Table Of ContentCatalog  of 
Laboratory  Apparatus 
GENERAL  RADIO  CO. 
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 
I 
Printed in  U. S.  A.  SEPTEMflF.,R, 1928. 
I
FOREW ORD 
('ollllllcrc:iai acceptahility has Lccn  tile primary thought ill  the dcsigll 
of  Genel'al  Hadio  instnl1HC'llts.  T his  should  not  be  taken  to  mean' that 
they  arc not  precision  instnllll(!llls  find.  aecol'(lillgiy.  lack  (tCCtlnICY,  hut 
rathel'  tllnt  lIIlUSU"!  ruggedness  has  been  incol'pol'l.Itcd  in  their  deSIgn. 
They  Iw\'c  becH  designed  lo  stand  ordinary  commercial  laboratory  usc, 
without loss of nCCUrilc:\', 
~-\  gcncnd  Chlssi(icHtioll  of  nil  instruments  as  laboralo,'y  working 
shlndards  would.  of  COtll'SC,  be  impractical.  The  "cry  nntul'C  of  some 
illsinnncnts  11S  reference  st:lIldal'ds  makC's  it  necessary  to  give  sPCCitlJ 
attention 10  their precision.  Even ill  these illslnllllcnts.  the construction 
is such  that they may be referred  to  rcgulllriy. without the danger of in 
jury to  their  accurilcy of cillibriltioll . 
.- \  feature of pnrti('ular interest in  our line of I"borntory equipment 
is the specilll parts thHt arc <In\iIHhlc 1"01' (t\lick Iabonltory set-ups.  These 
padS consist of quick  chHnge-O\·cr  switches . .<:;pccial  plug  and  jack com 
binatiolls.  and  bolllc-nel·k  binding  posl~.  In  a  IHborutory  equipped 
with a  fel\"  of  these IIlTessories  it  is  possible  to get ,dong with a  sm<lller 
!lumber of instruments  than would  be  required if  pel"man("ll~ set-ups were 
uscd.  This  class  of eqlliplllcnt  will  be  found  pilrticulllrly  useful  where 
comparisons ,He heing lllade between different kinds or instruments. 
In  looking  through  this  cablog  it.  is  evident  <It  on("e  that  the 
illstl"utl1ents  listed arc \;1I·gely  sp('('ialized ones  fOI"  measurements at audio 
and  radio  frcquencies.  The  filet.  hOWC\·Cl"l  should  not  be  lost sight  of 
that  mllny  of  these  instrulllents  arc  also  particularly  ilclnpted  for  usc 
at cOllllllercill1  frequellcies  find  in  direct currcnt work. 
Aside  from  thc  items  listed  in  this  catalog.  we  manufacture  a 
large Ilumbel· of special  instruments unci  pieces of HpP;Il"atus.  These are 
built  either  to  the  customer's  specificatiolls  or  to  meet  his  particular 
requi,·cll1ents.  Yom p,·oblems  in  this field  arc solicited.
SHIPMENT and  TERMS 
Unless  specific  shipping  instructions  accomp~lll.r  an  order,  we  will 
lISC  QUI"  best  judgment  ltS  to  the  method  of  shipment.  .All  prices  lHC 
1<'.  O.  B.  Camhridge, ) la55.  T here  is  no  domestic  packing  c1wl'gc  and 
no charge  for  shipping  cases  ullless  so  stated  with  the  price  of  the  in 
strument. 
When  o]"dcl'ing  hy  Idcgl'ilph, please  specify  qU<lIlt.ity  unci  OUl'  code 
word.  l"ol'cign  customers  will  find  it  cOllvenient  to  usc  Bentley's  Code. 
Om cable Mldrcss is  Gcnradco. Boston. 
T enlls HI'C  net thirty days 01'  with 27c  discount fol'  payment within 
ten  (by5 from  date of shipment.  \\'hell  cash  accompanies  the order, we 
will  pay  transportatioll  <:hllrg'cs  anywlH'l'c  in  the  L llitcd  States  01' 
Cl.Inadll in plllcc of allowing  the USllU!  cash discount. 
Unless  credit  has  already  hcen  established  wc  witt  IlHtkc  shipments 
c. o. D. 
.,
A  OiVE  PRICE  POLlcr 
The  items  listed  in  this catalog arc of such  a  nature that they are 
best distributed on a direct from Illl.lnufacturer to COllsumer basis.  There 
fore.  with the exception of a  co-opcratiyc pltlll with  the Central Scientific 
COmpuIIY,  of  Chicngo.  Illinois,  our  instrullIents  arc  not  sold  through 
dcaJc.]·s  bl'oke)'s. 
