From the 25th Anniversary Issue, Popular Electronics, October 1979
| POPULAR ELECTRONICS is now 25 years old, publishing its 300th issue last month.
In truth, its lineage really extends back sixty years since it was spawned out
of the pages of Radio & TV News, which started publishing life as Radio Amateur
News in 1919. (Genealogically, Radio Amateur News was the begetter of Radio News
which, in turn, begat Radio & TV News, which begat both Electronics World and
POPULAR ELECTRONICS, the former merging into PE in 1972.) The past quarter of a century was, of course, the period in which electronics truly blossomed. The very first issue of POPULAR ELECTRONICS, October 1954, observed that it is devoted to the science of electronics at the how-it-works, why-it-works, how-to-do-it and how-to-use-it level. The lead article was written by "Solid State" columnist Lou Garner: "Build Your Own Bike Radio," a four-tube battery-powered radio that attached to a bicycle's handle bars with "U" bolts. And John Frye's "Carl and Jerry" column titillated readers. In keeping with PE's quest to present exciting, up-to-date electronics information for active enthusiasts, the following year covered such topics as: "A Scintillation Counter" to detect and measure atomic radiation; "Market Survey of Geiger Counters" accompanied by a build-your-own device; President Eisenhower's announcement of plans to launch a small, unmanned satellite for communication purposes; the beginning of an audio and hi-fi section; solar battery experiments; and the first "Transistor Topics" column. The May 1956 cover story was "The Truth about Radar Speed Traps." In 1958, there were articles on "The Language of Digital Computers," "Play Games with Nixie" Tubes," "3D Color TV with Glasses," "Go Mobile with Audio Fi Speakers," and "Electronic Robots." In 1959, PE had articles on Citizens Band Radios, a new Color TV Projection System (called Eidophor), "Stereo Records-Fad or Fulfillment?" "Special Report on Color TV," "Understanding Transistor Circuits," "Hams Go Video," and a special Hi-Fi Stereo issue. That was also the year when PE changed from pulp paper to smooth, "slick" paper. Readers in the early-Sixties cut their eyeteeth on Dave Weems' "Sweet Sixteen Speakers" (16 small speakers working in unison to produce resoundingly deep bass), "An Introduction to Logic Circuits," "Build a One-Tube Radiation Fallout Monitor," "A Transistorized Car Ignition System," "Air Suspension Speaker Systems," "Home Video Tape Recording-When?" "TV Pictures on Phono Discs" (Westinghouse's "Phonovid"), "A White-Noise Generator to Aid Sleep," and "Build a Field-Effect Transistor Voltmeter" (a 2N2498 cost $12.75 then). In 1966, there were articles about the integrated circuit and its bright future, and "The Logic Demon" (a logic-function demonstrator project that used integrated circuits). This was followed in 1967 with "The Brute 70," a project to build a 70 watts rms audio power amplifier. The year 1968 was truly a "breakthrough" one with Don Lancaster's $12 / decade counting unit project. And the decade ended with PE's publication of Dan Meyer's "Tiger Amplifier" audio projects (which were low-cost 40-to-100-W power amps), "A Dwell Extender for Ignition Systems," a "Logic Probe and Pulser," an "Experimenter's Laser," and a "Hand-Held Op-Amp Tach." In 1970, PE's "Laser Beam Communicator" wound up at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of History. The new decade brought a "new look" to PE, too. Its logo and type face were changed, and the editorial thrust was directed even more toward the serious electronics enthusiast. This marked a new maturity on the part of readers, whom research studies indicated were more technically knowledgeable than were earlier readers and enjoyed a higher income. A host of construction projects on products not previously available to readers at low cost followed: George Meyerle's graphic stereo tone-control system, a mini DVM, a digital clock, an electronic desk calculator, a TV preamp for blacked-out sports transmissions, the "Drummer Boy" rhythm maker for musical instruments, an "Alpha Brain-Wave Monitor," a "Super Audio Sweep Generator" that essentially launched function generators as basic test instruments outside professional labs, and other "breakthrough" articles. Emerging from the pages of POPULAR ELECTRONICS in 1973 and 1974 were such innovative projects as an "Electronic Digital Wristwatch" for under $80 when commercial equivalents were selling for upwards of $200, and an impressive ESP test machine, among others. PE's size was changed to its present large format in August 1974 to accommodate more complex schematics and foil patterns. Articles in the rest of the year included a digital electronics course and "How New FTC Hi-Fi Rules Affect You." The world's first microcomputer kit to rival commercial models --the Altair 8800 -- was introduced on the cover of PE's January 1975 issue, with how-to-build plans detailed inside. This computer stunned the electronics world since its total price, including a beautiful enclosure, cost virtually the same as what its microprocessor -- the powerful Intel 8800 -- was selling for at the time. It's commonly acknowledged that this milestone was the beginning of the home/very-small-business computer market. A myriad of "firsts" followed: the first low-cost all-solid-state TV camera, how to build a direct-drive single-play turntable, a programmable music box, and others. Also, Forrest Mims' popular "Experimenter's Corner" was initiated. This creative publishing effort was carried through over the next few years with the introduction of construction plans for computer color graphics ("TV Dazzler"), a modem for data communications by telephone (The "Pennywhistle"), an all-in-one computer and terminal ("SOL"), the COSMAC "Elf," "Speechlab" computer voice communications, a low-cost logic analyzer, a Bucket Brigade audio delay system, Morse Code automatic alphanumeric-readout receiver, a computer chess game, etc., as well as feature coverage of new electronics products such as electronic games, video cassette tape recorders, home projection TV systems, car stereo, and video disk systems. In keeping with the country's energy crisis, 1979 issues contained articles on building a 55-mph "Cruisealert," a "Low Fuel Warning Buzzer," and this issue's motor energy-saving device (developed by NASA), as well as advanced technology articles such as the recent "Upcoming New World of TV Reception," which clarified how the vertical interval can carry information for a variety of purposes. Next month, you'll read about a solid-state humidity controller project that reduces heating fuel use, a Guide to Buying Printers for Computers, an RTTY Reader project, and more. So as you can see, POPULAR ELECTRONICS has been an active participant in the startling electronics revolution that took place over the past quarter of a century, both as an information medium and as a "mover and shaker" of events by spearheading the introduction of new types of electronic equipment. We look forward to sharing future developments in electronics with you for the next 25 years, particularly since many of you have been (and will be) part of the continually growing electronics scene through writing articles, creating construction projects and sending us feedback letters. Art Salsberg |