Technical books online!
4.22 gigabytes and still (slowly) growing! Over 100 titles!
Preserving the Knowledge of the Ancients?
I’ve found that most of the technical books published before about 1964 never
had their copyrights renewed, so now are in the public domain. So I am
endeavoring to digitize and post some selected books relating to the
“vacuum tube age” of electronics here.
Many – maybe over half now – of these books were
scanned by other people and contributed for me to post here. Many, many
thanks to all the individuals who have helped out with this endeavor. I
find that I do not have much time to scan books these days – the demands of the
“day job” have increased much over the past few years – so I’m not
doing a lot of scanning myself. If you have material that you would like
to contribute, please send me an email.
I have checked to the best of my ability to confirm that these works have
expired copyrights and are now
in the public domain. If you have information to the contrary, please
contact me at:
For information about copyrights and copyright renewals, look
here. Here’s a nice, easy copyright renewal search
tool.
For more details on how (and why)
I do this, look lower at the bottom of
this page.
If you want to post any of these scans on another site,
please contact me for permission before you do… I like to know who is doing
what with these things! In general I don’t have any issues with others
posting the scans that I myself have done (it might save some bandwidth),
although I do appreciate it if you credit the source of the scan.
Beware – some of these files are very big (noted with
red warnings). If you’re on dialup better start a download and go to bed!
The book scans below are
in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. I recommend that if you don’t already have
it you download the latest version of Adobe reader. Some files have
compressed images that may not work correctly with older versions of Acrobat
reader.
For books containing primarily tube data, like Sylvania, GE, and
RCA tube manuals, see the tube data page.
Arranged by subject category,
then alphabetically by title. Note that there is much overlap in the
subjects (e.g., many “radio” books have a thorough treatment of vacuum
tubes, and most general textbooks cover radio and vacuum tubes in some detail). Use (ctrl-f) in your browser to find a particular book or
author…
On
most books you click on the name of the title to download an introduction (the
first few pages, usually the title through table of contents) This way you
can see if you’re interested before downloading many megabytes of data.
Jump to:
General Electrical
Engineering Books and Textbooks (pre-1964)
Audio (hi-fi, amplifiers,
speakers…)
Radio (transmitters,
receivers, design, repair…)
Vacuum Tube theory &
circuit design
Test & Measurement
(equipment, instructions…)
Passive components
(transformers, capacitors…)
Other
(transistors, tape recorders, odd stuff…)
General
Electrical Engineering Books and Textbooks
Applied Electronics,
Truman S. Gray, 1954, 913 pages – Courtesy of
Gary Smith
An introductory EE text –
“A first course in electronics, electron tubes, and associated circuits”.
Download
full text, 57MB PDF file
Basic Radio – The
Essentials of Electron tubes and their Circuits, J. Barton Hoag, 1942,
379 pages
This college-level
electronics text is “designed for the student with only a limited
background in physics and mathematics”. Covers the basics of AC and
DC circuits and radio propagation, then vacuum tubes and circuits that use
them. Has some information not found on other texts, like high-frequency
and microwave radio, transmission line theory, and DC amplifiers. Another
good text!
Download full
text with index, 15MB PDF file
Circuit Theory and Design,
John L. Stewart, 1956, 499 pages – Courtesy of
Gary Smith
A concentrated treatment of
linear circuit analysis – poles and zeros, RL, RC, LC circuits, filters, gain
functions. Continues with analysis of feedback amplifiers and oscillators,
and even servomechanisms.
Download
full text, 25MB PDF file
Circuit Theory of Electron
Devices, E. Milton Boone, 1953, 499 pages –
Courtesy of Gary Smith
Though the title may be a
little misleading, this is a college textbook about circuits.
Download
full text, 25MB PDF file
Electrical
Communication, Arthur Albert, 1950, 598 pages – Courtesy of
anonymous donor
Most of this book is
dedicated to telephony. Sections on acoustics and transducers, fundamental
electronics, and details on telephone systems. The latter half of the book
discusses radio communications, mostly as they relate to the telephone system.
Download
full text, 31MB PDF file
Electrical Engineering, E. E. Kimberly, 1951, 394 pages – Thanks to Keith Carlsen!
A different college EE
text, this one is target at non-EE majors. Less theory than most EE texts,
and lots of information about motors. I think this was targeted largely at
Civil, Industrial, and Mechanical engineers. Only one chapter on
“electronic” devices (tubes and tube circuits).
Download full
text with index, 5.8MB PDF file
Electronic Amplifier Circuits,
Joseph Petit and Malcolm McWhorter, 1961, 325 pages
As you might guess from the
title, this textbook is all about the theory and design of amplifiers. While mostly containing tube circuits it does include some
information on those new-fangled transistor things. Plenty if math in this
one, it concentrates on wide band (e.g., video) amplifiers.
