Radio Crystal Holder Types, Companies, and History


Orginally compiled by Brian Carling, AF4K (SK)
Maintained and expanded by Steve Johnston, WD8DAS

Radio Crystal Holder Types...

Crystal Companies Past and Present...

Quartz Crystal History...

Bliley Engineering Bulletin 1943 (highly useful and interesting pdf booklet)

CLICK HERE TO BUY CRYSTALS

Radio Crystal Holder Types

NOTES: DC-n are some of the earliest crystals
FT-n came next and superceded some DC-n numbers.
CR-n/U came last and often consisted of FT-241 or FT-243 holders marked for
and containing crystals cut for specific radios or radio sets.
(The "n" number may be one, two or three digits.)

CR-4/U is FT-241 holder marked for and containing crystals cut for AN/TRC-1.

17P - Crystal Unit 1-1/8" wide X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall.
Spacing .500, pin diameter 0.125" X 11/16" long

20C - 1-3/16" wide X 1/2" X 1-3/8" tall.
Pins spaced 3/4" and dia. is 0.125" X 11/16" long.

AX-2 - Dimensions 1-1/8" X 7/16" X 7/8" tall.
Pins same as FT243 - Spacing .500, dia. 0.093" X 3/8" long
Made by Bliley Electric Co.

BY - crystal holder often associated with Marine Transmitters etc. Used in Marconi CM11 transmitter, Hallicrafters HT18 transmitter and others. Dimensions: X X X
It has two pins spaced 3/4" apart and approx. 1/8" diameter.
There are other variants of this crystal with different names including R5 and Z30.
They are fairly scarce.

CF5 - Crystal by HIPOWER. This is a round crystal with 1-3/8" diameter X 5/8" thick.
It has two pins spaced 3/4" apart and approx. 3/16" diameter.
There are other variants of this round crystal with different names made by Bliley and others.
They are fairly scarce.

CHF-40130 - Navy style crystal holder for TCS receiver.
Large with 3 pins. Same as CR-15/U DImensions: 1-5/8" X
1-3/16" X 2-1/16" tall. The three pins are each 1/8" diameter
and 1/2" long.

CM-1 crystal holder is close in size to a DC-34, except for the pin diameter. The case is narrower on the CM-1.
The CM-1 is 1 - 7/32 in. wide, and the DC-34 is 1 - 3/8". The CM-1 pins are 1/8 in.( 0.125 in. ) diameter.

CM5 - Crystal by Valpey, same as FT243

CR-1A/AR - Same as HC-11/U Crystal
Dimensions: 1-1/8" wide X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall.
Pin spacing 1/2" and pin diameter 1/8" X 11/16" long
Used in SCR-522 & ARC-3 Military Aircraft VHF Radios.
Overall Size: 1.125" wide X 0.375" X 1.125" high.
Pin spacing 0.5" and pin diameter is 0.125" X 11/16" long
Possibly also used in aircraft radios such as the BC-654A.
ALSO KNOWN AS TYPE DC30 Crystals

CR-2*/U - Crystal Unit

CR-3*/U - Crystal Unit

CR-4*/U - Crystal Unit

CR-5B/U - Same case as FT243

CR-6B/U - Same case as FT243

CR-8/U - newer, but same case as FT243
CR8B/U - newer, but same case as FT243

CR-15/U - Crystal Unit, 3 pins - 1-5/8" X 1-3/16" X 2" tall.
3 pins are 1/8" dia. Two are spaced 1/2" apart. third pin
is offset by 7/8" from each othe other two..

CR-18/U - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

CR-23/U - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

CR-24/U - Barrel-Type Crystal Holder, axial leads, .062 dia.

CR-27/U - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

CR-32/U - Crystal Unit, tall, thin pins same as HC-13/U

CR-37/U - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

CR-47A/U - Crystal Unit, like CR-18/U

CR-48/U - Crystal Unit, thin pins, same as HC-6/U

CR-51/U - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins

CR-52/U - Crystal Unit, thin pins, same as HC-6/U

CR-81 - Crystal Unit, thin pins same as HC-6/U

C*-40162 - Navy Xtal Unit, short version of CR-51/U

CR-55/U - Sub-Miniature Crystal, wire leads

DC-9AJ - Crystal - Unknown

DC-9D - Crystal - Unknown

DC-10 - Crystal, commonly used in the BC-230 and BC-430 radios.
Often in the 4000 - 5000 kHz range.

DC-11, DC-11A - Crystal Unit (SCR522) :
Pins are 1/10" or 1/8" diameter, and have 3/4" spacing.

