National Radio Company

Lore & Background

The company was incorporated in 1914 as the National Toy Company, but by 1916 had added household appliances, prompting a name change to the National Company, Inc. By 1923 its product line included toys, food mixers, and radio components. Radio components became central to growth in the mid-1920s as National moved into large-scale capacitor manufacture. Two Harvard engineers, Fred H. Drake and Glen Browning, approached National to manufacture components for a radio receiver of their own design, leading to the National Regenaformer kit for home construction of the Browning-Drake design. That set could tune only the standard AM broadcast band and could not achieve shortwave reception. By the early 1930s National had established a reputation with the amateur radio community based on its line of regenerative receivers, including the SW-3 and SW-5.

In 1935 National introduced the top-of-the-line HRO receiver, which included two RF stages and a crystal filter. Its distinctive dial allowed kHz resettability and remained a National trademark into the 1960s. With few changes other than to keep up with tube technology, the same basic design survived for over 20 years. National began supplying equipment to the United States and Allied governments, such as the Royal Navy, in 1939. After the U.S. declared war in 1941, the military advised National to 'Start building HROs; we'll tell you when to stop.' Employment grew from about 200 to about 2,500 during the war. The war effort brought increased recognition and profits, and in the late 1940s National went public.

In 1947 a National model NC-173 receiver accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on the Kon-Tiki expedition. During the 1950s and 1960s, under the name NRCI (National Radio Company Incorporated), National produced a wide range of amateur radio equipment advertised extensively in amateur radio publications. New equipment was often first shown in such publications to initiate marketing. The company favored the inside back cover for prominence and produced Christmas advertisements festooned with holly leaves. In the late 1950s National asked QST readers what they wanted in a new ham receiver, resulting in the NC-300 and its successor NC-303, which featured a rare 30–35 MHz input for converters for 50, 144 and 220 MHz use. In 1965 National introduced the solid-state HRO 500, which did not incorporate the HRO dial system but relied on a direct readout. Through the 1970s and 1980s National survived as a government contractor, ceasing development and production of civilian equipment. By 1991, after continuing difficulties, the company ceased trading.

Reader's Guide

National Radio Company's significance lies in its long production run from 1914 to 1991 and its strong association with the amateur radio community. The HRO receiver, introduced in 1935, became a benchmark design that remained in production for over 20 years with only tube-technology updates. Its distinctive resettable dial became a company trademark. National's wartime production for the U.S. and Allied forces, including the Royal Navy, dramatically expanded the company from about 200 to 2,500 employees and brought lasting recognition. Postwar, National continued to serve amateur radio operators with models like the NC-300 and NC-303, which incorporated user feedback from QST readers. The solid-state HRO 500 of 1965 represented a technological shift away from the classic HRO dial system. National's legacy is preserved by vintage amateur radio enthusiasts who collect, restore, and operate its radios. The company's shift to government contracting in the 1970s and 1980s and its eventual closure in 1991 marked the end of a major American radio manufacturer.

Did You Know?

• National began as the National Toy Company in 1914.
• The HRO receiver introduced in 1935 featured a distinctive dial that allowed kHz resettability.
• During World War II, National's employment grew from about 200 to about 2,500.