Fun Stuff

NEW!  Here are some links for interesting or fun things.  We will add to this section from time to time.

 

(New!) 25 MICROCHIPS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD

IEEE Spectrum article on microchips that provided new functionality to consumers and the world (remember “Speak and Spell”?)

 

(New!) MYSTERIOUS RADIO BURSTS FROM SPACE

Mysterious radio burst FRB 121101 from space every 157 days

 

(New!)  MYSTERIOUS SHORTWAVE STATIONS

Mysterious Russian shortwave station UBV 76 at 4625 and 4810 kHz.

Numbers stations-clandestine short wave radio stations of unknown origin and use.

 

OLD AMATEUR RADIO CALL BOOKS

A link to old amateur radio call books for researching old calls and hams.  Later editions mainly only have zero call sign pages.  Older editions (1920s, etc. ) are complete with all call signs.

 

(New!) ENGINEER FIXES COMMUNICATIONS FLAW TO TITAN SATURN SPACE PROBE

IEEE Spectrum article on how years after it launched, a Swedish engineer figured out how to fix a link problem on the Titan space probe that would have prevented getting vital information back on Saturn.

 

PIONEER SPACE PROBES DE-ACCELERATION MYSTERY SOLVED

Interesting IEEE article on what we learned from the Pioneer 10 & 11 space probes launched back in the early 1970s, and the mystery of the slight de-acceleration and how it was solved with scientific detective work and good records keeping.

 

RUSSIAN WOODPECKER

Some members may remember the Russian Woodpecker, an over the horizon early warning radar that transmitted in the HF (short wave) bands during the Cold War.   Here is a video about the Russian Woodpecker (thanks to member Bob Walsh).

Here is an article about the Russian Woodpecker.

 

 

WIRELESS MUSEUMS

Note:  because of the pandemic, some museums are closed, others have altered operating hours.  Check the Website!

 

In the U.S.:

Our partner the Antique Wireless Association, has a museum in, Bloomfield NY (near Rochester):  https://antiquewireless.org/homepage/museum/

NEW!  Senator Barry Goldwater’s recreated amateur radio station at the Arizona History Museum

 

Marconi – RCA Wireless Museum, N. Chatham, MA:  https://historic-chatham.org/marconi_center.html

 

New England Vintage Wireless and Steam Museum, E. Greenwich, RI:  https://newsm.org/

 

Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut , Windsor, CT: https://www.vrcmct.org/

 

Radio Technology Museum & Camp Evans, Wall Township, NJ:  http://rtm.ar88.net/

 

Wireless Museum, 268 Bush St. #2400, San Francisco, CA:  no further information available, this museum may be defunct (7/2020)

 

American Radio Archives Museum, Thousand Oaks, CA:  https://www.americanradioarchives.com/

 

Early Television Museum, Hillard near Columbus, OH:  http://www.earlytelevision.org/

 

Edison Museum, Beaumont TX:  http://www.edisonmuseum.org/

 

Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park NJ:  https://www.menloparkmuseum.org/

 

Thomas Edison Depot Museum, Port Huron, MI:  https://www.phmuseum.org/thomas-edison-depot-museum/

 

Thomas Edison National Historical Park West Orange, New Jersey:  https://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

 

Museum of Broadcast Communications, Chicago IL:  https://museum.tv/

 

Museum of Radio & Technology, Huntington, W. VA.:  http://www.mrtwv.org/

 

National Capital Radio & Television Museum, Bowie, Maryland:  https://ncrtv.org/

 

National Cryptologic Museum, Ft. Meade, MD:  https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/

 

National Electronics Museum, Linthicum, Maryland (defense electronics):  http://www.nationalelectronicsmuseum.org/

 

National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, Union Township (near Cincinatti) OH:  http://www.voamuseum.org/

 

Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, St. Lois Park, MN:  https://pavekmuseum.org/

 

SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention (formerly the American Museum of Radio and Electricity), Bellingham, Washington:  https://www.sparkmuseum.org/

 

Outside the U.S.:

Orkney Scotland Wireless Museum:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkney_Wireless_Museum

 

The Radio Museum, Watchet, United Kingdom:  https://www.museum-info.co.uk/the-radio-museum.html

 

Military Wireless Museum, Kidderminister, Worcestershire, United Kingdom:  https://www.qsl.net/g4bxd/

 

The British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum, West Dulwich, London, UK:  https://www.bvwm.org.uk/

 

Virtual:

Virtual Radio Museum, UK (no physical entity):  http://www.radiomuseum.co.uk/entry.html