DC-15A - Crystal, unknown

DC-16 - Crystal, unknown

DC-26 - Crystal, Same as FT243

DC-30 - Crystal - Dimensions: 1-1/8" wide X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall.
Pin spacing 1/2" and pin diameter 1/8" X 11/16" long
Used in SCR-522 & ARC-3 Military Aircraft VHF Radios.
Overall Size: 1.125" wide X 0.375" X 1.125" high.
Pin spacing 0.5" and pin diameter is 0.125" X 1.0625" long
Possibly also used in aircraft radios such as the BC-654A.
ALSO KNOWN AS TYPE CR-1A/AR Crystals

DC-34 - Crystal 1-3/8" wide X 1/2" X 1-3/8" tall.
Pins 3/4" apart. 0.156" dia. X 5/8" long.
Used in BC-669 Transmitter

DC-35 - Crystal, very similar to DC-34

FA-5 - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

FA-9 - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

FT-164 - Ceramic Body Holder, adjustable contact. Dimensions: 2.25" diameter, 1.125" thick. Has two offset pins that protrude 0.5" long, and 0.25" diameter. Has a metal plate on the bottom. This is a very impressive-looking, and RARE crystal.

FT-171 - Disk-type Holder with 5/16" pins

FT-171B - Spacing .750, "Banana Pins" heavy duty type, 50 MW, used with BC-610 transmitters etc.
With handle. 1-1/2" wide X 3/4" X 3-1/8" tall.

FT-241 - Similar to FT-243 Dimensions:
Pins spaced .50" dia. 3/32"

FT-241 Crystal Frequency Calculator by Fritz, N4JVP

FT-243 - Dimensions: 13/16" X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall
Dimensions: 0.8125" wide X 0.375" deep X 1.125" tall plus pins.
Dimensions: 20.6mm X 9.5mm X 28.6 mm
With 2 pins, spaced 0.486" (12.3mm) and pin diameter = 0.093" (2.4mm)
Pin length =3/8" (9.5mm).
(Used in BC611, BC1335 and most ham transmitters from the 1950s and 1960s.)

FT-249 - 3-Pin Holder, pin dia. 0.125" can hold two crystals

FT-500 - HC-3/U Holder, 2 pins, spaced .75"

HC-2/U - same as

HC-4/U same as FT-243

HC-11/U - same as CR-1A/AR - see above. As used in SCR-522 VHF transmitters etc.

HC-26/U - Same case body as FT-243 but with thicker (1/8")pins the same
as used in CR-1/A crystals. These were probably intended for use
in radios that used CR-1A crystals long after the CR-1A crystals
were no longer being manufactured. Still available in glass cases from
TFC in the U.K. at http://www.tfc.co.uk
See data sheet at:
http://www.tfc.co.uk/data_library/020-006-00_HC-26.pdf

GE - General Electric made some unique cases with dimensions:
1-1/8" X 9/16" X 1-1/2" tall with two pins
spacing 1/2", pin diameter 0.093" like FT243


COMMON MODERN CRYSTAL TYPES



PACKAGE TYPE
TYPE OF SEAL

F
I
G

PACKAGE OUTLINE DIMENSIONS (mm)

RESISTANCE
WELD
SOLDER
SEAL

A

(max)

B

(max)

C

(max)

D

(max)

E

(±.20)

F

(min)

G

(±.38)

H

(±.03)

HC-49/U

HC-18/U

1

11.05 13.50 10.24 4.70 4.88 12.70 N/A 0.46

HC-50/U

HC-25/U

1

11.05 13.50 10.24 4.70 4.88 N/A 6.05 1.02

HC-48/U

HC-6/U

1

19.30 19.70 18.01 8.94 12.34 N/A 6.05 1.02

HC-51/U

HC-33/U

1

19.30 19.70 18.01 8.20 12.34 12.70 N/A 0.77

UM-1

 

1

7.90 8.10 7.10 2.40 3.76 12.70 N/A 0.36

UM-4

 

1

7.90 4.70 7.10 2.40 3.76 12.70 N/A 0.36

UM-5

 

1

7.90 6.00 7.10 2.40 3.76 12.70 N/A 0.36

HC-45

 

1

8.10 8.76 7.10 3.50 3.75 12.70 N/A 0.45

HC-35/U
( TO5)

 

2

10.70 6.60 8.50 8.50 5.23 12.70 N/A 0.4


HC-1/U - Xtal Holder, 2 pins, spaced .75"

HC-2/U - Crystal, 2 pins, spaced .75"

HC-3/U - Crystal, 2 pins, spaced .75"

HC-4/U - Crystal same as FT243, 2 pins, spaced 0.486" and .093" dia.

