[ARC5] ARC's first range receiver of 1929

[Bob Camp]

Hi

What appears to be the case is that the needed patents either were owned by or licensed to Stromberg Carlson. It also may simply have been easier to use the existing production capability at Stromberg vs setting up a full production and test floor for a first run product (plus pay the license fees on the patents). Even today companies make the same sort of decisions. 

Bob

> On Feb 17, 2025, at 10:10 AM, zakariya.abu at yandex.com wrote:
> 
> Bob,
> 
> Thanks for the follow up. The basics of Intellectual Property (IP) protection are obviously clear. Considering what Ray wrote, does it mean that the Model D receiver was only developed by A.R.C., which acted as an R&D facility, but the patents related to the guts inside Model D were owned by Stromberg Carlson, hence, the latter was manufacturing that radio?
> 
> 73,
> 
> Jan SP5XZG
> 
> 
> W dniu 17.02.2025 o 14:46, Bob Camp pisze:
>> Hi
>> As the holder of a patent, you can allow folks to use your patented “thing” in their product. You can also tell them they can’t use it. When you allow them, sometimes they give you money for the right to use your “thing”. The way you allow them is to give them a license to use the patent. As a “big company” you likely already have licenses to various patents. They may be your own patents. You also might have done a “swap” with somebody for the license (I’ll let you use mine if you let me use yours ….).
>> Stromberg Carlson was very much in the radio business right up to the point they split things up. At that point the radio group became part of General Dynamics. That GD group faded away and RF Communications (which became Harris RF) popped up in its place. Yes, that’s a *very* abbreviated / simplified version.
>> Bob
>>> On Feb 17, 2025, at 7:43 AM, zakariya.abu at yandex.com wrote:
>>> 
>>> Ray,
>>> 
>>> That's an interesting information. Could you please elaborate it further? What kind of license was necessary at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s to manufacture radios in the US? Was it related to the Prohibition times?
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> 
>>> Jan SP5XZG
>>> 
>>> 
>>> W dniu 17.02.2025 o 13:39, raydio862--- via ARC5 pisze:
>>>> At that time Aircraft Radio Corp. did not have license to manufacture radios covered by several patents so Stromberg Carlson built it for them.
>>>> Ray
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of zakariya.abu at yandex.com
>>>> Sent: Monday, February 17, 2025 7:33 AM
>>>> To: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
>>>> Subject: Re: [ARC5] ARC's first range receiver of 1929
>>>> Al,
>>>> Thank you very much indeed for the source information. Yes, I noted the plug-in coils module on the Smithsonian Institution's photo. What struck me was the Stromberg-Carlson's name seen just above the hand, and not the Aircraft Radio Corp.'s as suggested by the description on the Smithsonian Institution's website as below.
>>>> https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/14185hjpg
>>>> As far I as know, Stromberg-Carlson has always been into the telecom business, and acted as a contractor to make radio receivers for the military during WW II (eg. the BC-348). Does it mean that Stromberg-Carlson purchased the license or manufacturing rights from the A.R.C. to make Model D? I can't find a definite the answer in the 1930 QST piece.
>>>> By the way, A.R.C. later made a neat and compact Type 185 range receiver for the Navy, which covered  200 to 420 kcs.
>>>> 73,
>>>> Jan SP5XZG
>>>> W dniu 17.02.2025 o 02:10, Al Klase pisze:
>>>>> Jan,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Note the plug-in coil assmebly on the side of the Rx.  It could tune
>>>>> from 235 to 8000 KHz with the appropriate coils.
>>>>> 
>>>>> See attached.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 73,
>>>>> Al
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 2/16/2025 4:16 PM, zakariya.abu at yandex.com wrote:
>>>>>> Colleagues,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've just found a reference on the Smithsonian Institution's website
>>>>>> that the ARC Model D of 1929 was the first commercial navigation
>>>>>> receiver. See here:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/14185hjpg
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Does anyone know the specs of this set? Did it cover the 200 to 400
>>>>>> kHz range only?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 73,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jan SP5XZG