Grebe Synchrophase

Alfred H.Grebe was a radio man to the core, he manufactured radios, he founded radio stations (ex. WAHG, WBOQ) and he invented radios. His Synchrophase was a type of TRF-Neutrodyne radio receiver. Today it remains highly collectible. A working restored unit can sell for thousands of dollars. WAHG later became WABC and later WCBS. More here.

Grebe was born in 1895 in Queens, NY. His father, Henry bought him a small wireless set when he was 9 year old. His interest grew so quickly that he was more knowledgeable than his own high school teachers on the subject. He got licensed as a commercial operator at the age of 15 and became a ships radio operator.He returned 3 years later and became a radio operator at the famous Telefunken wireless station in Sayville, NY on Long Island.

He began selling amateur radio gear before WWI. He printed his first catalog in 1914. They were popular enough that he incorporated H. Grebe & Company, Inc. in January of 1920 and he opened a factory 2 years later.  The problem began when he started selling the Synchrophase in 1924. He didn't have a license to sell a unit with a Neutrodyne tuner. but Grebe had sold 150,000 radios before he was dragged into court in 1927. The Neutrodyne circuit was designed by Louis Hazeltine, and owned by Independent Radio Manufacturers. Production was halted in April of that year. More here.


Over three years Grebe had released several models with numerous improvements between redesigns. [Source here] But behind it all there was still a Neutrodyne patent violation and he lost the suit. His company weathered the ordeal. But Alfred did not. He died suddenly following stomach surgery in 1935. His company survived his passing, and by WWII they were selling a "submarine  receiver" to the US Navy.

An Hour A Day With John F. Rider

 John F. Rider was one of the most prolific writers of radio instructional texts in the business. His series of Riders Perpetual Troubleshooter’s Manual went into 23 volumes of 6-inch thick reference books between 1928 and 1954. He was more prolific than even Hugo Gernsback and Howard W. Sams. the U.S. Army used his books during WWII to much success. His Basic Electronics series was used by Navy specialty schools. He was also a ham radio enthusiast, his call sign was W2RID.

Born in 1900 he grew up writing in the age of the vacuum tube, but lived long enough to write instructional on Superhetrodyne receivers, FM radio and television.  His texts were uniquely narrative, and readable to laypeople. The somewhat silly illustrations probably helped too. How silly?  Well, imagine little spherical "electrons" with antennae and wings waving their hands at the reader. More here.

Despite that his books were for serious learning. The "Hour a day" series was meant for home study and self teaching. He was a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Signal Corps. He worked on experimental radio apparatus in Baltimore among other things. After leaving the military he became an engineer at Alfred. H. Grebe Radio & Company, and later went on to write for for Hugo Gernsback's Radio Craft magazine. It has been said that they didn't get along, which is why Rider struck out on his own and founded John F. Rider Publications. His office was located at 401 Fourth Avenue, in New York. Hayden Publishing bought him out around 1955. They kept publishing Rider branded series until at least 1959. More here.

He was the recipient of the Legion of Merit medal, and the Ralph Batcher Memorial Award. He retired to Florida in 1963 and died in 1985, survived by a daughter, Janet.