Milford chronicle., 1944-06-02
KNOW YOUR RADIO
DOCTOR BETTER
By John F. Rider

medium of entertainment and ed
ucation. 1t is the only cOmmunica
tion link of instantaneous actiol
between the Federal Government
and the people of this nation. 1t i
the only means whereby with tn
flip of a switch, those who are re
sponsible for the functions of thi
government and the proper pro
lection of it's people. may speal
and convey their message to tn
entire population. Since we do no
know what the future has in store
national preparedness requires
that every radio receiver in the
home - factory - automobile -
of wherever it may be, function
properly.
For many years past, manufart-
ureres of radio receivers produced
a new crop each year. Because OF
defense requirements, there will be
a definite curtailment in the pro-
duction of new receivers during
the remainder of this year and
next year. This means that the
public at large will find it more
and more difficult as time goes on,
to procure new equipment to re-
place their old receivers. De-
iects in radio receivers are, how
ever. not controlled or determined
by international policies, the de-
ciaratiOn of war, or shortages of
materials Radio receivers fail
and will continue to fail because of
the deteriorating actions of the
electric currents which course
through them - because of humi-
city = because of improper hand
ling. Since replacement of a
defective receiver will be more diff
Sicult. it is inevitable that there
should be an increase in the
amount of radio seryicing, there
fore a closer association between
the public and the radio repair
industry.
Under the circumstances, it be-
comes valuable to the welfare of
the people of this nation to know
something about what radio re-
pairing really means. This does
rot require that Mr. and Mrs.
America become technical people
and make it their business to learn
what is in a radio receiver. .
What is necessary, however, is
that people realize that the repair
of a radio receiver is complicated
affair. There is no device with
which the public comes in daily
contact which is comparable in the
nature of its complexities to the
radio receiver. Strage as it may
seem, about the onlyparalled is the
human body. The automobile,
which so many people view with
awe and consider a complicated
device. is relatively simple, when
compared to a modern radio set.
The average listener becomes
annoyed because a slight amount
of noise, cracking or sputtering
develOpes in his radio receiver. To
all appearances, the receiver is
perfect - except for that little
noise. After listing to the crack
ling for a week or so. radio re-
lalfnlan Is called.
As far as the public is concerned,
this specific problem is very
It's just matter of
removing that cracking or sput-
tering. What the public fails to
realize is that of all the possible
defects, and they are myriad,
which may develope in a radio re-
,eiver, the most difficult of all
10 locate - is that of noise. ..
Every single part - every tube -
very wire - every connection -
N fact everything in the radio re-
-eiver is a possible source of this
rouble. 1t is true that once the !
lefect has been located, the actual .
operation of repair may be but a
moments work. 1t may take .
iOurs and even consume days! e.
u may take hours even in the fin
st of equipped radio shops -oper- /
tied by men who have spent years .
occurring their technical education. .
The locating of noise that
cry slight or sputtering - is in
eality the most difficult problem /
!, hich can face the radio service /
ran About the only parallel
\ yhich can be found is an ache or
ain in the human body. AS
very man and women well knows.
many aches and pains which may !!
ppear to be centralized, are after
much investigation and experiment
ound to be due to something far
from the actual location
f the pain. Strangely enough
he public has become accustomed
o accept such conditions and to
he doctor for each and every visit
lade, - for each and every exper-
ment. although, it may not be un-
il after the fourth or fifth visit
hat the real root of the trouble is
0cated and the remedy is effected
But when working with radio
epairman, the public, unfortunate
Y, is not cognizant of the fact that
he radio rerairman, too, is work
lG with invisible forces cleo
rical currents. Because of all
ne nature of the fault, few radio
epairmen, if any, are paid in full
u all of the time they spend to
lre noise troubles in radio recei-
ers.
The public should appreciate
lat the radio repairman is not a
Iiracle worker that he is just
mother human being, who can be
'usted to do an honest job and
snder an honest bill for work
Dne. | say this with full real
alton that there have been times
the past when a repairman
racticed subterfuge: But to con- 4
amn the majority because of the
,casiOnal practices of a few is not
ght. The radio repairmen of
merica are honest people and
rive the national requirements
ithfully and justly. The very