HC-6/U - Crystal, metal can, spacing 0.486", pin dia. 0.050"
see chart below

HC-7/U - Crystal, pin spacing .750" pin dia. 0.125"

HC-11/U - old type, same as CR-1A/AR

HC-13/U - Tall LF crystals, like HC-6/U - often 100 kHz calibrator.


Type HC-13/U crystal
Pin spacing 0.486 inch = 12.34 mm
Pin Diameter: 0.050 inch = 1.27 mm
Height: 1.50 inch = 38 mm
Width: 0.760 inch = 19.3 mm
Thickness: 0.350 inch = 8.90 mm

HC-17/U - Crystal, Spacing .486, pin dia. .050

HC-18/U - Crystal - same as HC-49/U but soldered.

HC-25/U - Crystal - Same as HC-49 but with rigid pins.
(also same as HC50/U but soldered)

HC-33/U - Crystal Unit, wire leads, same as HC-6/U

HC-35/TO-5 - Crystal - small, round

HC-45/U - Wire leads -

HC-48/U - Crystal Unit, thin pins, same as HC-6/U but welded.
HC-49/U - Wire leads - SIZES in mm

HC-49/US - Wire leads, shorter - sames as HC18/U but welded.

HC-50/U - Same as HC-49 but with rigid 0.040" pins.
Also same as HC25/U but welded.

HC-51/U - Crystal Unit, wire leads, same as HC-33/U but welded

MC9 - Same as FT243

NR9 - Crystal Unit 1-1/8" wide X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall.
Spacing .500, pin diameter 0.125" X 11/16" long

RI - Banana Plug pins.
Similar to FT-171B

R5 - Marine type crystals with 3/4" pin spacing.
Same as Type BY and Z30. These fit the Hallicrafters HT18.
They are smaller diameter pins than used in the DC34/35 types
and also smaller diameter poins than the FT171B types.

SR5 - Crystal Unit 1-1/8" wide X 3/8" X 1-1/8" tall.
Spacing .500, pin diameter 0.125" X 11/16" long

SR10 - Crystal Unit, short, thin pins same as HC-6/U

UM1 - Crystal Unit

Z-1B - Crystal, 1-3/16" wide X 1/2" X 1-3/8" tall.
Pins spaced 3/4" and dia. is 0.125" X 11/16" long.

Z-2 - Same as FT243

Z6-A - Round, tall holder, two pins. Typically for frequency standards.

Z-10 - Body same as FT243, with tall, thicker pins. 3mm X 16mm long

Z-30 - Marine type crystals with 3/4" pin spacing.
Same as Type BY and R5. These fit the Hallicrafters HT18.
They are smaller diameter pins than used in the DC34/35 types
and also smaller diameter poins than the FT171B types.

Radio Crystal Holders

Holder TypePin SpacingPin DiameterHeightWidthThickness
HC-5/U0.8120.1562.201.821.60
HC-6/U0.4860.0500.780.760.35
HC-10/U(Note A)0.0601.10-0.56D
HC-13/U0.4860.0501.500.760.35
HC-17/U0.4860.0930.780.760.35
HC-18/U(Note B)-0.530.400.15
HC-25/U0.1920.0401.530.760.35
FT-2430.5000.0931.100.900.40

All sizes in INCHES
Note A: Uses Barrel Mount
Note B: WIre leads 0.018 in diameter

Radio Crystal Types

Military TypeHolder UsedTypeResonance
CR-15B/UHC-5/UFundamentalParallel
CR-16B/UHC-5/UFundamentalSeries
CR-17B/UHC-10/UOvertoneSeries
CR-18A/UHC-6/UFundamentalParallel
CR-19A/UHC-6/UFundamentalSeries
CR-23/UHC-6/UOvertoneSeries
CR-24/UHC-10/UOvertoneSeries
CR-27/UHC-6/UFundamentalParallel
CR-28A/UHC-6/UFundamentalSeries
CR-32A/UHC-6/UOvertoneSeries
CR-52A/UHC-6/UOvertoneSeries
CR-53A/UHC-6/UOvertoneSeries



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CRYSTAL SUPPLIERS - PAST & PRESENT

QST MAGAZINE for August 1925 had an advertisement from General Radio Company in Cambridge, Mass, offering quartz crystals finished to a specified frequency for $50.00 each. That was a LOT of money back then!

