Measuring The Airwaves: HP 524A

In 1951, radio stations across the United States were facing new FCC regulations requiring them to keep their signals within a certain range. Hewlett-Packard responded with the 524A radio frequency counter, which could tabulate a signal 50 times faster than the best frequency counter then on the market, leading to a frequency measure in just a second or two instead of the previous ten minutes. It saved the day for radio stations who were not sure how they could meet the new standards, and created a revenue stream for Hewlett-Packard that would continue for decades.