Download full
text with index, 13MB PDF file
Electronic
Circuit Theory, Henry J. Zimmerman & Samuel J. Mason, 1960,
586 pages – Courtesy of Gary Smith
An EE textbook that
concentrates on modeling of vacuum tubes and semiconductors. it
concentrates on linear and piecewise-linear models, which can be a littel easier
to understand for us that are mathematically challenged.
Download
full text, 25MB PDF file
Electronic Circuits and Tubes, Cruft Laboratory at Harvard
University, 1947, 994 pages
– Courtesy of Jim McConville
This is one of the most
comprehensive texts in the collection. According to the forward, the book
was developed from the lecture notes of a special wartime electronics training
course. A reasonably mathematical treatment of basic circuit theory,
vacuum tubes, and practical circuits.
Download full
text with index, 12MB PDF file
Electronic Circuits,
Thomas L. Martin, 1955, 735 pages – Courtesy of
Gary Smith
A college EE text covering
vacuum tube and transistor devices and circuits. Perhaps a little more
practical than many.,,
Download
full text, 32MB PDF file
Electronic
Circuits, E. J. Angelo, 1958, 467 pages –
Courtesy of Gary Smith
This is a college EE
textbook at the dawn of semiconductors, “A unified treatment of vacuum tubes and
transistors”.
Download
full text, 28MB PDF file
Electronic Designers
Handbook, Robert Landee, Donovan Davis & Albert
Albrecht, 1957, 1050 pages – Courtesy of Gary
Smith
A practical EE handbook for
engineers as well as students, covers all kinds of circuits, with tons of
formulas and design examples.
Download
full text, 69MB PDF file
Electronics for Communications Engineers,
John
Markus and Vin Zeluff, 1952, 619 pages – Courtesy
of an anonymous donor
A series of electronics
articles from the 1950’s covering a wide variety of topics.
Download full
text, 92MB PDF file
Electronics for Engineers, Johm Markus and Vin Zeluff,
1945, 398 pages – Courtesy
of an anonymous donor
A collection of articles covering
a variety of practical design subjects of the 1940’s.
Download full
text, 35.7MB PDF file
Engineering Electronics, George Happell and Wilfred Hesselberth,
1953, 508 pages – Courtesy of Earles McCaul
This is a newer college
text, covering vacuum tubes, circuit analysis, and some practical amplifier
design considerations. More practical than some texts, it even includes
some tube curves for popular tubes of the day.
Download full
text with index, 7MB PDF file
Engineering
Electronics, Donald Fink, 1938, 361 pages – Courtesy of anonymous
donor
Same name, different
book. An engineering text written for engineers familiar with electricity
but not “electronics”. Covers physical electronics, tubes, and
tube applications.
Download
full text, 31MB PDF file
Functional Circuits and
Oscillators, Herbert J. Reich, 1961, 491 pages –
Courtesy of Gary Smith
Quite an interesting book
that covers mostly negative-resistance oscillator circuits, but also discusses
some unusual devices, like counter tubes and beam deflection tubes. Also
some discussion of digital vacuum tube circuits.
Download
full text, 30MB PDF file
Fundamentals of Engineering Electronics, William Dow,
1937, 617 pages – Courtesy
of an anonymous donor
A very unassuming title for
a 617-page engineering book! The first part of the book has a rather
in-depth treatment of vacuum tube operation, and details of amplifier circuit
design. The second part delves into the physics of gas tubes and
phototubes, and also a bit of power supply design.
Download full
text, 26.5MB PDF file
NEW 8/24/20 – Fundamental Radio Experiments,
Robert C. Higgy,
1943, 99 pages – Courtesy of Bob Sweeney
Sort a lab manual for
performing a series of 32 experiments using vacuum tubes. Covers basics,
the use of test ewuipment, and the construction of a number of different
ciurcuits – basic amplifiers, radio circuits, etc.
Download full
text, 53MB PDF file
Functional Circuits and
Oscillators, Herbert J. Reich, 1961, 491 pages –
Courtesy of Gary Smith
Quite an interesting book
that covers mostly negative-resistance oscillator circuits, but also discusses
some unusual devices, like counter tubes and beam deflection tubes. Also
some discussion of digital vacuum tube circuits.
Download
full text, 30MB PDF file
NEW 4/14/20 – Principle of Electronics,
M. R. Gavin & J. E. Houldin, 1969, 610 pages – Courtesy of
Daniel Thompson
British textbook on electronics for
university students. Starts with the basics, progresses through vacuum
tubes and early seimcondutor devices, then into circuits.
