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A Bit of Controversy
Pat Hawker - A Radio Life

By Steve White, G3ZVW

A Bit of Controversy details the extraordinary radio life of Pat Hawker, MBE G3VA. From a very early age though to his eighties, Pat has been involved in many aspects of radio, from WW2 with the Britain's military intelligence organisations through to time working for the RSGB, the IBA and as the editor of Electronics Weekly and the Royal Television Society Journal.

Starting with his early upbringing and his interest in radio from the tender age A Bit of Controversy brings to life the life of this remarkable man. Pat was first licensed with an 'artificial aerial' licence (2BUH) in 1936 and a transmitting licence (G3VA) in 1938. There are details of his WW2 experience when Pat was a member of the Radio Security Service (RSS) with its connections to MI5 and MI6. Pat followed the allied invasion through Europe with the intelligence services, including a spell with the Dutch Bureau of Intelligence. After ending his military service in 1946 the book brings out details of his published work for the RSGB and George Newnes. Never far from a "radio controversy", this book, covers the 50 years that Pat wrote the hugely popular column Technical Topics which appeared in the RSGB's journal RadCom.

Pat Hawker has without doubt led an extraordinary life and this book details it. If you were a fan of Pat's long running column or just interested in the activity of the security services in WW2 this book is a fascinating insight.

Free Audio CD
A special bonus the book includes on a free audio CD a specially commissioned interview with Pat Hawker, MBE. Talking about his radio life, Pat adds an extra dimension to his fascinating story.

ISBN 9781-9050-8640-5
Size 174x240mm, 144 pages plus CD

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Captain Henry Jackson of HMS Defiance
by John Hooper

For anyone interested in the history of radio communications this book is a must Captain Henry Jackson of HMS Defiance tells the story of a period of time when that ship and its Commanding Officer where both at the forefront of the early experimentation in the use of radio waves as a form of communication.

Captain Henry Jackson was a Victorian radio pioneer who persuaded the Admiralty to carry out trials using this new method of communication during fleet manoeuvres in 1899. At one point was probably more advanced in his radio work than the celebrated Guglielmo Marconi. However Jackson did not have the same connections or support as Marconi, so did not receive the recognition his work probably deserved. Jackson went on to have a distinguished naval career becoming First Sea Lord in 1915 and an Admiral of the Fleet in 1919. Jackson continued to be prominent in radio communications and was elected President of the RSGB in 1922.

Captain Henry Jackson of HMS Defiance covers much more than the radio story and also has details of the torpedo school and submarine activity in the area. If you have connections with radio communications at sea, particularly in the Royal Navy, you will find Captain Henry Jackson of HMS Defiance and extremely interesting read.

210x 297mm 64 pages, ISBN 9870-9557-3460-1

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Perera's Telegraph Collectors Guide
By Prof. Tom Perera, W1TP

This is the third edition of the famous Perera's Telegraph Collectors Guide. Written by the leading expert on Telegraph Keys this book provides the reader with the comprehensive guide to telegraph keys. There is a historical background of telegraph keys and details of the types of keys available from the earliest 1830 varieties through to the present day. Morse code keys, spark & wireless keys, military keys from around the world and radio keys are all covered. There is also a wide range of material covering practice sets, semi-automatic keys (or "Bugs"), electronic keyers, paddles, home-made keys and even novelty items. There are even tips on restoring telegraph keys. The book also provides the latest guide prices for the keys along with a hugely valuable cross reference and comprehensive index of the material.

This book contains:
* Historical background
* Details of key types
* Hundreds of pictures
* Current key prices
* Tips on restoration
* Comprehensive & Cross-Referenced Index

This guide is ideal companion for anyone with an interest in telegraph keys and is a fascinating reference work on telegraph and Morse keys since their very inception

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The Story of Enigma CD

NEW
By Prof. Tom Perera, W1TP
The breaking of the Enigma Codes in World War II was one of the defining actions of the whole war. This CD looks at the Enigma machines themselves in amazing detail and brings to life how these machines were made and used. This CD also looks at the development of Enigma machines made by other countries after the war and detail is included of Russian, Swiss and American versions. In sixty sections you will find 5 videos, over 1400 photographs, schematics, nine Enigma books & manuals and two Enigma simulator programs. This CDcovers a huge array of detail from operating instructions,assembly and details of Enigma machines captured during the war and their value to Allied efforts. The CDgoes beyond the Enigma machines of WWII andcontains material on various derivations of these fascinating encryption devices. There are details of the American M-209 cipher machine including a 30-minute training film on its use. There is information on the FIALKA which is a recently discovered Russian Enigma machine, along with the Swiss pocket cipher machines. The CD is presented in an easy to use HTML format so any computer with an internet browser can use it easily. Some items on the CD do require other software to run and this has been included in the form of Mozilla Firefox (a web browser), Adobe Acrobat and Real Player (all PC versions).

