Earliest electronic siren

[Dr.Jon]

What was the earliest, commercially available electronic siren?

 

[tsquale]

Federal Signal PA-1, 1958

This thread provides a great starting point for equipment timelines: https://elightbars.org/forums/threads/timeline-of-equipment.79727/

 

[Dr.Jon]

Federal Signal PA-1, 1958

This thread provides a great starting point for equipment timelines: https://elightbars.org/forums/threads/timeline-of-equipment.79727/

Thank you!!!

 

[Wailer]

There was also the Dazl-Lite Dominator, which looks a lot like the Federal PA-1. Both were the first self-contained solid state siren/PA amplifiers to be manufactured.

There were likely some kind of vacuum tube remote amplifier / control head devices manufactured before that, but I don't know who made them.

 

[Skulldigger]

The first siren may be the Penetrator that was advertised as the world's first transistor siren. It is not clear who the manufacturer is, but it was sold by George F. Cake Co., who sold equipment.

 

[tsquale]

The first siren may be the Penetrator that was advertised as the world's first transistor siren. It is not clear who the manufacturer is, but it was sold by George F. Cake Co., who sold equipment.

View attachment 248008

I believe that refers to this, unless they had an even earlier version

 

[Skulldigger]

@tsquale
Yep, was able to find this June 1958 ad which shows the controller better. Looks like a match to yours. This one says Electronic Engineering Enterprises of Scottsdale, Arizona.

 

[Skulldigger]

@tsquale
Well here is a 1961 description that includes a Fyr-Fyter Penetrator Siren. Could be jobbers were rebranded and sold under different names or companies.

 

[dmathieu]

Fyr-Fiter did rebrand a number of products including lights and sirens.