"a fascinating
insight into one aspect of the 'second industrial
revolution'"
"extremely well researched & well written"
"a labour of love"
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"a fascinating
insight into one aspect of the 'second industrial
revolution'" "a labour of love" |
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BOOK SYNOPSIS Electronics was born in 1904 with the invention of the thermionic diode. From then on up to c.1960, thermionic valves were THE technology; the high-tech devices of their day that drove the state-of-the-art and which made possible the revolutionary new systems that reshaped our world: wireless, television, communications, computers, radar, scientific instruments and equipment of all kinds. |
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Marconi-Osram Valve was involved in the valve business right from the
beginning. It became one of the worldıs great Companies; not large in
size nor huge in financial muscle by modern standards but outstanding
in its contribution to science, technology and industry over a extended
period. |
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| M-OV was born of famous parents in exciting times. It was founded by Lord Hirst, an entrepreneur of stature and vision who believed in individual flair and a supportive and 'can do' culture. Its history covers 100 years, three generations, two world wars and the great developments in broadcasting in the post-war periods. The history is intertwined with Marconi, EMI, RCA, Osram and the GEC itself over virtually the whole period of electronics. The history covers the period in which Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company joined forces with GEC (now calling itself Marconi Plc) to form the Marconi-Osram Valve Company with the aim of securing a source of state-of-the-art valves. This was the earliest time GEC was associated with the name Marconi, a fact that lends justification to the new name especially as GEC has simultaneously re-styled itself as a Telecommunications Company. |
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| So, this is
a history of valve-making with particular emphasis on wireless valves developed
by Marconi-Osram Valve whose genius did so much to advance the state of
the art in the new science of electronics. Back to Top |
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| TECHNICAL INFORMATION The book contains: 352 pages of good quality 130gsm silk finish paper, size 240x170mm. 15 chapters covering introduction, history of wireless valve from 1904 to the present day, history of Marconi-Osram Valve, the major milestones in the development of both receiving and transmitting wireless valves, plus indexes, tables of valve types and references. |
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Over
700 illustrations, many in full colour showing major personalities, valve
types, locations, events, special tools used in manufacture etc. Of particular
interest is a set of drawings commisioned from a young artist, James Friedlander,
with the aim of highlighting a series of classic M-OV valve types. |
| Chapters covering the development
of M-OV and valve technology are presented in approximate chronological
order. At each stage the relevance of the advance in the state-of-the-valve-art
to the wireless applications that were transforming our world is explained.
The impact of valve developments on electronic systems in both peace and
war is set out. |
| The text of each chapter
is structured so that the reader can follow the story in general terms or
delve into the developing valve technology in greater detail. Alternatively,
the story can be followed through the sequence of illustrations and headline
quotations extracted from the text. Back to Top |
| ABOUT THE AUTHORS | |
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Barry Vyse,
BSc, PhD, MIEE joined the Hirst Research Centre of the GEC to work in microwave
valve research. In the aftermath of the merger between GEC and English Electric
around 1970, he transferred to the M-O Valve Co at Hammersmith eventually
becoming MD. His whole working life has been, and continues to be, associated
with valve design, production and application. He is the author of numerous
research papers and more popular articles on matters relating to valves
and valve technology. |
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George Jessop,
C Eng, MIEE: joined M-OV, Hammersmith, in 1926 and spent the following 45
years with this organisation working in valve engineering, processes and
design. His father worked on the same site from 1906, so the Jessops can
claim to have been associated with M-OV throughout the whole history of
electronics. In 1939, he was one of five senior staff despatched to Shaw
near Oldham to set up a 'Shadow' factory under the Government's policy of
dispersal during the Second World War. George has been involved with wireless
since the earliest times. Always a keen amateur radio operator, he joined
the Radio Society of Great Britain in 1924 and has remained an active member
to this day. On retirement from M-OV, he became President of the Society
in 1974 and subsequently General Manager. George is the author of the VHF/UHF
Manual which sold 60,000 copies and the Radio Data Reference Book which
went to six editions. His other RSGB publications include the Service Valve
Equivalent pamphlet and the Amateur Radio Circuits Book. Back to Top |
| HOW TO ORDER |
| The Saga of Marconi-Osram Valve - a History of Valve-Making can be obtained in both softback and hardback from the publishers: |
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Vyse Ltd, 14 Cranbourne
Drive, Pinner, Middx HA5 1BZ, United Kingdom. |
| The hardback version has
ISBN: 0-9539127-0-1 and costs £35 plus postage The softback version has ISBN: 0-9539127-1-X and costs £25 plus postage In the UK, first class postage for either book is £4.13, in other areas, please ask. Back to Top |
| REVIEWS |
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Martin Collier, Engineering
Website Editor Marconi plc "...I particularly enjoyed the accounts of product development by means of both skilful and inspired technical innovation as well as through experience and 'black art'. The view of working practices in the early days of valve manufacture presented here - long before health and safety became fundamental concerns - is also quite revealing! "...Even the reader with
only a passing interest in the history of communications in general and
the evolution of the thermionic valve in particular will find plenty to
engage their interest; the production of this book has clearly been a
'labour of love'. From references to a sequel - and the creation of a
website for reader feedback - the Saga has clearly not yet run its course!"
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RadCom - Journal of the RSGB Keith Thrower writing in the British Vintage Wireless
Society Bulletin Rob Mannion editor of Practical Wireless |
| NEWS: |
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It is with great sadness that we have to report that George Jessop died on Sunday 11th February 2001. The funeral was held at St Peter & St Andrews Parish Church, Old Windsor on Friday 16th February. George, who was 93, was working on the next book 'Shadow of War' right
to the end. George was one of the great unsung heroes of the wireless
world. Obituaries will be posted in the technical press. |
| ERRATA |
| Thank you to everyone who has pointed out errors Minor
errors and typos |
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1. Softback, back cover: double colon after fax.
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Errors of omission
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Errors of fact:
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| Comments/discussion: Several readers have been sufficiently interested the the book to offer comments and additions. These are shown below with attribution: 1. P81 para 3: the first stage of the Mkiv could be used as an amp as well as detector depending on the setting of the input switch (Rod Burman). 2. P82 para 2: 100 characters per min not 100 words (Rod Burman). 3. P224: some indication that the illustration is not a HL2K Batkin but an MH4K(Rod Burman). Author's Comment: although pin count is unclear in the illustration, and the number of wires suggests 4 not 3, we believe this is a Batkin because of diamond shaped anode (just discernible). There are 4 wires but two go to the same terminal and one is much thicker and used as a support rod. 4. Ron Mannion (Practical Wireless) would have liked to have seen more about the radar valves designed by M-OV/HRC during WW2. We explained that we seriously considered this but decided against on the grounds that this was a whole new story that should told in a later book rather than here where it might be impossible to do justice to the topic whilst diluting the story of the wireless valve. In this context, subjects that will be covered in future works will include Radar valves (particularly the magnetron), the audio valve saga, television valves and the setting up of the Shadow Factory in Shaw, Oldham. 5. Meaning of CVD: does it not stand for Common Valve Development (Rod Burman) - Author's comment: originally it meant Communications Valve Development derived from original USW contract placed on HRC in Feb 1939. Later it became Coordination Valve Development when CVD was enlarged to include other companies - see Callick ref 36. 6. P104: the pic labelled DE7 is perhaps an FE3. The DE7 would have a bakelite base (Rod Burman). 7. Brian C Terrell suggests that a CD catalogue of all the M-OV valves produced over the years would be welcome. Author's comment: this is an interesting thought which will be given proper consideration. Back to Top |
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For further information please contact the
publishers / authors |