Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Auction Talk => Topic started by: HarrySmith on July 21, 2018, 01:11:10 PM

Title: SC Hear A Phone?
Post by: HarrySmith on July 21, 2018, 01:11:10 PM
While perusing eBay I came across an auction for a Stromberg Carlson Hear A Phone case only. Got me curious so I looked and found a complete one.

     https://www.ebay.com/itm/132290471650

Still has me wondering? Does anyone have an idea of what this does or how it works? Pretty cool looking item.
Title: Re: SC Hear A Phone?
Post by: TelePlay on July 21, 2018, 06:13:08 PM
     Regular Member Post (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20151.msg206412#msg206412)

From the book titled: "The Fra: For Philistines and Roycrofters, Volume 7  edited by Elbert Hubbard, Felix Shay" with the page designated at July XIX in the issue.

It's a free eBook at Google Book (https://books.google.com/books?id=cXY-AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA3-PR19&lpg=RA3-PR19&dq=stromberg+carlson+hear-a-phone&source=bl&ots=pU6ugdZrA2&sig=6LfXNeiERx-wgW1EZKAoThy6r1U&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3p4HFlbHcAhUKbawKHcHHBnMQ6AEIajAO#v=onepage&q=stromberg%20carlson%20hear-a-phone&f=false).
Title: Re: SC Hear A Phone?
Post by: HarrySmith on July 21, 2018, 06:51:09 PM
Interesting. I don't know if tiny & inconspicuous is an accurate description. Is there any more info? I am curious how it works with 3 pieces, 2 with on/off switches.
Title: Re: SC Hear A Phone?
Post by: rdelius on July 21, 2018, 08:01:38 PM
This hearing aid is almost identical  to a Dictaphone unit I have .Consists of a sensitive carbon microphone,a battery and receivers to listen with.Dictaphone also rented a unit with similar parts to "bug" jail cells etc.The microphone was hidden and the detective could listen in another room  .Big  and bulky to hide and run wires to
Title: Re: SC Hear A Phone?
Post by: TelePlay on July 21, 2018, 08:28:55 PM
Quote from: rdelius on July 21, 2018, 08:01:38 PM
Dictaphone also rented a unit with similar parts to "bug" jail cells etc.The microphone was hidden and the detective could listen in another room  .Big  and bulky to hide and run wires to

     Regular Member Post (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20151.msg206412#msg206412)

Along the lines of a unit to "bug" whatever, I found this article before finding the above Hear-A-Phone ad. As for size, or being small and easy to conceal, at that time these transmitter units were much smaller than the large microphones in use for radio and recording applications - size is relative to time of use, state of the art technology at that point in time.

From Page 51 of "Telephony, Volume 64 -- By Harry B. McMeal" available for free from Google eBooks (https://books.google.com/books?id=RwTnAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA9-PA17&lpg=RA9-PA17&dq=stromberg+carlson+detect-a-phone&source=bl&ots=eNNBwnvfS4&sig=QTOvjn-CZ-tuKF2LCXd3cqUAvsE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIxfqSt7HcAhVHZawKHTIaBZ0Q6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=stromberg%20carlson%20detect-a-phone&f=false).