weird outlet

[rzims]

Ok, so not garage related, but this group seems to have lots of people with a ton of various experiences so here goes...
Our house was built in the 30's. Most of the wiring has been updated, but still have some knob and tube in rooms. In our living room, we have a very weird outlet and I have no idea what it is/was....
I haven't metered it yet to see, but thought I'd post this up to see if anyone has any ideas...

 

[Shiftless]

That would be wired up to an outdoor antenna.

one prong for ground, one for the aerial

I think that back in the day, a person would move his radio from room to room and this receptacle made that possible.

Do you have more than one of these receptacles in your house?

 

[nadogail]

Before they were called Antennas they were known as Ariels.

 

[BillK]

I would take the cover off and see what type of wire is attached to it. Might be for an antenna or maybe even some type of old intercom system.

 

[BillK]

Here you go . . . . scroll down to number 19

Museum of Plugs and Sockets: pre-NEMA types

Pre-NEMA plugs and sockets

www.plugsocketmuseum.nl

 

[rzims]

Here you go . . . . scroll down to number 19

Museum of Plugs and Sockets: pre-NEMA types

Pre-NEMA plugs and sockets

www.plugsocketmuseum.nl

And THAT is why I love this group!!

 

[BillK]

And THAT is why I love this group!!

So now you can hook up the antenna and get rid of cable

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Here you go . . . . scroll down to number 19

Museum of Plugs and Sockets: pre-NEMA types

Pre-NEMA plugs and sockets

www.plugsocketmuseum.nl

Nice find

Im gonna post it in the FAQs sticky

 

[Milton Shaw]

Not much use as an antenna now as that was for AM Radio only. The clear channel stations were able to cover most of the nation at night and that is how WSM Nashville got country music as popular. WLAC in Nashville was another popular one, so was WSB Atlanta. Others I don't remember but old folks would listen half the night to get news, music and baseball games live. Clear channel means that no other channel in the country could use that frequency after dark and before dawn. Most of the old 3 letter id channels were clear channels.

 

[nadogail]

I remember Knobs, Tubes and Cleats being sold at my local variety store, in Anchorage Alaska, as late as 1952.

 

[Steve.S]

Not much use as an antenna now as that was for AM Radio only. The clear channel stations were able to cover most of the nation at night and that is how WSM Nashville got country music as popular. WLAC in Nashville was another popular one, so was WSB Atlanta. Others I don't remember but old folks would listen half the night to get news, music and baseball games live. Clear channel means that no other channel in the country could use that frequency after dark and before dawn. Most of the old 3 letter id channels were clear channels.

WLW in Cincinnati had an experimental license for 500,000 watt transmission for several years in the 1930s. I knew some old-timers who lived near the transmitter in Mason, Ohio and they told stories of standing near a barbed wire fence or lying in bed and hearing the radio from the wire or bed springs. Currently 50,000 watts - powerful, but not like it was back then.

 

[ybnormal]

WLW in Cincinnati had an experimental license for 500,000 watt transmission for several years in the 1930s. I knew some old-timers who lived near the transmitter in Mason, Ohio and they told stories of standing near a barbed wire fence or lying in bed and hearing the radio from the wire or bed springs. Currently 50,000 watts - powerful, but not like it was back then.

I wonder if they also heard it on the X?

Border blaster - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KenC]

Here you go . . . . scroll down to number 19

Museum of Plugs and Sockets: pre-NEMA types

Pre-NEMA plugs and sockets

www.plugsocketmuseum.nl

Another site I'd never heard of! The pics of 19, second one of a duplex 120v/antenna socket: Notice the old one is paired with a 120v new enough to have a wider neutral blade. Odd that they must still be making those.

 

[Shiftless]

When I was in High School in San Francisco, I listened to the wolfman. I had an old wooden case Zenith radio in my bedroom. It also picked up shortwave stations. My antenna was a 20 foot long piece of wire running out of my window and connected to a post in the back yard.

…………………


Wolfman Jack held court over his young audience from XERF-AM, just south of Ciudad Acuña, Mexico (across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas), where its 250,000 watt signal -- five times more powerful than any U.S. radio station -- blanketed most of North America. Without the benefit of traditional advertising, it was word of mouth that spread the news about the provocative Wolfman and his nonconformist style -- the kind of style that horrified parents, making it all the more appealing to a growing legion of young followers.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Our house was built in the 30's. Most of the wiring has been updated, but still have some knob and tube in rooms. In our living room, we have a very weird outlet and I have no idea what it is/was....

I wonder if you still have the antenna coil hidden away in the attic or someplace. I'd be tempted to hook up a radio to see what kind of reception you get.

 

[rzims]

I was actually up in the attic the other day checking out our heater unit and didn't notice anything, but it could be under the insulation.
We had a new roof put on about 8 years ago and they insulated the entire space at that time....

 

[dshop]

I could get the Wolfman in Pittsburgh at night in the early 60's, and this was on an old console AM radio my aunt gave me. pretty neat.

 

[HenryAZ]

The clear channel stations were able to cover most of the nation at night and that is how WSM Nashville got country music as popular. WLAC in Nashville was another popular one, so was WSB Atlanta.

WLS in Chicago was a nighttime favorite in NE Texas when I was growing up. At 890kHz, it was low on the AM band and a bit easier to pick up. Three letter calls were the earliest AM stations.

 

[dave*99]

Before they were called Antennas they were known as Ariels.

Well....Ariel is a Disney princess. But antennas were called aerials, we can thank the Brits for that term.