August 2026

The Superflex

A Publication of the Alabama Historical Radio Society August 2026

NOTE FROM PRESIDENT WAG

Mark your calendars!

The date for next AHRS Business meeting is 7:00 PM on Monday, September 28th, 2026, in person and via Zoom at the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86330579924?pwd=ckZLWEJMb0V2ajhBUzh0S2liQnlmZz09
Meeting ID: 863 3057 9924 Passcode: 631140

We again thank Boyd for hosting the August Zoom meeting, including the video by Tom Desaulniers of M&B Metal Products, a coat hanger factory in Leeds, Alabama, explaining the manufacturing process from raw wire coils to finished products.

NOTE: The Executive CMTE meeting (by invitation only) will be at 6:00 PM that evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boyd Bailey’s next class is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, 9:00 AMin person and via Zoom. The following link remains in effect:
https://us02web..us/j/88180351990?pwd=N2lucjB3WVhtR05nTSs5S0xGcURadz09

He plans to continue troubleshooting and repairing Simpson 260 meters with details closer to the class date.

Boyd has edited and archived his classes to date; to access them, please contact him directly boyd.bailey@charter.netwith your email address and he will guide you through the process.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, there are many radios and pieces of related equipment downstairs in storage in the basement of the Shop. We encourage members to visit the area. If you find something of interest you would like to acquire, talk to Tom Killian, Ray Giles, or another officer or Board member about its availability. For a donation to the Society, you may well get your wish! While you are down there, do not forget to visit the lending library.

Society finances remain stable (and healthier with donations from the Huntsville Hamfest). We will soon be filing our annual tax return with the IRS. Our full conversion to QuickBooks Online will help us track income and expenses and maintain operational reserves.

The Huntsville Hamfest was a big success for the Society! Due to the logistics, we were only there on Saturday the 22^nd. I risk missing someone who helped significantly with the ‘fest but want to thank these men for planning; identifying, testing, and repairing items; transport; loading and unloading in Birmingham & Huntsville; and every other effort to make our involvement a success: Tom Killian, Ray Giles, Grady Shook, Steven Musch, Steven Westbrook, John Herndon, Jim George (who worked on many items we took), Dave Cisco, John Outland, Gene Samples, and Maurice Hill. We even had a unique radio built into a side table (a real table radio) repaired by Gene Samples that we returned to the young couple at a brief stop off I-565.

Jim Grinder, who lives in Arkansas relatively close to Tom Desaulniers, approached our tables at Huntsville Hamfest and announced he was there on behalf of an AHRS member to harass us. Yes, Tom asked him to do so as the quotation attests. After a pleasant visit, we capped it off by mentioning Tom’s upcoming program on M&B Metal Products - the coat hanger folks. That was an aspect of Tom’s life of which Mr. Grinder was unaware. Small world, indeed!

Our spot at the Hamfest. **Left to Right:** John Herndon, Jim George, Grady Shook & Steven Musch facing away, and VP Steven Westbrook. Missing from our photos is Tom Killian who was at his **60^th** high school reunion!!!

Ray with Steven Musch seated on the right. This is later and we had already thinned the herd of ham-related radios. Our last sale was just before packing up, the Realistic DX-302 general coverage receiver (red arrow).

This same day we hosted a session for the Scouts Advance-o-Rama– an event held at the Shop for several years now to help Scouts earn their Radio Merit Badge. Dee Haynes and Barron Smith were the principal instructors for AHRS. Three boys attended; we are aware that there are dozens of simultaneous opportunities for other merit badges to be earned at the council-wide event. There will be a ham radio-related event at Montevallo in November for Scouts; details and our plan to partner with SCARC (Shelby County Amateur Radio Club) will follow soon.

We are planning for the Montgomery Hamfest on November 14^th, so stay tuned.

As we approach autumn, we will be convening our Nominating CMTE to choose candidates for officers (all of whom serve 1-year terms, but are eligible to be renominated again for 2027 should they chose to do so) and those board members who will rotate off their 3-year terms at year’s end. Each Director also may serve another term if nominated and accepted. If anyone wishes to volunteer to serve for a leadership role, please make this known to an officer or board member, ideally John Outland, board chair. Later, we will detail the process and set the date for our year-end meeting and Holiday party, at which time voting occurs.

John appears to be angrily stomping and dispatching a copper coil snake that escaped from the machine. (Those things have been known to charge)

Dee Haynes is teaching John Herndon how to wind field coil. We do this monthly, often for speakers with open windings, which are sent to us from around the country. The red arrow points to our home brew, but very efficient, winding machine. On the file cabinet are spools of wire used to match the copper coils’ original specs (blue arrow). The Society has a related YouTube video posted online that Dee made years ago. Check it out! This workspace is also used for speaker repairs and cone replacement.

Recently the Society purchased 40 NOS (New Old Stock) speaker repair kits that include the cone/diaphragm, voice coil, spider and surround (gasket). These kits will be available to members. Since the Society had to purchase these kits at the current market price and pay shipping, the Society will have to charge members for these kits. The cost to members for these kits will be discussed at the next board meeting.

Dee Haynes is holding one of the speaker kits at the coil winding/speaker repair station in the Shop basement.

