RCA

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RCA

Company History

  • David Sarnoff Library The David Sarnoff Library documents David Sarnoff's life; the history of radio, television, electronics, and communications; and the history of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
  • RCA - an historical perspective discusses RCA from its formation in 1919 through 1976.

Manuals, Catalogs, etc.

*1937 Transmitting Tube Handbook

*Part 1 - General info. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 3.3MB *Part 2 - types 10 through 804. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 18MB *Part 3 - types 805 through 849. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 19.1MB *Part 4 - types 850 through 871. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 17.8MB. *Part 5 - types 872 through 1652. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 12MB.

  • Radiotron and Broadcast Station List from 1929. From http://www.coutant.org/radiotron . 9.2MB
  • RCA Receiving-Type Tubes for Industry and Communications. Catalog RIT-104. 1955. 9MB
  • 40-C - The 40C Program Amplifier was RCA's first AC powered Program Amplifier. It seems to date from 1933-4. A contemporary of the 44A Velocity Microphone & 41B Pre-Amplifier. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 2.9MB
  • 41-B Microhpone Preamplifier (1935). Designed as a companion to the 44A microphone. Approximately 150 of an earlier version installed in NBC's Radio City. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 2.4MB. 1.5MB.
  • 44-A Velocity Microphone. 1933. Scanned and contributed by Tim Wright. 50MB.
  • 55A - 55A Line Amplifier is physically and electrically similar to the 40C, but seems to be somewhat rarer. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 2.8MB
  • 56-E dual telephone line equalizer. 2 equalisers as a rack mounting unit. Listed in RCA 1950 Broadcast Equipment catalogue, p80. MI-4162 Black $32.50 US 1950, MI-4162-A Umber Gray, $40 US 1950. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes.
  • 58-A Tri-Amplifier (MI-4151). 3 input microphone mixer. 1936. Scanned and contributed by Tim Hughes. 5.7MB
  • 69-C Noise and Distortion Meter
  • 70-B transcription turntable. Approx. 1938-1939. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 4MB
  • 70-C2 Transcription Turntable illustration. The 70-C2 is a transcription turntable for reproducting both lateral- and vertical-cut records. A high torque snchronous motor provides 78 and 33 1/3 rpm turntable speeds. The pickup head is of the moving-conductor type with a diamond point stylus. The pickup and filter reporoduce various types of records with a response characteristic considered an ideal playback response. From Broadcast Operator's Handbook by Harold E. Ennes. John F. Rider Publisher, Inc. 1951. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 1.5MB.
  • 70-D transcription turntable. More info at http://www.coutant.org/rca70d/index.html
  • 76-B2 Consolette. Scanned by Lane Lindstrom. 3MB.
  • 76-B5 Audio Console photo

