[Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters Digest, Vol 123, Issue 8

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <radio at daileyservices.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 9:57 AM
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters Digest, Vol 123, 
Issue 8


> David Sarnoff also screwed over Edwin Armstrong.  That 
> story is legendary, but it's why we have the 88-108 Bcst 
> FM band today, instead of the lower set of frequencies 
> that the Armstrong gear was made for - He had 
> transmitters, receivers, and all the control equipment 
> ready to go, and Sarnoff got the FCC to put HIM in their 
> pocket - Armstrong ultimately put on his coat and hat, and 
> walked out of a window.
>
> Tom - W0EAJ

     The feud and patent litigation between Armstong and RCA 
is very well documented. Armstrong had problems with patents 
other than FM such as the super regenerator.  There were 
good reasons for changing from the 50-54 mhz band to the 
upper one, for instance there are about four times the 
number of channels available.  Also 50 mhz has problems with 
long distance co-channel interferrence. The problems are not 
as simple as a personal vendetta although that certainly 
existed.  Curiously Armstrong and Sarnoff were good friends 
before their egos got in the way. Armstrong's wife persisted 
in the patent fight after his suicide and eventually 
prevailed.  She had been Sarnoff's personal secretary before 
marying Armstrong.
    The reason that Westinghouse was invited to become a 
part of RCA after its original formation was that they held 
important patents assigned to them by Armstrong.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com