Discover the technological development of wireless telegraphy through objects relating to the history of radio, and television transmission and reception.
Radio Communication
1935-1965
'Standlens' liquid-filled plastic lens for magnifying a television picture, mounted on adjustable wooden stand, probably made by Lumex, probably British, 1935-1965
1945-1955
Bush TV22 9 inch television receiver, made by Bush Radio Limited, England, 1945-1955. With band III convertor, 1957
1969-1970
Sony 'Trinitron' colour television set, model type KV-1320UB, manufactured by Sony, Japan, 1969-1970. Serial No. 505704
1934
Three-ring Enigma cypher machine complete in oak wood transit case, together with original German battery (Serial number A6421/1937), unsigned, Germany, 1934 (see Note)
1922-1925
Three-valve receiver used in a Derbyshire colliery test, unknown maker, Derby, England, 1922-1925. Ref. Wireless World 2/12/22 p.314
1943-1966
Variable inductance coil for tuning the aerial of the very-low-frequency (16 kHz) transmitter (callsign GBR) installed at Rugby Radio Station, unknown maker, British, 1943-1966. Constructed in 1943 to the original 1926 design, and as modified in 1966, together with separate transformer and variometer with supporting framework.
1923
Gecophone crystal detector radio set no. 1, complete with instruction handbook, made by the General Electric Company Limited, British, 1923. Instruction handbook not mentioned in the nominal file (4868), nor on the form 100. Polished mahogany case with a lift up lid and ebonite control panel with a tuning knob and a lever to adjust the detector. The Gecophone Crystal Set No 1 is a simple variometer turned crystal receiver and has connection points for the aerial, earth and headphones.
1944-1959
BBC Marconi AXBT ribbon microphone, inst. no. 498044, made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company Limited, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1944-1959
1939-1945
Headphones DLR no. 5 from wireless set no. 38 Mk. II serial no. 6319, unknown maker, British, 1939-1945
1953
Pye 'Cambridge International' 11-band broadcast receiver, type PE80, made by Pye Limited, Cambridge, England, 1953
1926
Television receiving apparatus, made by John Logie Baird, British, 1926. Used by Baird in the demonstration given by him to members of the Royal Institution and others on 27 January 1926.
1963-1965
One Pye Bantam radio telephone set, labelled as 'Museum A', made by Pye Telecommunication Limited, Cambridge, England, 1963-1965
1955-1964
Pye Ranger V.H.F. radio telephone set. Type PTC 2007, made by Pye Telecommunications Limited, Cambridge, England, 1955-1964
1951-1953
Reporter mobile radiophone type PTC 116, serial No. 6744, made by Pye Limited, Cambridge, England, 1951-1953
1925-1935
Marconi-Reis transverse-current carbon microphone, invented by Georg Neumann, unknown maker, British, 1925-1935.
1980-1983
CB mobile antenna Oscar 11SE from `Oscar One' 27 MHz f.m. CB mobile/base radio transceiver, manufactured by South Midlands Communications Limited, Eastleigh, Hampshire, England, 1980-1983
1922-1924
V2A Marconiphone receiver, long-range model, chassis manufactured by Plessey Company Limited, radio manufactured by Marconiphone Company Limited, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1922-1924
1936-1955
Six-stage super heterodyne receiver processed on the ECME system, probably made by Sargrove Electronics Ltd, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, 1936-1955
One pair B.T.H. headphones, bearing B.B.C. insignia, c. 1923
1939
Mains Minor MW valve radio receiver, made by Ferguson Radio Corporation Ltd, c. 1939.
Audiopak tape cartridge, made in the USA.
1929-1935
Home-made equipment for 30-line television reception, unknown maker, British, 1929-35. Comprises Nipkow disc, neon lamp, viewing lens, phonic-wheel unit, home recorded discs of signals, square punch for Nipkow disc).