0)' 
:\1<111\' of  lhe instnllllCllls l'cquil'c special  engineering correspondence 
to determine  their  adllpblbility to the particular conditions  of the p I'OS 
pecLi,'c  user.  ~·\..s  these  problems  arc  strictly  of  an  engineering  nature, 
maintain  all  engineering  stafr  lo  gi\'c  pfU'ticuial'  attention  to  Stich 
11"(, 
pl'ohlems.  Your correspondence  is  solicited . 
..:-\ 5  our  instruments  arc  not  sold  through  defilers,  pnces  ha\'c  ueen 
made  on  basis  thut  docs  !lot  permit  discount.  All  prices  tire, 
It  tilly 
therefore,  strictly  net.  Quantity  discounts  as  gl\'en  in  the  next  para 
graph arc the only discounts  1IlIo\\"(xl. 
\Vhen tell  to  nineteen of tilly  item  arc ordered at  the same  time for 
a  single  shipment,  there  is  :\  5% discount,  In quantities  of  twenty  to 
nindy-nine,  the discount  is  l Dl;7r,  Tn  qUlintities of one hundred Or  O\'CI', 
special  prices will ue quoted on request. 
Unless  otherwise  sUtled,  quotutions  rell1UlIl  open  for  thirty  days, 
Delivery  promises  arc made subject to  the  usual classi(ic~ttion of c~luses 
beyond  our control.  Catalog prices  Iwvc  been  rel'ised  to J uly  1, 1928, 
but ,He subject to change without notice, 
l  1 
3
CONDENSERS 
The  requirements  of  communications  hboratol-ies hlw('  called  for  a 
wide yariety of capacity units.  These include precision units for capacity 
<Illel  frequency  stanciurds,  and  units  for'  tuning  of  oscillator  and  filter 
circuits.  The httcr requirements alone necessitate a  n,ricty of condensers 
in  order  to  the wide  frequency  I'ange  used. 
(;O\'CI' 
The larger  capacities  required  for  low  frequency  circuits arc neces 
sarily  of  paper or  lllica  dielectric  sillce  air condensers  of  such  capacity 
would  irwolve great hulk. 
TYPE  219  DECADE  CONDENSEHS 
E\·cl')'  college  and  labol'lllol"Y  has  need  of  a  \"ul'iable  con 
1'(,5('I.II'(;h 
denser of large capacitance  and  reasonable accuracy for  temporary set 
ups  where  it is  inexpedient  to  use  the pr"ccisioll  types.  l'or  ma:-:illlum 
utility and  rapidity or  adjustment  this  unit  should  have  the same  flexi 
bility-as  the  fttmiliar  dial-decade  type  of  rcsistance  box. 
In  the  Type  219 Decade  Condenser  this highly  desinilile feature is 
obtained by  means  of a  CtllH  switch  which  makcs  it  definite contact with 
the successive units, determined by a bi.dl and socket locking combination. 
r 
1 
5
GEl\"ElIAL  IIADIO  COJII'ANY 
This permits the construction of a unit possessing the samc characleristics 
liS  the  standard  dial-decade  type  of  ]'csistnllcc  bo .... ,  The  capacitance 
ill  microfarl.lds  is  read  directly  opposite  the end  of  the  switch  pointer. 
The complete unit is  mounted  in  ft  wtt1nut case with btlkelitc PtlllCI. 
The condensers used  in  the 0.001  steps  arc the mic.l  type.  Holled, 
paruffill-impl'egnaled  }Japel' condCllscrs IIrc used in  the higher capacitance 
steps.  While this  type of condenser is  inferior to that using mica dielec 
tric,  a  well  built  paper  condenser  is  so  satisfactory  for  a  wide  "ariel), 
of inboralol'Y uses  that the expense of  the micfl type in  the hll'gcr capa 
citances  is  seldom  justified.  '1'11(.'5('  units  supplied adjusted  to  within 
1I1'C 
ole 
in  the .00]  )IF., tlml within:2 £jt  ill  the 0.01 i\IF. <.Incl  0.1 ).1.1:'.  steps, 
which  is  11  f;\il·  indication  of  their  cOllstancy  undel·  \"Iuious  conditions 
of  tCll1pel"Hturc and  frequency. 
T he rolled paper comienSCl"S used ill  the Type :H!) units repl·escnt the 
ocst  of  their  type.  The  paper and  foil  IlI·e  fed  r!"Om  the  rolls  through 
an  impregnating  Lath  of  moltcn  pltl"affin.  The  thOl·ough  impregnatioll 
thus  outaill('(1  not Dilly  increases  the dielech·ic strength.  but 1IIso  makes 
the unit mOl·C  cOllsistent in  its behln·ior.  due  to its gl·eater homogeneity. 
