"GlowBugs"
"Glowbugs" are simple home-made tube-type radio sets, reminiscent of the shortwave radio-building craze of the 1920's and '30's. Popular 'glowbug' designs from that era include the famous two-triode Doerle regenerative receiver and single-tube Hartley, TNT and TPTG transmitters.
Remarkably, in today's radio technology environment of microprocessor-controlled, synthesized, DSP-filtered digital radios, 'glowbugs' are enjoying a resurgence of interest. Many hams are putting aside their solid-state rigs, wiring-up their own tube rigs on wooden boards, and putting them 'on the air'.
Amateur radio glowbug enthusiasts can often be heard in the evening on 75 metres communicating via CW (Morse code). A popular QRG (frequency) to hear glowbug contacts is 3579.5 kc/s. You need an amateur radio license to transmit, but you don't need one to listen!
Books about Glowbugs
- Secrets of Homebuilt Regenerative Receivers, by C.F. "Rock" Rockey.
- Lindsay Publications, 1996.
- Those Great Old Handbook Receivers (Chapters from 1929 and 1934 ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook),
- Lindsay Publications, 1996.
- Short-Wave Handbook, published by Radio News,
- New York : Teck Publications, 1933
- reprint available from Lindsay Publications.
- 100 Radio Hookups, by Maurice L. Muhleman
- New York : The E.I. Co., 1924
- reprint available from Lindsay Publications.
- The Wireless Experimenters Manual, by Elmer E. Bucher
- New York : Wireless Press, 1920
- reprint available from Lindsay Publications.
- Radio for the Millions, by the Editorial Staff, Popular Science Monthly
- New York : Popular Science Publishing, 1943
- reprint available from Lindsay Publications.
- The Boys' First Book of Radio and Electronics, by Alfred Morgan
- New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1954
- Radio Physics Course, by Alfred A. Ghirardi
- New York : Farrar and Rinehart, 1932
- Principles of Radio, by Keith Henney
- New York : John Wiley & Sons, 1945
- Lindsay Publications publishes reprints of a number of vintage radio books and tube manuals. Click here to visit their webpage.
Glowbug Links
The Glowbug Listserver
-
The University of Idaho maintains an email list-server devoted to glowbug enthusiasts. The glowbugs list 'is provided for the convenience and enjoyment of Amateur Radio Operators who enjoy owning, operating, and BUILDING tube type equipment'. Topics include the fine art of building regenerative receivers and Hartley transmitters, contact schedules and band conditions. For more information, send an email message to :
- Majordomo@piobaire.mines.uidaho.edu
- Place ONLY these words in the BODY of the message:
- info glowbugs
- The listserver will email you information about the glowbugs list, including information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe. There is no fee for the service.
Back to Bill's Room
Last changed : 07 Apr 00
Books about Glowbugs