Welcome Guest! Be sure you know and follow the Phorum Rules before posting. Thank you and Enjoy! (January 12, 2025) x

Thread Closed

What was a mirophone "hummer"?
#1

Hullo Everyone, 
I've been reading a "Radio News" from November 1938 and am interested in the article there entitled "A Vest Pocket Receiver" on page 8.  The article is written by an English radio writer (G. Bradfield) but there is frequent use in the article  of parentheses by the Editor of "Radio News"to translate the English wireless terms into American radio terms.

The circuit  of this receiver is ,therefore,  an English one using two sub miniature tubes and is unusual in that it uses only one battery of  4.5 volts. This provides filament voltage and bias to the two tubes.What provides the H.T.?

 The 4.5 volts also passes through  the primary of a vibrator  transformer  to be interrupted by a "microphone hummer" to earth , this interruption serving to produce an alternating  current in the secondary of the transformer to produce about 30 volts of A.C. , rectified in this circuit by a dry disc rectifier to provide H.T.  to the anodes of the tubes.Much is made in the article of the "soft" interruption provided by the "hummer".

In the article the English writer mentions a "microphone button mounted on a small moving iron unit (such as were once used for cheap loudspeakers) " as the circuit interrupter.

At this point in the article the , I presume American ,editor  adds ,in brackets, "(A microphone hummer can be used,also.)"

Here in New Zealand I have not found anyone who can tell me what the English " microphone button " is ,so I am hoping someone ,perhaps from U.S.A. can tell me what the American editor means when talking of a "microphone hummer".

Something tells me that it might be associated with a carbon microphone to activate the granules.If anyone knows I'd be pleased to hear from you. Cheers and all the best, 
David


Messages In This Thread
What was a mirophone "hummer"? - by Antipodal - 10-04-2020, 12:36 AM
RE: What was a mirophone "hummer"? - by morzh - 10-04-2020, 12:48 AM
RE: What was a mirophone "hummer"? - by Antipodal - 10-04-2020, 12:57 AM
RE: What was a mirophone "hummer"? - by Chas - 10-04-2020, 11:04 AM
RE: What was a mirophone "hummer"? - by Antipodal - 10-05-2020, 04:01 AM



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
[-]
Recent Posts
Philco P45-6365 Universal Transformer Instruction Manual
Can anyone guide me to where this may be found?GRG — 03:00 PM
54C Complete Teardown/Rebuild
I don't think that I have encountered a 12Z3 before, curious how it uses one of those but includes a #43, which is a 25 ...Arran — 02:17 PM
HiFi (Chifi) tube amp build - but my own design.
It's the other forum. I'm also in DIY, but mostly read there. Honestly, I kinda jumped into this without much thought to...TV MAN — 10:43 AM
Philco 71 Code 125
Hello,  I am in need of a schematic for this radio. Mine has the three separate circular tube shields and a shadow me...dconant — 08:06 AM
Stromberg Carlson 1500 Squeal
And life just keeps getting more complicated.dconant — 07:57 AM
54C Complete Teardown/Rebuild
Hello Roy, here is this one sincerely Richardradiorich — 12:45 AM
54C Complete Teardown/Rebuild
Richard, Had grabbed it already but thank you just the same.  I find myself wanting to find some way to block out the...glyphmon — 12:03 AM
54C Complete Teardown/Rebuild
Hello roy, here is a link to the schematic . Sincerely Richardradiorich — 11:54 PM
54C Complete Teardown/Rebuild
Richard, The Silvertone 2014 also is a transformerless set, so I am incorporating a 1:1 600 ohm audio isolation transfo...glyphmon — 11:37 PM
Preliminary work on wife's Silvertone 2014
Did an alignment today which was interesting.  IF alignment went great, almost all was already spot-on.  Adjusting on th...glyphmon — 11:35 PM

[-]
Who's Online
There are currently no members online.

>