Sufficient  o\"lnlap  is  allowed  on  the  roil  so  tllItt  the sliccessi\-c  laycl·s of 
<'itch  plate  may  be  bent  O'-CI·  for  conbtel  with  endl  olhel·.  Connection 
is nwcle to the side of the plate. that is, to aHlllyers in  the roll.  Because 
of  its  lower  resistance,  this  method  of  assembly  is  nlllch  superior  for 
laborntOl·Y  and  filter  wOI"k  to  Ihat which  makes  use  of a  connection  at 
Ihe ends of  the plates only.  Thc side cOllllcction also H'·oids the incrcase 
of phase angle ,,·jlh frcqucllcy ,,·hich OCCllrs with the ('lid cOllncctiOIl.  Thc 
phasc angle of  thesc  condcnscrs lit 1000 cyclcs  is  approximutely  .2570_ 
The complcted  condcnscr  tlllits  HI"C sCHlcfl  in  metal cans \\"hen finllllv 
motlntcci . .. l,  rigid moistul·e~pl"Oof Ilssclllhly is thus asslired. 
T he ,·oltagc rating of all  lIllits is 300 mlts (I'. Ill. s.). 
l·SES.  T he  Typc  iH)  Dccude  Condenscr  is  extremciy  llscful  in 
,·nClllUll-lllhc oscillators of \"I1l·iublc frcquency.  It pl·o,·idcs the largc capa 
citance  l"c·quircci  for  low  frequency.  a.nd  providcs  com·cnicnt  \-arialion 
O'·C1"  a  capacital](·c  rangc of ]000 10  1.  It is  also  lIseful  III  tcmpOritry 
filtcr SCt.-lIpS lind in  tuning circuits to low frequcncics. 
Type 219~F DCC;ldc  ('ondcn5('1" ............. . .......... Price  $40.00 
TCIl  0.1  :'II F.  steps. 
Ten  0.01  ".\IJ'.  steps. 
Dimcnsions 9¥2" x 5" x ;3% ".  W·eight 51,4 Ibs. 
Corle  Wonl:  COrEll. 
1 
[ 6
GE,YERAL  RADIO  CO.lf/'ANY 
Type  219-G  Condenser ....  . . PI'ice  $60.00 
Tell  0.001  :II F.  steps. 
'1'el1  O.OJ  1\11<'.  steps. 
'f en  0.1  :IIF.  steps. 
Dill'H:I1Siolls l:l:* "  x :3" x  Un.  n rcight 7  Ibs. 
Code  Word:  llHIEH. 
-- 00 
AIR  CONDENSERS 
Ylniablc  '1Il"  condensers  arc generally  used  1\S  seconda,'."  sbilldurds 
for  all  labol'lI~ory  purposes  fot'  cftpllcitnnces  lip  to  sCH~l'al  hundredths 
microfanld.  Condensers  for  tiJis  purpose  must  first  of  aI!  be  of  such 
rugged  mcchnnical  construction  to  withstand  the  handling  of  ordi 
;IS 
Itil!"y  laboratory llM',  \\-ithout suffering changes in  c.ilibnltion.  It is  also 
impol·tant  that the phase angle  be  as 101\"  as  is  consistent  wilh phy!>ical 
strength  <lnd  that  the  field  tlnough  the  dielectric  remain  substftlltially 
constant  with  changes  ill  ctlpHcit.\", 
Hcalizing  that  there  is  an  economic  as  well  a  physic:d  p]'ohlem 
HS 
in\'oh'ed,  the  Gcncnd  Badio  Compa1l}  has  tlil'idee!  its  hboratory  air 
. 
condcnscrs  into  three classes.  designcd  to  lllCCt  diffc]'Cllt.  rCCjuircments  of 
\Jrecisioll  and COllstanc.\',  T h.e  '1',,\) e 21:l Prccision Condenser is desi<rnccl 
for  usc  liS  II  lauon.llol'Y  standard and  in  precision  Wal'cllleters,  \\'here 
labonttory  work  of  less exacting character is  plHnlled,  the T ype ~!6 or 
the  T ype  2:30  rariablc  ~-\ir  Condenser  will  be  founel  satisf:'lctory,  All 
t.hree  typcs  arc  ldike  in  gener;d  electrical  design, 
TYPE  222  PHECISION  CONDENSEH 
Condense]'s  used  as  stanellnels ane!  1'0]'  precision  meaSurCllll.:!nts  must 
11<I"e ]IWIIY  feulun~s 1I0t  usually  fOll]HJ  in  on:1inal'Y Inboratory condensers, 
For nlrillb!e  standards it is essential  that  the plates be sufficicnUy  rigid 
;wel  In:1I  spaced  so  that handling the condenser  \\'ill  not C:luse  n  ch:Ulge 
in  capacitnnce.  It is  not  alone  sufficient  that  thc  ])O\\'CI'  fador  be  low, 
but it is  also  important  that  the  dielectric  losst.:s  be  subslunLi(tlly  I,;on 
stnnt throughout the entire mnge of the condenser, 
[i 1
GEXEIIAL  1111 010  COJ1IT'!l.\T 
The  General  fbdio Type  222  Precision  CondCHSCl'  IS  intended  for 
usc  whcl"(,  I"'ccisioll  is  essential.  rathel'  than  fol'  lISC  as  1111  ol'(lilllHY 
laboratory experimental condenser.  In its design.  the Illcchanic .. 1i  us \\'ell 
flS  the e1ectric;.d  fCHlul'cs  hn\'c  l"CcciH'd  special  attention. 
