Trip to Radio & Television Museum, Saturday, Oct. 18

The NPC History and Broadcast committees are co-sponsoring a field trip for Club members and their guests to the Radio & Television Museum in Bowie, Md., on Saturday, Oct.18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The museum features hundreds of early radio and television sets and much area broadcast memorabilia. Take your time touring the museum, housed in a red, turn-of-the-century farmhouse.

As a special treat, notable radio and TV personalities Ed Walker and Mac McGarry will address the group and reminisce about their years in broadcasting. Walker, host of WAMU-FM’s “The Big Broadcast,” worked with famed NBC broadcaster Willard Scott in the 1960s on WRC and WWDC. They were known as the “Joy Boys of Radio.” McGarry is host of the long-running television program “It’s Academic” on WRC-TV, now in its 48th year on the air.

The Radio & Television Museum takes you through the evolution of broadcasting. You can see a Marconi spark-gap transmitter, identical to the one aboard the Titanic. Listen to working crystal sets from the 1920s. Push buttons and hear clips from historic news events and entertainment programs of the 30’s and 40’s. Watch early TV programs on working black & white TVs.

There is no charge for this event. The museum is located at 2608 Mitchellville Road, a couple miles from U.S. Highway 50 (exit to Rt. 197). We suggest car-pooling. Detailed directions to the museum can be found on the museum’s Web site: www.radiohistory.org.

Space is limited. Please RSVP with Pat Nelson by Monday, Oct. 13 at (202) 662-7501. For more information, e-mail [email protected]