1900-1910
Marconi coherer and Admiralty pattern decoherer, unknown maker, British, 1900-1910
1924-1927
Primax loud speaker (sectioned), made by the Sterling Telephone and Electric Company Limited, Dagenham, London, England, 1924-1927
1917
C.W. (continuous wave) transmitter/receiver, Mk.I**, also known as Trench set C.W. Mk.I, made by W/T Factory, W.D. Soho W. (Wireless Telegraphy Factory, War Department), England, 1917
1938 and 1951
Two amateur radio call books: RSGB Amateur Radio Call Book First Edition, published by the Radio Society of Great Britain, British, Autumn 1951; Radio Amateur Call Book Magazine Vol.19. (worldwide), unknown publisher, Summer 1938.
Experimental model of Marconi's magnetic detector with moving magnet, unknown maker, England, 1900-1910
2014
Presentation Model of the 1922 Shukhov Radio Tower, also known as the Shabolovka tower, created by the model builder Henry Milner, England, 2014.
1894
Iron borings coherer (Branly type), probably made by Oliver Lodge, England, 1894. Mounted on wooden baseboard.
1963
Set of Knochenhauer spirals, replica of originals in Deutsches Museum, made by the Science Museum, South Kensington, London, England1963.
1965
Portable "Spinney" transistor radio by Perdio Radio Co., England, 1965.
1925
Amplion loud speaker with wooden horn, made by Graham Amplion Limited, Slough, England, 1925
1958-1963
Portable transistor radio receiver, c.1960.
1979
Ferguson television receiver, 20", black-and-white, 625-line, hybrid valve/transistor, Model 3821, manufactured 1979
Television receiver built from "Premier Radio" kit, made by Premier Radio Company, Hackney, London, England, 1945-1955
1925-1930
Crystal set in the form of a book, made by Kenmac Radio Limited, Hammersmith, London, England, 1925-1930
Radio Times volume 1 No. 1, produced by the British Broadcasting Company and published by George Newnes Limited, England, 1923
1920-1925
'Cat's whisker' crystal radio set with single headphone and original crystal, made by the Scientific Wireless Company, Manchester, and purchased in 1924-25.
1949
Model (scale 1:4) of wire screen in octagonal frame used by Heinrich Hertz, made by the Science Museum Workshops, South Kensington, London, England, 1949
Crystal set with Braille dial marking, supplied by the British Wireless for the Blind Fund and made by Burne-Jones and Company, London, England, 1929-1935.
1901
Four aerial inductances, wired together, used in Newfoundland in series with the balloon and kite aerials for tuning to the Poldhu (Cornwall) transmitted wavelength for the first wireless communication across the Atlantic, probably made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company, Chelmsford, Essex, England, December 1901
1928
Volume 1 number 1 of "Television" monthly magazine, "The Official Organ of the Television Society", published by Television Press Limited, British, March 1928.
`Oscar One' 27 MHz f.m. CB mobile/base radio transceiver, CB27/81, manufactured by South Midlands Communications Limited, Eastleigh, Hampshire, England, 1980-1983
1935
Model AD36 Ekco radio receiver, 4-valve TRF domestic receiver in circular Bakelite phenolic plastic case, by E K Cole Limited, Southend-on-Sea; England, 1935
1899
Experimental transmitting ‘jigger’ or oscillation transformer used by the Marconi Company, probably made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1899
c. 1937
Marconi - B.B.C. ribbon type B microphone with stirrup 78784/8559A
1942-1945
Wireless set no. 38 Mk. II serial no. 6319, unknown maker, British, 1942-1945. Complete with ancillaries: Junction box no.2, headphones, throat microphone, 150/3 V dry battery, webbing harness, 16 foot aerial (in four sections with webbing case), and webbing signal satchel, with strap
1940-1962
Model, scale 1:32, of 247 ft wooden receiving tower for CH (Chain Home) radar, Mark II West Coast pattern, designed by Dept W.8 Air Ministry in 1940, unknown maker, British, 1940-1962
1938-1939
A52 Murphy Radio Receiver, made by Murphy Radio Limited, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, introduced 1938
Dansette radiogram
