Radio Hat — a curious invention from the era of tube radios

In the spring of 1949, Victor Heflich, founder of the Merri-Lei Corporation, presented to the general public his amusing invention — the “Man-from-Mars Radio Hat” (Man-from-Mars Radio Hat).

The $7.95 item could be bought at department stores across America or ordered by mail. In essence, it was a portable radio receiver built into a cork helmet, allowing people to listen to radio stations while on the go.

The device worked on miniature vacuum tubes, was equipped with a large ring antenna mounted on the crown, a wired earpiece, and a volume control. The battery was meant to be carried separately — in a pocket or on a belt — since it was too bulky to fit inside the headgear.

Although Heflich’s creation aroused great interest among people, some time after the presentation the hat’s popularity began to decline, and the advertising campaign had to be wound down soon afterward. This flop was caused by the device’s technical limitations: it had only two electron tubes, whereas home radios had five or six, which made them work better. In addition, the miracle hat received only AM frequencies, and its loop antenna was directional and could lose the signal when the wearer turned their head.