Howard Model 400
1938
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Virtual Tour
   
Company History § The World of 1938
§ Radio in 1938
§ Schematic §
Links §
Sales Brochure
§ Advertisement §
More_Pictures |
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Cabinet Style: Console
Tube Count: 12
Circuit Type: Superheterodyne
Power: AC power w/transformer
Bands: "All Wave"
Tubes: 6K7(3), 6L7, 6Q7, 6F5,
6J5 (2), 6V6(2), 6U5, 80
Original Cost: $109.50?*
What cost
$109.50 in 1938 would cost $1486.00 in
2006!
*Price penciled in on
the brochure.
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About the radio:
This is a 12 tube “all wave” (3 band) superheterodyne console
with a “rainbow” dial, push-pull beam power output, bass boost, copper
plated chassis and
tuning eye
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The 400 was also available with pushbutton electric tuning
(model 400-A)
The
dial includes a logging function (small dial with a geared pointer)
sometimes referred to as a “band spread” that allows for pinpoint tuning
between the calibrations on the dial, desirable for short wave
tuning.
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| Company History
"America's Oldest Radio Manufacturer" was their
advertising slogan. Early schematics show the The Howard Radio Company in
South Haven, MI. and after 1935 the factory is shown in
Chicago.
Howard built radios for the Cable Nelson company as well as
"ham" radios for Sears (Silvertone) and Hallicrafters.
The last radio that I could locate is dated 1948?
There appears to be a connection with
Muntz TV
(1950-1959).
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~~~~~~~~~~ Radio
Almanac ~~~~~~~~~~
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The World Of 1938 |
Radio in 1938 |
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· President: Franklin D.
Roosevelt
· Population: 129,824,939
· Unemployment: 19.0%
· Cost of a first class stamp:
$0.03
Headlines
· Hitler marches into
Austria.
· union of Germany
and Austria proclaimed.
·
Britain, France, and Italy agree to let Germany
partition Czechoslovakia.
· Nazis destroy Jewish shops, homes & synagogues.
Thousands sent to concentration camps.
· Orson
Welles broadcasts his adaptation of H.G. Wells's "
War of the Worlds
", creating a nationwide panic. An
interesting picture
.
· Fair Labor Standards Act establishes minimum
wage.
Oscars:
· Outstanding Production: "You
Can't Take It With You"
· Best Actor: Spencer Tracy, "Boys Town"
· Best
Actress: Bette Davis, "Jezebel"
World
Series:
· NY Yankees d. Chicago Cubs (4 -
0)
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Historical Data From InfoPlease.com
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What's New In Radio
· Radio quiz show "Information Please!"
· Orson Welles' "Mercury Theatre
on the Air"
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Listening to the Radio in
1934
Top 10 Radio Shows
in 1938
(Hooper
Ratings*)
1. Chase & Sanborn Hour(Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy)
2. Jell-O Program (Jack Benny)
3. Lux Radio Theater
4. Kraft Music Hall (Bing Crosby)
5. Good News Of 1939
6. Major Bowes Amateur Hour
7. Big Town
8. Burns & Allen Show
9. Town Hall Tonight (Fred Allen)
10. Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge
(*The Hooper Ratings
Service rated radio program popularity from 1936
through 1949)
------------------------------------------------------
Top ten show information
from DG-125 Computer
Works
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| Howard Radio
Links
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The Virtual Radio Museum
of Belgium's: Howard Radio Page
Radio Attic's Howard Radio
Page
Larry at
Old Time Reproductions
Made the knobs.
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Dave's Amateur Radio; Howard Radio
Page
Any other
Howard Radio Links? Please Email Me !
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Advertising Brochure
Brochure
Cover
Other models mentioned in the brochure:
Consoles: 275-C, 325, 318, ,400-A, 425, 425-A. Table:
225, 240, 260, 275, 368. Chairside: 280. Auto: HA-6,
HA-8.
Advertising Matchbook
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The front of the
matchbook has an advertisement for "Burkes Garage" in West Virginia.
It must be old as their phone number has only 4 digits! ("Phone
3941")
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Please email me if you know of another
advertisement or brochure for this radio.
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| "Before" |
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This set was part of an
auction for 3 consoles that I picked up off of E-Bay for $15.00 along with
the
Philcos 40-185 .
The cabinet is in sad condition. Little finish is left on it, a fair amount of dry rot
along the bottom, one knob is missing and the ink is flaking off of the dial. The
"eye" tube (a 6U5) was broken which I replaced with a less expensive 6E5 with
adapter.
Replacement knobs from Larry Bordonaro at AntiqueRadioKnobs.com, and grill cloth from www.grillecloth.com.
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Martian Landing Site
West Windsor Township (Grovers Mill) NJ
Story: "War of the
Worlds "
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