Antennae and transistor boosters circa 1960

[venivdvici]

I saw a list of all-channel yagi antennae in a 1962 Popular Science magazine online. They're priced around $75 but they have transistor boosters. I'm writing a novel set in either 1960 or 1961 (haven't yet decided which). Would these antennae with transistor boosters be available before 1962?

Also, I have to determine how much my teevee repairman's services will cost. After testing the teevee tubes, I think I'll have him tell the customer to get rid of the rabbit ears. He'll install an all-channel yagi in the attic, wire it down through two closets, and come up through the floor. He'll have a dimwit assistant. Do you think a total bill of around $200 for parts and labor is too high? Too low? This is 1960-61.

Thanks for any advice!

[Electronic M]

Tube type signal boosters were common from the early 50's into the late 60's (I've got a 67' Airline console that has the original boster from the house I got it from screwed to the back). I don't know exactly when transistor type boosters were first made, but I'd immagine what you saw in popular science was among the first.

Transistors were pretty lousy in the early days not being able to handle much power, or wide band signals like TV signals for several years after first being used in radio.

[venivdvici]

Thanks. So if I had a booster in 1960 (or even 61) it would have to be a tube type. Actually, I don't care which it is (so long as it's not anachronistic). I just happened to come across 1962 prices for the antenna with transistor boosters. There was another antenna on that page (at the link) for @ $150 using a tube but I don't know how common that price was, since there was only one listed. If I used that kind of antenna, then the service and labor might cost ???

I'm thinking I need the cost of the antenna ($150?), the cost of the first service call ($25?), the cost of labor for installation (tech and assistant for 2.5 hours--$50?), and extra parts ($20?). That would total $245. It sounds so low for today but it might have been high then.

I'll go with this unless I learn otherwise. I need a total price, because my repairman is going to chase down his customer to pay her bill.

[Electronic M]

I'm not very familiar with pricing of such items back then so I can't help on that front.

I can say that tube boosters were common for several years before and after the setting of the story. A booster served to amplify the signal, and would be only used in homes with one TV set that were located way out in the boonies, homes with multiple TV sets in moderate signal areas (because more sets connected to one antenna = less signal to go around), and cases where there was a need to run an extremely long wire between the set and antenna.
In strong signal areas such as large cities and places near to transmiters one could get away with the internal antenna in most sets or a good pair of rabbit ears, and the only use for outdoor antennas would be to reduce ghosting or to fish for signals from distant cities for the fun of it.

[bgadow]

I see it now, spooky house out in the country, where nobody can hear...lady moved out there from town, has to call in the repairman to get that stronger signal...

There are some pretty good articles in the trade publications that were dedicated to TV shops; I've got a bunch of 'em. Some would discuss pricing, lots of great ads. There might be one or two guys on here who were in the business in '60.

[venivdvici]

I decided to change the date to April 1961. I think that all-channel with tube transistor for $145 I found in a 1962 Popular Science might work. And, Bryan, it's not erotica, so I'm not going for the lonely lady in the boonies angle. Ha! I think if her house is outside the city but she wants an attic installation ("an outdoor antenna is so tacky") so maybe that would require the stronger antenna. It's already be proven the rabbit ears aren't working. I hope that works.

[bgadow]

I wasn't going after that angle Really!

[HiFiCanada]

Did did a fair number of TV towers back in the 1980's and have taken down some towers that had a booster or pre-amp from much earlier, probally not 1962.
Anyways, most pre-amps were Blonder-Tongue or Channel Master, they may have a archives page on the history of preamps.