I am amazed to find out HOW MANY companies have had their
names on crystals over the years. Do you know of more?
These names will likely be lost to obscurity in a few years
if we do not somehow memorialize them here or in our publications.
I count over 110 companies so far, although I suspect some were
duplicate outfits operating under different names. many of these
firms had to have had their own machinery for making the crystals.
Most of these firms existed in the 1940-160 era, which was the heyday
of radio crystal manufacturing. Quite a short period of time, when
you think about it! You have to wonder what happened to all of these companies!

AF4K CRYSTALS (Wisconsin, was Florida)
Aircon Manufacturing Corp. (Kansas City, MO)
Aircraft Accessories Corporation (Kansas City)
American Crystal Co. (Kansas City, MO)
ARC (Aircraft Radio Corp.)
August E. Miller CO. (Bergen, NJ)
B.E. Co.
Bangor ELEC IND
Beaumont Electric (Chicago, IL)
Bellefonte Radio Eng. & Mfg. Co. (Bellefonte, PA)
BES Company
Blilely Electric Co. (Erie, PA)
Bliley Mfg. Co.
BMS Company
Bodnar Labs
Bond Quartz Crystal
Bud Company
Cal Crystal Lab Inc. (Anaheim, CA)
Bomar Crystal Co. (Middlesex, NJ) #
BSD ID
Cambridge Thermionic (Cambridge, MA)
Carlisle Crystal Co.
Cathodeon Crystals Ltd. (Linton, England)
Cecor (Kansas City, MO)
CB-VJ COmpany
Colorado Crystal Corp. (Loveland, CO)
Commercial Crystal Co. (Lancaster, PA)
C.R. Snelgrove Company, Toronto, Canada
Crystal Labs (Wichita, KS)
Crystal Networks Products Corp.
Crystal Products/Whitehall Electronics
Crystal Products (Kansas City, MO)
Crystal Research Lab (Hartford, CT)
Crystal Research Laboratories a.k.a. CRYSTALAB
The Crystal Shop (Barney, VT)
Crystalonics
Crystek Crystals (Ft. Myers, FL)
C.T.& E. Div., G.A.I. Inc.
CW Crystals (Marshfield, MO)
CW Manufacturing, Los Angeles, CA
Daughetee Mfg. Company
Denver Crystals
Downing Crystal Corp.
Duart Manufacturing Co. LTD. (San Francisco, CA)
DX Xtal (Chicago, IL)
E.B. Lewis Company
ECCO Crystals
Eidson Electronic Co. (Temple, TX)
EICO (Brooklyn, NY)
Elec. Prod. (Oakland, CA)
E.P. Co.
Faberadio
F.E. Co.
Federal Telegraph and Radio Corp. (Newark NJ)
Federal Telephone Co.(Newark, NJ)
F.M.S. Labs (Kansas City, MO)
Franklin Engineering Co.
FRANKLIN TRANS
Frequency Management Inc. (Huntington Beach, CA)
G.E.C. (England)
General Electric Company
General Radio, Cambridge, MA
General Radiotelephone (Burbank, CA)
Gentleman Products (Omaha, NE)
Good-all Elect. Manufacturing Company
Gross Radio
H.I. Inc.
Hallicrafters Company
Harvey Radio (Cambridge, MA)
Harvey Wells (Southbridge, MA)
Hatcher Fisk Manufacturing (Topeka, KS)
Henry Manufacturing
Henry Radio Co. Los Angeles, CA
Higgins Industries
HiPower Crystal Co. (Chicago, IL)
Howard Moldings (Crystal cases) (Kansas City, MO)
Hundley Crystal Co. 2951, N. 36th Street, Kansas City, KS
Hunt Corporation
ICM, International Crystal Manufacturing (Oklahoma City, OK)
Closed down. See below
JAN Crystals (Ft. Myers, FL) Closed down
James Knight (JK) Crystals (Sandwich, IL)
Jet Crystals (Torrance, CA)
John Meck (Plymouth, IN)
Johnson
KAAR Eng Co. (Palo Alto CA)
Kemlite Lab.
Keystone Electronics
Keystone Piezo
Kinsekisha (KSS) - (Japan)
Lafayette
Lamelec (France)
Leeds Radio (New York City, NY)
Les Smith (Lesmith) LTD. (Oakville, ONT)
LEUCK Crystal Lab, Lincoln, NE
E.B. LEWIS, Hartford, CT
Link Radio
Majestic Radio (Chicago, IL)
Mac's Radio Crystals (South Gate, CA)
Marden Crystals
Marine Radio Equipment Co., Chicago IL
Master Crystal Labs (Los Angeles, CA)
Masters Crystal Co., New York
McCoy Electronics Company
MID Mfg. (Kansas City, MO)
Mill Laboratories
August E. Miller Company, (North Bergen, NJ)
Mission Bell Radio Manufacturing Co. Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)
Monitor Co. (Pasadena, CA)
Monwatt Electric Corp.
Motorola (Chicago, IL)
