The Meccano Crystal Radio Receiving Set
Frank Hornby goes radio-mad....
"This ( article ) may be new to you, it certainly was to me. It is from a book dealing with the Meccano Magazine. I grew up in England ( born 1931 ) and though I was always interested in both crystal sets and Meccano, I never heard mention of a Meccano crystal set.
In case you don't know, Meccano was the original mechanical construction set, Erector being the best known here in the USA. It seems likely, by the way, that A. C. Gilbert took his Erector idea from Frank Hornby, because Hornby patented Meccano over ten years before Erector was "invented". As you will see in the text the idea for this crystal set originated in the Meccano factory in the USA and Hornby took it back to Britain.
For reasons I do not know the GPO ( General Post Office ) objected to the design of this set and it had to be changed. Meccano then marketed in its place a conventionally made set that I do not think contained any Meccano parts..."
Written by a member of the Xtal Set Society
Frank Hornby goes radio-mad....
Having put the July-August edition of the Meccano Magazine to bed, the Editor and Frank Hornby went off on the 27th May 1922, for a month's visit to U.S.A and Canada. Hornby had just negotiated the purchase of an existing factory at Elizabeth, New Jersey, which was carrying the MECCANO emblems by the time he arrived, for a tour of inspection. This was conducted by J. P. Porteous and his Sales Manager H.H. Dobson, who were already well established in U.S.A. Meccano marketing.
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The Meccano Crystal Set
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Editor's Note, Meccano Magazine, September 1922
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Montage of Article Headings, Meccano Magazine, September 1922
In next to no time, a U.K. version of the American Crystal Radio Receiving Set went into production, requiring the introduction of special fibre plates and other insulated items. The receiver, shown above, ( Fig 184 ), sold at 55/- ready for use, or at 45/- as a kit of parts.