The  plates :HC  of hea\'y  aluminum,  widely  separated by  acclll'atcly 
tnrned  SI)/Iccn:.  lind  fintl!."  clamped  hel ween  suLslHntial  east.  mctHl  end 
plates.  .-\  sleel  shaft, clllTying the rotating  plates. turllS in COlIc-shaped 
brollze  bearings.  The adjustment is locked arlcl' the condenser has been 
subjccted to it ,'olation lest to inSlIl'C  the propel' filling of the ix>lII"ings. 
The rotH!'."  plates arc  turned Ly a  worm <Inc!  geAr,  thlls  permitting 
nne  control.  'fhe  worm  is  held  by  spring  tension  ill  position  agl\inst 
lhe gear to j11"e\"cnt LllcklHsh"  This is  the salllc method  used  in  aCClll"ute 
di\"iding engines"  T he  worm  is  lapped  in  to  insure  perfect  (il.  find  lhe 
condellser then tested for brtcklash ill lhe I"boralol')". 
ELECTRIC.-\ !...  The statol"  plate assembly  is  insulated  frolll  the 
rigid  end  plates,  cUlTying  the  rotor  Assembly,  hy  isolnntit<- hlocks"  .As 
these  blocks  fll"e  small  in  Yolullle,  I1.lId  placed  in  1.\  weuk,  nO'H'al'ying 
electrostatic  field.  the  condenser  has  11  \"cry  low  power  fad01',  "001% 
at 1000 lIMF. 
1 
[ 8
GESEIIAL  RAD/O  CO.llPJL\T 
" fhen  using  this  condenscl'  in  mCl.IslIl"ing  the  power  fador  of  ab 
sorbing  cOJlCicnscl's  the  /'flct  that  the  ficld,  where  the isolnntite  supports 
IHC  localed,  docs  1I0t  vary  with  condenser setting  is  of  importance,  be 
Ci.lllse it permits the tlSSlIlllption that th~ precision condenser is  the equiv 
alent  of  two  condense."s  in  pamUel,  one  being  a  perfect  condenser  of 
\'ol'i:\blc ca.pl.Icily, the other a small fixed condenser with which is Ilssocialed 
all the dielectric losses. 
The  tcmpcn\ture  coefficient  of  this  cQlldcnSCI'  is  practically  lIil, 
and  Ulcrc is no change in  capacity with fl'cqucncy.  The equivalent sel'ies 
resistance  at  1000  cycles  and  1000 :"\1:\11:'.  is  approximately  11  ohms. 
The breakdown potential is about 1000 wits. 
Ill.'" 
SCALES  A="'V  C,I I.IIlH..ITJO:\.  Attached  to  lhe  shuft 
is  a  scale,  divided  into  2:3  equal  parts.  while  on  the  \l'orm  shaft  is  a 
second  scaic,  the cil'cumference  of which is  divided  into 100 cqUtl!  parts. 
Sincc onc complete ttli'll  of  the  shuft moves  the main scale through 
WOl'lll 
one  di"isioll,  the  position  of  the  rotary  plates  may  be  read  directly  to 
1  part ill  2500- equint!ellt  to  about  O.G  l'd i\IF'.  Since  these  sllb-scale 
cii"isions are 1/16 of an inch {lpal't, it is easy to estimate to olle-fifth of a 
division.  Each  condenser  is  supplied  with  v.  cll1.11·t  giving,  with  an  ac 
curacy of 1 l\Il\lF., the condenser caiibl'ulioll III 26 points. 
Iii 
MOUNTING.  The  condenser  is  mounted  on  a  inch  l.lluminulll 
plate  finished  in  pel'manC'nt  crystalline  blu.ck.  This  plate  forllls  the 
[ 9]
Description:They Iw\'c becH designed lo stand ordinary commercial laboratory usc, without loss of  The items listed in this catalog arc of such a nature that they are  Jlwtcr is illdividually calilmdcd with Illl HCCUI"acy of within 1 ?'c .  tllcnt of o\'cr-all cha r actcl'ist i c~ of ntdio l'ccci\'CI'S in lIcc