[BC] AM Stereo

[Cowboy]

On Tuesday 23 November 2010 06:12:10 pm Bob Tarsio wrote:

> I think your criticism is a little harsh about Leonard Kahn. 

 Agreed.
 He simply refused to accept the determination of the Magnavox
 stereo system.
 Had he adhered to Murphy's engineering maxims, particularly
 "If two choices are apparent, one obviously inferior to the other,
 it is frequently better to choose the inferior, as it expedites
 subsequent revision."
 Had he done that, we may well have a "standard" AM Stereo using
 his system today.
 Instead, his political battle caused ( at least in part ) no standard at all,
 and a subsequent loss of AM broadcasting in general, I believe at least
 partly due to a total loss of any hope for AM stereo in a timely fashion.
 By forcing no standard at all ( let the marketplace decide ) he allowed
 the deep pockets of Motorola to set their own standard, and we all
 know the ultimate result.
 Unfortunately, even that was too little too late.

> That's right 14 year old Leonard Kahn had a First Class 
> Radiotelephone license.

 I'm pretty sure not !
 I don't remember if it was 16 or 18, but I do remember that at 15 I could
 not sit for the first or second class tests as I was not yet the minimum age.
 I'm thinking it was 16, as my friend Steve Kramer was one of the youngest
 first class on record. He was/is a few months older than myself, so could
 sit for the test sooner, but couldn't work as a chief as the minimum age
 to be chief was 18. Maybe it was child labor laws that made the minimum
 for chief to be 18. In any case, he got his first right after his birthday
 for the age minimum, but couldn't use it for another minimum age requirement.
 I remember getting my Extra amateur license in the same sitting, and
 can't remember if Steve got an amateur license at all.


-- 
Cowboy