Globe Trotter 8 Transistor Radio

Globe Trotter 8 Transistor Radio

<< >>
Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description (Brief)
Before 1954, so-called portable radio receivers used vacuum tubes to receive and amplify signals. The large batteries needed to power most tubes made radios large and heavy. Receivers built with subminiature tubes existed but were expensive. The invention of transistors in 1947 allowed engineers to design radios that could fit in a large pocket and such radios were first sold in late 1954. This RCA receiver from 1956 used 8 transistors and ordinary flashlight batteries. Though too large for a pocket, this radio was much easier to carry and more reliable than tube-based radios.
Object Name
radio
radio receiver
transistor radio
date made
ca 1956
maker
RCA Corporation
Physical Description
plastic (overall material)
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 19 cm x 12.5 cm x 29 cm; 7 1/2 in x 4 15/16 in x 11 7/16 in
ID Number
1989.0657.02
catalog number
1989.0657.02
accession number
1989.0657
Credit Line
from Paul Johnes
See more items in
Work and Industry: Electricity
Communications
American Enterprise
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.