Download
full text, MB PDF file
Radiotecnia Basica,
Fransisco Garcia Berlanga, 1959, 360 pages
This Spanish-language text is a fairly
complete treatment of vacuum tubes as well as semiconductors, as applied to
radio circuits.
Download
full text, CAUTION LARGE 233 (!) MB PDF file
Reference Data For Radio
Engineers,
International Telephone and Telegraph Corp., 1956, 1121 pages – Thanks to
Ed Stewart, WA4MZS!
A later and greatly
expanded 4th version of the book above. A wonderful reference for anybody
designing equipment with vacuum tubes. Sections on digital computers,
nuclear physics, wire transmission… all kinds of cool things. Plus
practical guides for things like power supply design, including how to design
and wind the transformers and chokes,
Download full
text, 13.5MB PDF file
Seachable DJVU file
(10.2MB) – Thanks to Phil Hobbs!
Vacuum-tube and
Semiconductor Electronics, Jacob Millman, 1958, 657 pages –
Courtesy of Gary Smith
A first year EE textbook
that bridges the vacuum tube age and the semiconductor age. Talks about
tube and semiconductor devices, and the basics of amplifiers, oscillators, and
power supplies.
Download
full text, 40MB PDF file
Download problems and solutions, 7MB PDF file
Audio
(hi-fi, amplifiers, speakers…)
A to Z in Audio, G. A Briggs, 1961, 225 pages
– Courtesy
of John Atwood
An interesting “audio
encyclopedia”, from A to Z.
Download full
text with index, 10.7MB PDF file
Amplifier Builders Guide,
Hugo Gernsback, 1964, 33 (double) pages
From the editors of
Radiocraft, this practical guide concentrates on the design and construction of
audio amplifiers. Two parts: the first on amplifier theory and design, the
second giving six practical designs to build. Talks about phase splitters,
feedback, and tone controls, things not addressed in most textbooks.
Download full
text with index, 32MB PDF file
Amplifiers, H. Lewis
York, 1964, 254 pages – Thanks to Keith Carlsen!
This UK book is one of a
series on “The Technique of Sound Reproduction”. It’s a good
practical guide to the design of amplifiers, with many example schematics using
the GEC and Mullard valves of the time. Great book for a reasonably short
introduction to tube amp design for the non-engineer.
Download full
text with index, 3.3MB PDF file
Amplifiers (The Why
and How of Good Amplification), G. A. Briggs, 1952, 216 pages
A very cool book from
England on tube amplifiers. Covers theory, and concentrates on amplifier
quality – distortion, noise, etc. and how to prevent them. Practical, not
too theoretical. Covers amplifier circuits as well as tone controls, mic
and pickup preamps, and power supplies. Also includes schematics and parts
list for the “Garner Amplifier”, an amplifier, as well as a preamp and
a couple of tuner circuits.
Download full
text with index, 2.3MB PDF
file
An Approach to Audio Frequency
Amplifier Design, G. E.
C. Valve and Electronics Department, 1957, 126 pages – Thanks to Eric
Santanen!
We’ve all seen the classic
GEC amp schematics, but here’s the whole book! Seventeen amplifier designs
ranging from 3 to 1,100 watts are presented, along with tube data and design
considerations.
Download full
text with index, 1.9MB PDF file
New 6/23/17 –
Audio Handbook No. 2: Feedback, Norman Crowhurst, 1957, 63 pages – Thanks to Keith
Carlsen!
This is a nice practical
guide to implementing feedback in a tube amp, including old-fashioned
calculation methods.
Download full text, 4.7MB PDF file
Basic Audio, Norman Crowhurst,
1959 – Thanks to Keith Carlsen!
This is a 3-volume set on,
as the title implies, basic audio. The best introduction to tube hi-fi
I’ve seen, the first volume starts with the nature of sound, and covers the
basics of speakers and microphones. Volume 2 continues with amplification,
covering the basics of amplifier design. Volume 3 covers a little more
advanced topics like feedback, power supplies, and recording. If you’re a
beginner, READ THESE BOOKS!
Volume
1 (114 pages) Download full
text with index, 4.2MB PDF file
Volume
2 (122 pages) Download full
text with index, 4.1MB PDF file
Volume
3 (113 pages) Download full
text with index, 3.2MB PDF file
Designing and Building Hi-Fi Furniture, Jeff Markell,
1959, 225 pages – Courtesy
of John Atwood
Hi-Fi Furniture?
Yes! This book is about how to design and build the wooden cabinets used
for stereo equipment and speakers. Also includes info on room, layout and
acoustics.