At 697MB there is far more on this CD than we can hope to cover here. This is simply a gold mine of material for anyone interested in the subject of Enigma machines. This CD is thoroughly recommended as a remarkable resource for those researching the Enigma saga or anyone just interested in the topic.
ISBN 9781-9050-8622-1

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Perera's Telegraph Collectors Reference CD

NEW

By Prof. Tom Perera, W1TP
This CD edition of his famous Telegraph Collectors Guide is the most comprehensive guide to telegraph keys available. Containing an amazing 7000 photographs and a vast array of descriptions, prices, books, maps, videos and lists, this CD is a goldmine of fascinating information. The Telegraph Collectors CD is really easy to use and requires no installation or hard disc space, being HTML it should run equally well on PCs or Macs. It starts with a historical background of telegraph keys and discusses the types of keys available from the earliest years through to the present day. The reader will then find a breakdown ofthe various categories of keys, from the earliest 1830 varieties through the introduction of Morse code keys,spark & wireless keys, military keys from around the world and radio keys. There is also a wide range of material covering practice sets, semi-automatic keys (or "Bugs"), electronic keyers, paddles, home-made keys and even novelty items. A wide variety of pictures and diagrams aid identification of the various models and the author has included extensive lists of the various manufacturers, their model numbers and codes. There are even tips on restoring telegraph keys and their use along with a comprehensive index of the material. Even if you are not interested in the dollar value of telegraph keys this historical reference work is fascinating look at telegraph and Morse keys since their very inception.
ISBN 9781-9050-8623-8

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1940s Amateur Radio Special Edition

6 Book Set
Shortly after WWII the RSGB produced a hugely popular series of booklets detailing various aspects of amateur radio. This series of books published in 1947 - 1949 covered amateur radio as it was then. The RSGB is now re-issuing these booklets, in their original form as a special edition. Each book is a gem being an historical encapsulation of electronics as it was and what radio amateurs were doing with it. The set contains 6 booklets with a nearly 450 pages of fascinating material. Not only is this collection a historical master class in amateur radio, it provides an ideal understanding of the way the past has shaped the direction of current technology.
Books include:
VHF Technique - Propagation of VHF waves; VHF aerial systems; VHF transmitters; VHF receivers; VHF measurements; Frequency modulation. 96 pages
Transmitter Interference - Cooperation and goodwill; Interference to medium-wave broadcast reception; Interference curable at the transmitter; Interference curable at the receiver; Interference to television. 32 pages
Valve Technique - General considerations governing valve operation; Voltage amplifiers; Audio frequency power amplifiers; Radio frequency power amplifiers, frequency multipliers and oscillators; Detectors; Frequency changers; Power rectifiers; Special applications; Noise generated in valve amplifiers; Valves for VHF. 104 pages
Receivers - Fundamental principles; Principles of receiver design; Tuning circuits; Straight receivers; Superheterodyne receivers; Frequency-modulation receivers; Construction; Power supplies; Fault-finding, adjustments and calibration. 96 pages
Microwave Technique - Introduction to microwaves; Circuit elements - tuned circuits and cavity resonators; Circuit elements - waveguides; Circuit elements - valves; Transmitters and receivers; Aerials; Measurements. 68 pages
Simple Transmitting Equipment - Fundamentals; Aerials; Simple transmitters; Five-band 25-watt transmitter; Simple VFO circuit; Crystal-controlled frequency sub-standard. 52 pages

© Radio Society of Great Britain, Size 184x120mm ISBN 1-905086-14-8

** SALE ** RSGB MEMBERS PRICE NOW ONLY £9.99

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Without Enigma

Without Enigma is a reassessment of just how much the breaking of German Enigma codes contributed to the Allied war effort. The author sets out to explore if this breakthrough's importance has been over-exaggerated by historians.

Written in a semi-fictional style the book explores how large the contribution to the Allied victory the breaking of the Enigma codes were. The author then proposes the possible results would have been had the breaking of the code had been discovered by the Germans. In this way we are provided with a counter-argument to the importance of the breaking of the Enigma code. Without Enigma is a hardback book of 160 pages which are packed with detail and are an essential read for anyone with an interest in Bletchley Park and the Enigma code.

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World at Their Fingertips
by John Clarricoats, G6CL

The story of amateur radio in the United Kingdom and a history of the Radio Society of Great Britain. Its pages and many illustrations give a unique account of the development of a scientific hobby that has provided technical knowledge and service to the community since the beginning of the century.

1st Edn, reprinted 1993, paperback, 138 by 216 mm, 307 pages, ISBN: 0-900612-09-6.

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Online Catalogue | Radio Books & CDs | History