RCA’s first effort in the 76 series was the 76-A, released in 1937 as part of an industry-wide trend away from rack-mounted systems. RCA was actually late to the game in producing their first all-in-one integrated console. Western Electric came out with the 23-A in early 1936 and Collins marketed their 12-H (and other models) later that same year. These consoles were marketed primarily to small and medium sized stations. They certainly weren’t portable but their relatively small footprints offered flexibility that just wasn’t available with the rack systems. They were also easier to operate and maintain. Perhaps most importantly, they cost less than rack-based installations–no small matter to many stations operating with bare-bones budgets.

Author: Bill