OT: Id'ing an early radio

[Bob Wier]

What follows is a cross post from the Texas (USA) History
Mailing list. I've dropped them a note that a crystal set did
not require any batteries. On the other hand, the box looks a bit
large for a crystal set, so it could have been battery operated.

If you have an opinion, kindly drop a note to bhamilt at worldnet.att.net
after taking a look at the photo.

THANKS & 73s de WB5KXH

              Bob Wier
     mailto:wier at calcite.rocky.edu
   20:24 GMT Sunday, March 18, 2001
    Rocky Mountain College, Billings MT.
 keeper of the Photo-3d and Overland-Trails
mailing lists and the USA GPS Waypoint server

>Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 15:27:06 -0500 (EST)
>From: H-Texas Editor Jeri L. Reed <tex-edit at mail.h-net.msu.edu>

The following comes from an H-Texas subscriber who is in the middle of
finishing a published history of Terry County, Texas (just south of
Lubbock). She asked for advice on an interesting picture, and I thought
that expanding the query to H-West might bring in some more information.
So far we have received opinions that this was somewhat early for crystal
radio use, and that it may be a device somehow connected with a lightning
rod. Has anyone ever seen a contraption like that pictured?

Jeri L. Reed
Co-Editor, H-Texas
<tex-edit at mail.h-net.msu.edu>

===forwarded message======

>Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 07:54:55 -0600
>From: Betty Dawn Hamilton <bhamilt at worldnet.att.net>

Hello Group,

I have posted to my web site one of the very interesting photographs
that we have received for our new Terry County history book. It is dated
Gomez, Texas, 1904.  The two cowboys worked for the WTK (Key) ranch. I
need help in identifying an object in that picture.

Please note the box on the ground and what appears to be an antenna on
the roof of the half dug-out on the left side of the picture. I know
that crystal radios were in use by 1904, but I also know that
electricity at the Gomez location was not possible at that time. Is it
feasible that the box shown is a battery-operated crystal radio?  What
are other possibilities? My first thought was some kind of field
telephone, but my radio-savvy husband seems to think that is not what it
would be in 1904.

My web site URL is <http://home.att.net/~bhamilt/wsb.html>. Click on
"Photos" and then click on the thumbnail to see an enlargement.

Thanks for your help. Our deadline is looming and I'm working
frantically to get pictures, etc., ready (identified) for the publisher.

Betty
--
Betty Dawn DuBose Hamilton
Historian, Terry County Historical Commission
<bhamilt at worldnet.att.net>

[Editor's Note:  The image is at
http://home.att.net/~bhamilt/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-144678.html]

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