MP Company
National Scientific Products Co.
R.E. Nebel Lab, Brooklyn, NY
North American Phillips
Northern Engineering Laboratories (Burlington, WI)
Northern Radio Company
Pacific Radio Crystal Co. (San Francisco, CA)
PAN-EL LABS INC.
Pan Electronics (Atlanta, GA)
Peterson Radio Co. a.k.a. PR Crystals (Council Bluffs, IA)
Phillips
Piezo Technology, Inc.
Polytech Devices
PR Crystals (See Peterson Radio Co.) #
Precise Development Company (Chicago, IL)
Precision Apparatus Co. (Elmhurst, NY)
Precision Crystal Labs
Precision Piezo Service (Baton Rouge, LA)
Premier Crystal Laboratories (New York, NY)
Quartslab (UK)
Quartz Lab Inc. (Kansas City, MO)
Quartz Products Co. of New York
R9 Crystals
RADCO CBYN (Kansas City, MO)
Radell Co. (Indianapolis, IN)
Radio Specialty Manufacturing Co. (Portland, OR)
Radiomarine Corporation (New York, NY)
Ray Jefferson Inc. (Freeport, NY)
RCA - Victor Div. (Camden, NJ)
Reeves Hoffman Corp. Carlisle, PA
Reeves Sound Labs
R.E.L. (New York City)
Research and Dev. Co. (Kansas City, MO)
Rex Bassett Inc. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
RIJOR PRODUCTS CO. (New York)
Ross Manufacturing
Savoy Crystals
S.C. Company
Scientific Radio Products *
Sentry Crystals (Portland, OR)
Sentry Crystals (Chickasha, OK)
Sherold Crystals (Kansas City, KS)
Sickles Co.
Silver City Crystal Company
Silver City Glass Co.
Singer Metrics
Sipp-Eastwood Co.
C.R. Snelgrove Company, Toronto, Canada
Somerset Labs
Standard Coil Products
Standard Crystal Co.
Standard Crystal Corp.
Standard Piezo (Carlisle, PA)
STD
Sun Parts Distributors(Washington, DC)
Sunset Crystals
Tedford Labs
Telicon
Texas Crystals (Ft. Myers, FL)
Texas Crystals (River Grove)
Texas Crystals (Los Angeles, CA)
TOYO
Trigger Electronics (River Forest, IL)
Tru Lite
TRW COrp.
Turner Co. (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Union Piezoelectric Co.
Universal Television (Kansas City, MO)
U.P Company
U.S. Crystals Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)
Valpey (Hollston, MA)
Wenkstern Hasley Co. (Cedar Rapids, IA) - Made later CR8B/U crystals
West Crystals - Canada
Western Electric
Westline Xtal Co. (West Los Angeles, CA)
White Equipment Company (Indianapolis, IN)
Whitehall Electronics (Los Angeles, CA) - Owned Texas Crystals.
William T. Wallace Mfg. Co. (Peru, IN)
Wonder Lite Co. (West Orange, NJ)
World Radio Laboratories
Wright Co. (USA)
Wright Co. (Canada)

* - information on how Scientific Radio Co. came to be, is in the book:
"In Tune With Leo" by Leo Meyerson

ICM in 1950: Royden R. Freeland founds International Crystal Manufacturing Company (ICM). and operates in his garage. He soon moved the company to a building in downtown Oklahoma City. One of the first major contracts he obtained was to produce crystals for Collins Radio. Soon, he was making crystals for many other communications companies. ICM also began manufacturing a line oscillators and converters for Ham and experimenter use. The product line grew and, by the late 1950s, included cable TV equipment, frequency meters, CB radios, Ham Radio kits, and quartz crystals. ICM CLOSED down in 2017.



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Quartz Crystal History

History Of The Quartz Crystal Industry In The USA

Proceedings of Chicago Crystal Conferences - 1944 (PDF File)

Fifty Years of Progress in Quartz Crystal Frequency Standards 1946 - 1996 from Rockwell Collins.

The 1944 Crystal Conferences - How 115 companies made 30 million crystals per year.

Amateur Radio Influence on Development of the Commercial Market for crystals in U.S.A.

A History of Crystal Filters - Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium

Quartz Crystal Timeline



Companies' History

Blilely Electric Company









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