  • 76-C Console

  • 82-A Monitoring Amplifier. This model appears to be the genesis for a range of Photophone and PA amplifiers. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 3MB
  • 83-C Isolation Amplifier. The Type 83-C isolation amplifier has been designed especially for broadcast speech input installations as a line bridging amplifier, but it can also be used as a monitoring amplifier where large outputs are not required. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 2.1MB
  • 85-B1 Microphone Preamplifier. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 1.8MB
  • 86-A1 Limiting Amplifier schematic From Broadcast Operator's Handbook by Harold E. Ennes. John F. Rider Publisher, Inc. 1947. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 245kB.
  • 94-C amplifier. Industrial design by John Vassos. Response tailored to complement Harry F. Olson's UZ-4209 dual voice coil speaker and 64-A Monitoring Speaker. The peak of RCA amplifier design before the 6L6 with feedback displaced triode output stages. Scanned and contributed by Timothy Hughes. 2.3MB
  • 158 Cathode-Ray Oscillograph, 1943.
  • 160-B Cathod-Ray Oscillograph. 1943.
  • BA-1A two stage preamp. Scanned and contributed by Tim Wright.
  • BA-2A Booster amplifier. 1 MB.
  • BA-3A program amplifier. 5 MB.
  • BA-4A Monitoring and recording amplifier. 3 MB.
  • BA-4C monitoring and recording amplifier. Scanned and contributed by Tim Wright. 24.6MB
  • BA-13A Program amplifier. 4 MB.
  • BA-23A Program Amplifier. Reported to be first produced in late 1954. Listed in RCA Broadcast Audio Equipment for AM FM Television, 3rd (1957), 4th (1959) and 5th (1963) editions. $204.75 US 1963. Contributed by Timothy Hughes. 9.2MB
  • BC-3C Standard Consolette. Contributed and scanned by Lane Lindstrom. File size: 3.7MB. Another Copy, another copy
  • BC-7A Stereo / Dual-Channel Consolette. Contributed and scanned by Lane Lindstrom. File size 3.8MB
  • BN-2A portable remote amplifier. Scanned and contributed by Tim Wright. 25.2MB
  • BTA-1N1 1kW AM transmitter, product brochure. Uses 3CX3000F1 operating as a class AB1 linear RF final amplifier. Scanned by John T. M. Lyles.
  • BTA-1L 1kW AM transmitter. Contributed by Scott Todd. 1946. 14M
  • BTA-1R Reduced Size (32.1MB), scanned and contributed by Mike McCarthy
  • BTA-1R Full Size (189MB), scanned and contributed by Mike McCarthy
  • BTA-1R1 1kW AM transmitter. Scanned by Stanley Adams
  • BTA-1R3 Reduced Size, scanned and contributed by Mike McCarthy
  • BTA-1R3 Full Size (240MB), scanned and contributed by Mike McCarthy
  • BTA-1S1 1kW AM transmitter, product brochure. Scanned by John Lyles.
  • BTA-10F 5 or 10 kW AM transmitter, manual. Shared by Scott Todd and scanned by Stanley Adams.
  • BTA-50H 50kW Ampliphase Transmitter product introduction
  • BTA-250L Broadcast Transmitter is a complete, self-contained unit that will provide reliable, high-fidelity operation at any frequency within the range of 540 and 1600 kc. Excellent frequency stability is attained by the use of a crystal contained in a temperature-controlled chamber in the oscillator circuit. No greater deviation than +/- 10 cycles from the assigned operating frequency is pemitted. Contribued by Scott Todd. 29M
  • BTA-250M Broadcast Transmitter is a complete, self-contained unit that provides a power output of 250 watts at any frequency in the 535 to 1620 kilocycle range. Mounted in a single RCA Type BR-84 steel cabinet, the unit utilizes a temperature-controlled crystal for close regulation of the operating frequency. Contributed by Scott Todd. 8.6M
  • BTE-10C FM Broadcast Exciter and BTE-10C FM Broadcast Transmitter. Contributed by Scott Todd. 5M
  • BTE15A less schematics]. Scanned and submitted by Michael Dinger 12M
  • FTF-1D 1kW FM transmitter. Article from March 1960 issue of RCA Broadcast News describing this new transmitter.

  • BTF3B FM Broadcast exciter and transmitter, very popular unit with Reactance tube modulation and tuning motor to control the AFC of division stages. "Iron Fire Man" Exciter. Manual by Dave Hultsman and scanned by Stanley Adams. This short description if of the exciter, from our friend Don Wilson. RCA-MI7106 Exciter

  • BTF-10C - Article from March 1960 issue of RCA Broadcast News describing this transmitter.
  • BTF-10D 10kW FM Broadcast Transmitter. About 1962. 36MB
  • BTF-10D 1962, 17MB
  • BTF-20E1 20 kW FM transmitter. 1969
  • BTF-40E1 40 kW FM transmitter. Combines a pair of BTF-20E1 transmitters. 1978.
  • BTP-1A Broadcast Transmitter schematic. From Broadcast Operator's Handbook by Harold E. Ennes. John F. Rider Publisher, Inc. 1951. Contributed by Tim Hughes. 147kB.
  • BTS-1A Stereo Subcarrier Generator. Contributed by Scott Todd. 4M

  • BW-66F AM modulation monitor. Scanned and contributed by Alan Kline. 24M

  • BX-1A preamplifier power supply. 1 MB.
  • OP-6A Portable Amplifier. MI-11202/A. 250 ohm input, 1620 input stage with variable feed-back as part of the gain control, 2 stage 1620 main amplifier with output anode to input cathode feedback. Output jumperable between 150 and 600 ohms. VU meter, 6X5GT/G rectifier. Provision for battery Supply. Schematic (370k) from The Radio Manual, Sterling & Munro. 4th edition 1950. Contributed by Tim Hughes.
  • OP-7 Portable Mixer. MI-11213. Used with OP-6 amplifier. 4 x 30/250 ohm mic inputs, 1620 pre-amps triode connected, 250 ohm low level output. 6X5GT/G rectifier. Provision for battery Supply using MI-11214 Battery Box. Schematic from The Radio Manual, Sterling & Munro. 4th edition 1950. Contributed by Tim Hughes.
  • TM-10A Color Video Monitor *Article from Jan/Feb 1954 issue of RCA Broadcast News discussing this monitor.
  • TMV-75B Field Strength Meter (500 kHz to 20 MHz). Includes certificate of calibration from National Bureau of Standards dated March 21, 1941. Includes a schematic of modifications for driving a chart recorder dated April 3, 1936. Contributed and scanned by Willis (Bill) Frahm, bill.frahm@citcomm.com.
  • TMV-128-A Frequency Modulator

  • TT FL Line of VHF Television Transmitters

  • WX-2A Field Strength Meter. Scanned by Dale H. Cook. 25.5MB

Outside Resources

The following excellent sites have large collections of RCA data.



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