On March 6, 1924, a man named Herbert Otis Harding, of Allston Massachusetts, toiled away, probably at his kitchen table, on a device that promised to bring the sound of concerts and news into his very own home through a wireless connection. He was an employment agent, so this technology was probably quite new to him. That device, most likely researched through months of magazine and newspaper articles, was bought as either a kit or pieced together through parts that were becoming more available at a fraction for the cost of a manufactured radio. Plans were available from merchants eager to sell their parts. While he may have gotten a couple of years of joy out of it, newer, easier to operate, and less expensive radios quickly replaced the Regeneration technology, and the radio probably wound up in the attic or garage, where it stayed until it was sold at an estate or garage sale. Then it would pass through the hands of curious collectors, until it eventually found its way here. I wonder if he could have ever had any idea that 100 years later his set would still be operating. The fact that he signed and dated it, tells me that there may have been hope, and he wanted people to know that the beautiful radio he brought to life was his, and would endure.
This radio is a regenerative receiver with two stages of amplification. There were some issues with it that could have been design problems, or missteps by well-meaning tinkering years later. In this restoration we address those issues as well as taking care of cracks and broken pieces in the face plate, repair a bad transformer, disassemble and rebuild 2 of the output jacks, and troubleshoot an out of tolerance component issue. In the end, the radio does come back to life, and its creator's meticulous work is reflected in the quality of the reception, which is selective and decent sounding.
While Mr. Harding's genealogical lineage came to an end with the passing of his grandson, there is extended family, through his brother, that may one day discover and cherish this piece of their family history. Meantime, it remains in my care with the other orphaned home builts that have histories that will forever remain a mystery.
5 окт 2024
