The Philip B. Petersen Collection Broadcast February 9, 1989

     Radio amateurs have been in the forefront of radio broadcasting since its very beginning.  In the early 1920s, when the first few radio stations came on the air, about the only persons who could "listen in" were radio amateurs.  They suddenly became popular and were looked upon with favor.  Many of them would invite friends and neighbors to their homes so they could also "listen in" and get a big thrill hearing these early radio broadcasts.  Loudspeakers were not available and each would take turns listening as a single headset was passed around.
     Articles soon appeared in newspapers and "do it yourself" magazines showing how to build a simple galena crystal set.  These were sold in little kits that were easy to put together.  With a little skill in adjusting what was called the "catwhisker" to a sensitive spot on the crystal, one would suddenly enjoy the thrill of hearing a local broadcasting station.  As more broadcasting stations came on the air, these simple crystal sets were not satisfactory in separating the stations and many radio amateurs began designing much more sensitive and selective radios that picked up broadcasts from cities hundreds of miles away and sold them in the area.  Some radio amateurs got so involved they soon found they were in the broadcast radio production business.
     One of many who did this was radio amateur R. G. Matthews of Chicago whose call letters were 9ZN.  Using his special amateur radio circuits, he was able to scoop news stories from overseas.  His 9ZN call was familiar to many and his radios were commonly called the 9ZN receiver.
     The company grew and prospered but there was a need for a change of company name with one that would have an attachment with the familiar amateur radio call letters 9ZN. Thus was named the Zenith Radio Corporation and this company has continued to develop and manufacture consumer radios, TVs and specialized electronics since 1923.

February 9, 1990

** Broadcasts recordings preserved and presented here by Mr. Robert Buss and Mr. Bernie Ricciardi, Phil's friends and fellow Marconi Chapter 138 QCWA members **

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