford Jr. X
Playing the Stock and Bond Markets with Your Personal Computer
1251 L.R. Schmeltz
1981
234 Wooden Wall Decoration Projects
1252 E. R. Huckleberry 1981
Giant Handbook of 222 Weekend Electronics Projects
1265 Raymond A. Collins
1981
How To Build, Maintain, and Renovate Your Home 1287 Edward L Stafford Jr. X
99 Fun-To-Make Electronics Projects
1288 Cy Tymony
1981
Giant Handbook of Electronic Circuits 1300 Raymond A. Collins
1980
The Master Craftsman's Illustrated Woodworking Manual - With Projects
1315 Lewis H. Hodges
1981
The Second Book of Electronics Projects
1317 John E. Traister 1981
The Typewriter Repair Manual 1336 Howard Hutchinson
1981
49 Easy-To-Build Electronic Projects
1337 Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel
X
101 Easy Test Instrument Projects
1339 Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel X
49 More easy-To-Build Electronics Projects
1347
Robert M. Brown & Tom Kneitel 1981
The Giant Book Of Hobby Projects 1359 Robert E. Ostander 1982
The Giant Book of Electronic Projects 1367 Editors of 73 Magazine 1982
Radio Communications Receivers
1391 Cornell Drentea
1982
Handbook of Advanced Robotics
1421Edward L. Stafford
1982
Build a Personal Earth Station For Worldwide Satellite TV Reception
1409Robert Traister
1982
Building Free-Form Furniture
1440 Charles W. Durney
1982
The Complete Handbook of Woodworking Tools and Hardware
1484 Charles Self
1983
Electronic Databook 1538 Rudolf Graf
1988
Sign Carving
1601  Garrit D. Lydecker
1984
The Homesteader's Manual 1629 Editors of Farmstead Magazine
1983
ABCs of Building Model Railroad Cars 1635 Wayne & Mary Cay Wesolowski
1985
Build-It Book of Digital Clocks
1683 Robert Haviland
1986
The Countryside Book of Farming Lore 1952 The Editors of Countryside Magazine
1985
Working with Acrylic Plastics 1959 Jack Wiley
1986
Electronics Math
1962 R. Jesse Phagan
1986
Car Design: Structure and Architecture 2104 Jan P. Norbye
1984
The Learjet 2246 Joe Christy
1979
How To Take Great Photos From Airplanes
2251  Frank Kingston Smith
1979
Low-Horsepower Fun Aircraft You Can Build
2267  Don Dwiggins 1980
Cold Weather Flying
2273 Jeff Griffin
1979
Maintenance/Overhaul Guide to Lycoming Aircraft Engines
2277 Joe Christy
1979
The Complete Guide to Aviation Photography
2281 Peter M. Bowers
X
The Complete Guide to Single-Engine Mooneys 2283 Paul Garrison 1980
Flying As It Was True Stories From Aviation’s Past 2403 Gerry A. Casey 1987
The Complete Shortwave Listener's Handbook 2655 Hank Bennett, Harry L. Helms, David Hardy 1986
Home Butchering and Meat Preservation 2713 Geeta Dardick
1986
The Packet Radio Handbook
2722 Jonathan L Mayo
1987
Principles and Practice of Impedance 2725 Rufus P. Turner &  Stan Gibilisco 1987
62 Home Remote Control and Automation Projects
2735 Delton T. Horn
1986
Practical Blacksmithing and Metalworking 2894 Percy Blandford X
Experiments with EPROMs
2962 Dave Prochnow
1988
50 Powerful Printed Circuit Board Projects 2972 Dave Prochnow 1988

Wednesday, December 07, 2022

DJ Claud Pettit

 

There is something oddly endearing about this tiny book with it's awkward idioms on the inside and rear cover. I was most taken with this one, a true product of the 1950s: "The insects must be laughing at man. We developed DDT for them but saved the H-Bomb for ourselves." 

This began with the above songbook of shapenote music. There are no call signs anywhere on the booklet. So despite the radio towers drawn on the cover, it was a struggle to find information on Claud Martin Pettit. Unusually, the sacred harp material and the time period this printing appear to have no connection with the Stamps-Baxter company. Stamps appears as the publisher on a few hymns and that's all. But on the inside page I got my first hint. Under his name was noted "Arvada, Colorado". That was enough to find a memorial page on the broadcast pioneers of Colorado  webpage.

Claude started in radio before he was even a pastor. In 1943, while still in high school he worked Sundays for KFKA at their Record Stockman studios. His pastoring began in 1952 but the two careers intersected more formally in 1952 in 1955 when he became known as "The Country Parson" on KLAK in Denver. It was a country gospel music formatted program of a type that's quite rare these days.

Most of his obituaries are about his church, and bible college, almost nothing is said about his radio career despite lasting 60 years and including at least 8 radio stations. In 1960, Claud and his wife Margaret bought 1290 KEOS-AM in Flagstaff, AZ as partial owners of CLEM, Inc with another couple: Edythe Walker and Lee Walker. The walkers were owners of KLAK so you can see the connection.  But The Pettits' sold their shares in 1961. 

In 1965 they bought KWIV in Douglas WY. In 1974 they applied to build a station in Brush, CO which was granted as 1010 KCMP-AM in 1976. A 1979 directory refers to the format as "Beautiful music, relig, spec prog: farm 12 hrs; Spanish 4 rs." Sounds like a hodge podge. I also found a slightly  incongruous citation for Claud Pettit as chief engineer on the Western Bible College owned KWBI on 91.9 in Morrison, CO.

But in 1981 they sold their station again. About then most print references to the Pettits' peter out. The last note I saw was about that sale in Broadcasting & Cable. But instead of actually retiring from radio, the Pettits' bought another radio station in 1989, and became owners  of KKDD and KKGZ in Brush, CO again.

At the time  KKGZ, and KKDD, so it was his second try on 1010 and 107.1. At that time the stations were owned by G-Z Broadcasting and were dark.and the stations in receivership according to R&R. It looks like a bit of a rescue mission. But a 2009 business directory lists Better Life ministries as owning 8 stations: KYNN, KHJR, KEHT, KOAH, KHTW, KHRX, KHUA, and KYHR across Texas, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. The citations appear to conflict.But various directories do list him as president through 2008.

Outside of radio Claud was a Trustee for Colorado Christian College (above, top center) which itself owned two radio stations and a TV station. He was the Chairman of the radio committee at Western Bible Institute. He finally retired from radio in 1991, but continued pastoring at Better Life Ministries until at least 2009 when the Denver Post profiled him [LINK]  He was 88 years old.