Example box containing a Waldon Electronics, Inc. Replacement Cone & Field Coil Kit

We are always looking for volunteers to provide a program for our monthly general business meetings. We have one upcoming on the history of tubes; let Steven or me know if you have something.

For those using the repair stations, let us know if anything is missing or we are low on parts.

A full board meeting will be scheduled in late September or early October (attendance is by invitation only). Any dues-paying member is welcome to suggest agenda items.

Steven is getting a list together for members who wish to purchase a AHRS polo shirts. The cost is $35.00. (this is the exact cost, no markup) Please send your size preference and payment to him at the Society address: P.O. Box 131418, Birmingham, Alabama 35213 or give it directly to him on your next visit to the Shop. When sending a check please make it out directly to Steven Westbook.

Be on the lookout for a call for volunteers to help on the exhibit radios in the Alabama Power atrium; details to follow.

Respectfully submitted & best wishes for a break in the heat.

President Wag, AHRS

United Fruit Company and Early Radio Development

In the early 20th century, the United Fruit Company (UFC) became an unexpected but influential player in the American radio industry, leveraging its vast infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean to expand its reach and control.

Entry into the Radio Industry

When General Electric formed the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in 1919 by combining Marconi assets, patent disputes prompted a cross-licensing agreement with other major electrical and telephone companies. Alongside GE, AT&T, Westinghouse, and RCA, United Fruit Company was the fifth partner in the patent pool. This alliance gave UFC a formal stake in the emerging radio technology market.

Technological Investments

From the early 1910s, UFC invested heavily in radio technology to strengthen its operations. In 1910, the company installed heterodyne alternator radio transmitters at its New Orleans and San Antonio stations, enabling high-quality, long-distance voice transmissions. By 1912, it acquired a majority stake in the Wireless Specialty Apparatus Company, which supplied radio components and receivers, further boosting its independence.

Creation of Tropical Radio and Telegraph Company

These investments led to the formation of the Tropical Radio and Telegraph Company in the 1910s. This subsidiary provided radio transmission services across Central America, a market where no other major company was willing to compete due to the small size and UFC’s entrenched presence. The network connected UFC’s plantations, ports, and company towns, reinforcing its control over the region.

Strategic and Imperial Role

Radio was not just a business tool for UFC—it was part of its corporate colonialism strategy. As historian Anam Ochogautier notes, radio, along with ethnomusicological research, was used to integrate and manage its “banana republics” The network unified the Americas under UFC’s control, enabling communication between headquarters in the U.S. and remote outposts, and supporting its integrated infrastructure of plantations, railways, ports, and steamships.

Impact

By the 1920s, UFC’s radio system:

Strengthened its monopoly in Central America’s communications.
Supported tourism and freight operations.
Enhanced political and economic influence in the region.
Became a model for how multinational corporations could use technology to extend control beyond their core trade.

In short, the United Fruit Company’s early radio development was both a commercial and strategic move, embedding it deeply into the technological and political fabric of the Americas during the formative years of the radio age. (PS. You may wish to research the CIA’a involvement with the company.)

-Copilot

Quote of the Month

“I joined a dating site for people my age called “Carbon Dating.” – Andy Huggins

Remember our Lending library in the basement is a wonderful asset available to all members.

Occasionally we receive radios and radio related items from donations that are stored in our basement, but do not make it into an auction. If you are interested in any of these items please discuss them with Tom Killian or Ray Giles.

We meet every Saturday (unless on a Holiday weekend) at 8:30 A.M. until around 11:30 A.M., at the one-story AHRS Shop at the corner of 8th Avenue North and 18th Street, (1801 8th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203). Please use the rear (Southeast) entrance.

The Shop is open on Tuesdays from 8:30 A.M. until around 11:30 A.M. Note that parking can be a problem on Tuesdays, so you may have to find street parking occasionally.

Regular monthly members meetings are on the fourth Monday night starting at 7:00 PM with the Executive Meeting starting at 6:30 PM

Please join us!

The electronics classes are generally on “Zoom” and “in-person” at the AHRS Shop, typically the first Saturday of each month (except when something special is taking place, then we agree on an alternative Saturday)

Check your emails for the schedule and how to participate.

We start from the beginning Ohms Law, inductors, resistor and Capacitors color codes, as well as what each component does within the radio circuits. We also teach how to use test equipment used in the repairing of radios. We teach troubleshooting radio troubles, as well as how to read a radio diagram.

Currently the class is studying advanced topics relating to troubleshooting and project radio repair. We are retooling our website in hopes of archiving prior classes for those who may have missed a prior class. Email will provide timely details on date, topics & links.

There are coil winding classes, and one-on-one repair help. Come join these classes!

Membership dues are $25.00 a year, payable beginning in January. If you have questions about your dues, you can contact Treasurer Michael Spanos at (205) 540-2523. Dues can be mailed to AHRS at P.O. Box 131418, Birmingham, Alabama 35213 or paid on-line at https://alhrs.org

Be sure and check out our website at https://alhrs.org, which has copies of all newsletters from 2006 to the present (click on News), videos, photo galleries, museum, Old Time Radio columns, Projects, Reading Rooms, Archives, and Contact Information. Within the next few months, we hope to update our website and add additional content and new capabilities.