Download full
text with index, 19.1MB PDF file
Harmonic Distortion and Negative Feedback in Audio-Frequency
Amplifiers, BBC Engineering Training Dept., 1950, 105 pages – Thanks
to Morgan Jones
A very nice practical
discussion of distortion and feedback in audio amplifiers. The first
section describes harmonic distortion and how it gets created in a tube amplifier
stage. The remainder of the book describes various feedback methods and
their implementation around one or more stages. Appendices show how to
calculate stage gain with feedback.
Download full
text with index, 1.1MB PDF file
High-Fidelity Circuit Design, Norman Crowhurst and George
Cooper, 1957, 296 pages – Courtesy of John Atwood
The title pretty much says
it all here.. this is a practical guide to the design of audio circuits.
Download full
text, 12MB PDF file
High Fidelity Techniques, James Langham, 1950, 114 pages
– Courtesy
of John Atwood
Discusses distortion,
speakers, and amplifier design. Good, practical, easy-to-read advice and explanation
of deign techniques like feedback.
Download full
text with index, 5.7MB PDF file
Practical Amplifier Diagrams, Jack Robin & Chester
Lipman, 1947, 104 pages – Courtesy
of John Atwood
45 proven circuits for the
technician and experimenter! Schematics of a variety of audio circuits,
mostly amplifiers from 1W to 75 watts.
Download full
text with index, 5.1MB PDF file
The Recording and Reproduction of Sound, Oliver Read, 1952, 790 pages – Courtesy
of David Stork
Unique in this collection (so far), this
book concentrates on the recording process, and to some extent the reproduction
process, as opposed to just amplifiers or radios. A fantastic book if you
are looking for info on how records were (are?) cut, and how magnetic tape
machines work. A very practical book, it includes schematics of many pieces of
professional audio of the 1950’s. Also contains info about acoustics,
loudspeakers and cabinets, and PA system design.
Download full
text with index, 16MB PDF file
The Story of Stereo, John Sunier, 1960, 161 pages
– Courtesy
of John Atwood
A history of the
development of stereophonic sound. Discusses film, tape, and disc storage,
and recording and reproduction.
Download full
text with index, 8MB PDF file
Radio
(transmitters, receivers, design, repair…)
Aeronautical Radio, Myron
Eddy, 1939, 514 pages – Courtesy of anonymous donor
I’m surprised to see such a
lengthy text from 1939 on aeronautical radio! As you might guess
this is a very comprehensive treatment of the state of the art circa 1939.
Starts with the basics – electricity, radio, tubes – then delves into
radiotelephone and telegraph transmitters and receivers, direction finding,
navigation beacons, even VHF instrument landing systems.
Download
full text, 19MB PDF file
Automatic Frequency Control Systems, Johm F. Rider,
1937, 153 pages – Courtesy
of an anonymous donor
A detailed look at AFC
systems. Includes design issues, troubleshooting, and servicing AFC in
radio receivers.
Download full
text, 7.8MB PDF file
Die Rohr im UKW-Emfänger, Afred Nowak, Rudolf Cantz,
& Wilhelm Engbert,
1959 – Thanks to Joe Sousa!
This German-language book
is a very thorough treatment of FM receiver design. Split into three
volumes, the first covers FM detection, the second mixers for FM receivers, and
the third IF amplifier stages for FM receivers.
Volume
1 (129 pages) Download full
text, 49MB PDF file
Volume
2 (110 pages) Download full
text, 66MB PDF file
Volume
3 (146 pages) Download full
text, 47MB PDF file
D/F Handbook for
Wireless Operators W. E. Crook,
1942, 85 pages – Courtesy
of Peter O’Connel VK2EMU
Written for marine and
aeronautical radio men, this is a handbook on radio direction finding.
Discusses different types pf DF antennae and how they work, as well as
circuitry.
3 Comments
dazzawazza
For the best reason, curiosity, I am learning about amplifier circuits. I really appreciate this link. Thank you.
I also appreciate the no bullshit nature of the website and texts contained within. What a joy.
type0
A few years ago I saw a pre-WWII book on radio electronics in a thrift store, too bad I didn't buy it. I was amazed how approachable it was to general public and how good it was written. It seems to me that the quality of technical writing to the layman isn't as it used to be, I have never seen as good explanations for basic concepts in any modern books.
BlandDuck
I love old, well-written technical books, like these. There is something about the language, directness, innocence (for lack of a better term) and careful arguments that I find incredibly satisfying. They are not afraid to go technical and deep, when needed. They have humor and feel personal.
Somehow, I rarely find this in modern technical books, but it is hard for me to figure out why. Maybe something is lost in the "pedagogy" of many modern textbooks.
I'll read such books about pretty much any topic just for pleasure. An all-time favorite is "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche, although a very different topic, obviously.