Hammarlund
Encyclopedia
The Hammarlund Manufacturing Company, founded by Oscar Hammarlund in New York City
, New York
, USA in 1910, initially designed and produced short wave radio
equipment.
The first Hammarlund plant was a loft operation engaged in radio component manufacturing on Fulton Street in lower Manhattan
, New York City. Their variable capacitor
designs quickly became industry standards, and the component's schematic symbol was adopted as the company's logo. In the mid-1920s, Hammarlund formed a partnership called Hammarlund-Roberts Co. specifically to offer kits for AM Broadcast
radios using Hammarlund parts.
stations, aboard ships and at broadcasting stations as well as by amateur radio
operators the world over. Professional listening post installations made great use of the Comet Pro, and it was used also on many major exploration expeditions.
Following introduction of the Comet-Pro came an improved receiver, called the Super-Pro
(the SP-200 series). The latter was put in production in 1936. Hammarlund expanded when World War II
broke out. More than 2000 people were employed a 14 different Hammarlund plants. It has been estimated that almost 90% of American wartime military electronic equipment employed Hammarlund capacitors. In addition to Super-Pro receivers (Signal Corps model BC-779) and capacitors, Hammarlund produced radar
and electronic counter-measures equipment for the armed forces. At the end of World War II, the market was flooded with surplus Super-Pro receivers at bargain prices, which may be a reason many working examples of this model are still found today.
In 1947 the SP-600 Super-Pro receiver, which surpassed the SP-200 in performance, was introduced, covering the frequency range of 540 kHz to 54 mHz with a 0-100 calibrated mechanical band spread. The receiver had provisions for optional crystal control of six selected frequencies. Several variants were produced including a VLF version, which tuned from 10 kHz to 540 kHz. Others had various tuning ranges which eliminated the broadcast band and the top end of the range was 29.7 mHz. The SP-600 series were widely used throughout the world for military, laboratory and commercial application.
Hammarlund also built a substantial quantity of the VHF FM “Village Radios” for the U. S. Agency for International Development (AID) for use in Vietnam
, as well as a number of land-mobile radios and transceivers for the Citizens band radio market.
Today, many Hammarlund radios are collected, restored and used by vintage amateur radio
enthusiasts.
. Likely an example of corporate wishful thinking, one such tale is that Hammarlund products were supposedly so pre-eminent in the pioneering era of radio that they became a part of the language of radio. As the story goes, early radio enthusiasts affectionately referred to Hammarlund products as "Ham" products, and called themselves "Ham" operators. In truth, Hammarlund was a minor and barely known company at the time "ham" started to be used.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA in 1910, initially designed and produced short wave radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
equipment.
History
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City. Their variable capacitor
Variable capacitor
A variable capacitor is a capacitor whose capacitance may be intentionally and repeatedly changed mechanically or electronically. Variable capacitors are often used in L/C circuits to set the resonance frequency, e.g. to tune a radio , or as a variable reactance, e.g...
designs quickly became industry standards, and the component's schematic symbol was adopted as the company's logo. In the mid-1920s, Hammarlund formed a partnership called Hammarlund-Roberts Co. specifically to offer kits for AM Broadcast
Broadcast
Broadcast or Broadcasting may refer to:* Broadcasting, the transmission of audio and video signals* Broadcast, an individual television program or radio program* Broadcast , an English electronic music band...
radios using Hammarlund parts.
Comet pro receiver
When Hammarlund-Roberts went out of business in 1931, Hammarlund Mfg. Co., Inc. entered into the shortwave receiver market with the introduction of the "Comet Pro", the first commercial short wave superheterodyne receiver. Within five years, thousands of these receivers were in use at commercial radiotelegraph and radiotelephoneRadiotelephone
A radiotelephone is a communications system for transmission of speech over radio. Radiotelephone systems are not necessarily interconnected with the public "land line" telephone network. "Radiotelephone" is often used to describe the usage of radio spectrum where it is important to distinguish the...
stations, aboard ships and at broadcasting stations as well as by amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators the world over. Professional listening post installations made great use of the Comet Pro, and it was used also on many major exploration expeditions.
Super pro receivers
Hammarlund Super Pro
The Hammarlund Super Pro was an American made radio communications receiver.- History :In March 1936, the Hammarlund Manufacturing Company initiated the first of the famous “Super-Pro” line, the SP-10 receiver, followed in January 1937 by the SP-100...
