A Norwegian Electronics Adventure
The early beginnings
The first industrial production of radios in Norway was in 1923
by Elektrisk Bureau (EB - founded in 1882 by Carl Søderberg and
Oluf Tostrup). But in 1927 a radio revolution occurred in Norway
with the founding of A/S Jan Wessel Radiofabrikk Radionette. Jan
Wessel and his Radionette company introduced the world's first
mains powered radio, dispensing with heavy and expensive
batteries.
In the same year Vebjørn Tandberg began his studies at Norges
Tekniske Høgskole (NTH - the Norwegian Technical University). After
graduation he formed Tandbergs Radiofabrikk (later Tandberg
Radiofabrikk A/S). His company along with Radionette became the
biggest players in a field of almost 60 Norwegian radio
manufacturers. Both companies enjoyed huge success with models such
as Tandberg's Sølvsuper and Huldra, and Radionette's Kurér; success
which lasted into the late 1960's.
Clouds on the horizon
In 1968 Radionette opened a new factory in Sandvika with a floor
area of 17200m2. The mood of optimism was however
shortlived and financial results for 1969 showed significant
losses. This trend continued until 1972 when on the verge of
bankruptcy, Radionette and its Sandvika factory were acquired by
Tandberg. Tandberg were under pressure from the Norwegian
government to take over the interests of the ailing Radionette
company. Radionette's founder, Jan Wessel, received shares in
Tandberg Radiofabrikk A/S worth 9 million Norwegian kroner for his
company.
Neither Radionette nor Tandberg had been willing to move
production to cheap factories in the Far East. The high wages costs
in Norway, and the substantial benefits provided to the workers
were major contributing factors to the financial problems of both
companies in the 1970's. The period after the Radionette takeover
was a turbulent time for Tandberg, and despite reorganizations,
share emissions and bank guarantees the company was declared
bankrupt in December 1978.
The factory today
The Radionette factory in Sandvika, later called TR5 in Tandberg
terminology, was sold and became the exhibition centre Inforama.
The Tandberg name is no longer associated with consumer
electronics, though the name lives on in the computer and
telecommunications industries. More recently Inforama was rebuilt
by the Olav Thon Group as a shopping complex housing a sports
warehouse, a garden centre, a bathroom design/plumbing business and
perhaps most interestingly a branch of the electrical and
electronics goods chain Elkjøp. Elkjøp have for many years been
owners of the Radionette name which they use to brand electrical
goods imported, ironically enough, from China and Korea.
The Spirit of Radio
This cache honours the Norwegian radio industry and its pioneers
like Jan Wessel and Vebjørn Tandberg. It is placed close to the
distinctive building, variously known as the Radionette factory,
the Tandberg factory, TR5, Inforama, and now XXL or Elkjøp.
Initial cache contents
Non-tradeable:
- pencil
- pencil sharpener
- cache note and log sheet
Tradeable:
- 2 storm matches
- early silicon bridge rectifier
- power transistor
- key ring tag
- 47k resistor
- deutschmark
-
"http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?guid=2857a9a8-c44e-4e3e-9987-68a4c63c4f2b">TB
Gf1-B2B3
Special notes
You will need to be stealthy to grab this cache in the daytime
as there are bound to be lots of people about. Remember, they can
all see the cache too.
You will need a medium sized philips/pozidrive screwdriver to
open the cache, but no tools are needed to retrive it from its
position.
Please don't reveal the nature of the cache container in the
logs, or post spoiler pictures. They will be deleted.
GPS reception close up to the building tends to be poor. I've
tried hard to get good coordinates. If necessary I will add more
hints or spoiler pictures, but hopefully that won't be needed.