Globe Trotter 8 Transistor Radio
date: label: date made
content: ca 1956
name: label: maker
content: RCA Corporation
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Before 1954, so-called portable radio receivers used vacuum tubes to receive and amplify signals. The large batteries needed to power most tubes made radios large and heavy. Receivers built with subminiature tubes existed but were expensive. The invention of transistors in 1947 allowed engineers to design radios that could fit in a large pocket and such radios were first sold in late 1954. This RCA receiver from 1956 used 8 transistors and ordinary flashlight batteries. Though too large for a pocket, this radio was much easier to carry and more reliable than tube-based radios.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
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content: Communications
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content: American Enterprise
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Paul Johnes
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0657.02
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0657.02
label: accession number
content: 1989.0657
objectType: label: Object Name
content: radio
label: Object Name
content: radio receiver
label: Object Name
content: transistor radio
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 19 cm x 12.5 cm x 29 cm; 7 1/2 in x 4 15/16 in x 11 7/16 in