(the SP-200 series). The latter was put in production in 1936. Hammarlund expanded when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out. More than 2000 people were employed a 14 different Hammarlund plants. It has been estimated that almost 90% of American wartime military electronic equipment employed Hammarlund capacitors. In addition to Super-Pro receivers (Signal Corps model BC-779) and capacitors, Hammarlund produced radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and electronic counter-measures equipment for the armed forces. At the end of World War II, the market was flooded with surplus Super-Pro receivers at bargain prices, which may be a reason many working examples of this model are still found today.
Communications gear
When two-way mobile radio was being introduced to taxicabs, railroads, power companies, pipe lines and industry in 1948, Hammarlund became the first to bring out selective calling equipment. While Hammarlund was most famous for its amateur/short-wave receiver lines such as the Super Pro series and the HQ series (which includes the HQ-100, 110, 120, 129, 145, 150, 160, 170, 180, 200 and 215) a number of transmitters were also produced. These saw only limited use until Hammarlund entered the market with single-sideband equipment. In 1960 the HX-500 was introduced; this was a table-top, 100 watt output, single-sideband transmitter which also had FM and FSK transmission capability, along with the later HX-50. In 1964 the company produced a table-top linear amplifier, the HXL-1.Hammarlund also built a substantial quantity of the VHF FM “Village Radios” for the U. S. Agency for International Development (AID) for use in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, as well as a number of land-mobile radios and transceivers for the Citizens band radio market.
Final decades
Even as the company continued to produce communications equipment for the amateur, commercial, and Citizens Band radio markets, it underwent frequent changes of ownership. The first was in the late 1950s when Hammarlund was sold to Telechrome. Several years later Telechrome sold out to Giannini Scientific. In the late 60’s the company was once again sold to the Electronic Assistance Corporation (EAC). But, this sale was final. The product line was sold off in parts or phased out. The Cardwell Condenser Corporation purchased all remaining stocks, and in the early 1970s the Hammarlund factory closed. At the time of its dissolution, Hammarlund was among the USA's very oldest producers of radio equipment.Today, many Hammarlund radios are collected, restored and used by vintage amateur radio
Vintage amateur radio
Vintage amateur radio is a subset of the amateur radio hobby, considered a form of nostalgia much like antique car collecting, where enthusiasts collect, restore, preserve, build, and operate amateur radio equipment from bygone years, most notably those using vacuum tube technology.Popular modes of...
enthusiasts.
Hammarlund legend
There are a number of false etymologies regarding why amateur radio operators are called hamsEtymology of ham radio
Ham is an informal term for an amateur radio operator, and, by extension, "ham radio" refers to amateur radio in general. This use of the word first appeared in the United States during the opening decade of the 20th century—for example, in 1909 Robert A...
. Likely an example of corporate wishful thinking, one such tale is that Hammarlund products were supposedly so pre-eminent in the pioneering era of radio that they became a part of the language of radio. As the story goes, early radio enthusiasts affectionately referred to Hammarlund products as "Ham" products, and called themselves "Ham" operators. In truth, Hammarlund was a minor and barely known company at the time "ham" started to be used.
See also
- Collins radio
- E.F. Johnson
- HallicraftersHallicraftersThe Hallicrafters Company manufactured, marketed, and sold radio equipment beginning in 1932. The company was based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.-History:William J. Halligan founded his own radio manufacturing company in Chicago in late 1932...
- Hammarlund super proHammarlund Super ProThe Hammarlund Super Pro was an American made radio communications receiver.- History :In March 1936, the Hammarlund Manufacturing Company initiated the first of the famous “Super-Pro” line, the SP-10 receiver, followed in January 1937 by the SP-100...
- National radioNational Radio CompanyThe National Radio Company, headquartered in Malden, Massachusetts, USA was an American manufacturer of radio equipment from 1914 to 1991.-History:...
- Vintage amateur radioVintage amateur radioVintage amateur radio is a subset of the amateur radio hobby, considered a form of nostalgia much like antique car collecting, where enthusiasts collect, restore, preserve, build, and operate amateur radio equipment from bygone years, most notably those using vacuum tube technology.Popular modes of...
External links
- Cardwell Condenser Corporation (Current holder of Hammarlund Parts Stocks)
- Hammarlund rigs