Edwin H. Armstrong
1890 - 1954
Radio's premier inventor, Edwin H. Armstrong was responsible for the Regenerative Circuit (1912), the Superheterodyne Circuit (1918), the Superregenerative Circuit (1922) and the complete FM System (1933). His inventions and developments form the backbone of Radio Communications as we know it. (View a biography of Edwin H. Armstrong)
The purpose of this site is basic and straightforward - to present, for anyone's enjoyment and study, a collection of interesting Armstrong documents and artifacts. Items that, for the most part, have not seen the light of day in decades.
This site does not intend to retell the story of Armstrong's life, that has been done by his contemporaries, such as Lawrence Lessing in his 1956 book "Man of High Fidelity: Edwin H. Armstrong", and more recently, Tom Lewis in his 1991 book "Empire of the Air". Rather, this site is like a visit to a museum's back room, where you might browse through a rarely opened filing cabinet, or spot an interesting artifact.
Were it not for the efforts of Harry W. Houck, Armstrong's one time assistant, friend and associate to the end, most of the material displayed here would have been lost. (View a biography of Harry W. Houck) It was Harry's intent to establish a museum dedicated to Armstrong, but this was not to be. (View the story of the "Houck Collection", where it originated, where it's been, and how it came to be preserved)
In order to provide the most realistic viewing of documents, and enhance readability, and therefore enjoyment, the document files are fairly large, so be patient if you have a slow to moderate connection. Individual pages are kept short to enhance loading speed.
Your comments or suggestions, as well as any additional insights into the subject matter, are always welcome. Feel free to e-mail the author, Mike Katzdorn, at oldradioNOSPAM@erols.com. (Please remove NOSPAM from e-mail address.)
You may browse this site by selecting one of the following:
1. Chronologically (the only way to see everything on the site)
Unless otherwise noted--all documents, photographs, and equipment (photographed by the author), are original and from the Houck Collection.
Enjoy yourself!