A History Of Camper's Love-Hate Relationship With Electronics

Since William H. H. Murray, the father of modern camping, first set off the camping movement in 1869, campers have been discussing and arguing over what gear to take. Perhaps no category of gear embroils more passion than that of electronics. While electronic gadgets were not available in portable, wireless forms in the early days of the camping movement, it didn’t take long for that to change. 

Murray praised the sounds of nature as a kind of music, "the sighing of zephyrs, the soft intoning of slow-moving night winds, the roaring of strong gales, the moaning of tempests, and the sobbings of storms among the wet trees...all these sounds live in the world as music lives forever in the air of heaven..." He concluded that "No other phonograph is like to it."¹

‘Edison’s music box’ the phonograph, was invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison. But being delicate, expensive, and bulky, they were not frequently taken camping prior to the 20th century except perhaps by the wealthy. With the advent of the automobile, suddenly campers could more easily carry heavy luxury items like a music player into the outdoors. With their arrival on the camping scene came a never-ending debate about whether electronics belong in the campground or if they run antithetical to the spirit of ‘roughing it’ that lies at the center of camping out.

Phonographs and later radios brought loud, artificial music and entertainment into wild places.2 Many found it enjoyable. Before electronic music players, a person had to provide live music. Eventually, they grew tired of playing or went to bed. However, a phonograph or radio could be played continuously. Soon, some began to find all night music irreverent. A debate was born that continues today: do electronics belong in camp?

Barely 13 years into the 20th-century advertisers already recognized how much people enjoyed their music in camp. A full-page ad in a 1913 Ladies Home Journal was aimed at campers and country vacationers. It advertised the Victrola brand phonograph that “enables you to take with you wherever you go the most celebrated bands….” Pictured in the ad is an adventurous family packing their hand-wound phonograph onto their wooden motorboat for a day on the lake.2a

The first-ever cross-country RV tour was taken by the Conklin family in 1915. Their motorhome was such a novelty that newspapers across the country reported on the journey, helping popularize recreational motor travel. Their RV, christened the Gypsy, was outfitted with every luxury money and modern engineering could pack inside. A phonograph was chief among these. The Conklin family enjoyed blaring tunes into whichever wilderness the Gypsy carried them.2b

Advertisements, how-to articles, and travel accounts from the 1910s and 1920s reveal an intense enthusiasm for bringing music and radio into the outdoors. Manufacturers raced to make their products more portable, while campers devised increasingly creative ways to take them afield.4b5,5a

A 1923 issue of Popular Radio included instructions on how to install a radio and antenna unit in a canoe. One picture shows a massive eight-foot spiral antenna array mounted on a canoe. The article contended that a radio, despite the necessity of a large antenna array, would, “be suitable for a canoe trip.”^4a

Many campers enthusiastically embraced the technology in order to stay connected and be entertained. Few seem to have imagined that anyone might be annoyed by this mass noise intrusion. Amid all the enthusiasm, a lone voice in 1922 foresaw the future debate. In his article he lauded the conveniences and enjoyment potential of a mobile car radio for camping. Interestingly, the author discouraged consumers from purchasing a speaker in favor of headphones. One of his biggest arguments against speakers for a camping radio set is that it is “not designed to entertain the universe.”3 A century later, campers are still having the same argument. Only the technology has changed. 

One of the earliest records of a camper complaining about another camper's electronics was written by Charles E.S. Wood in his published diary. He complained in his diary during his 9-month auto camping tour in 1928 that phonographs were "the noise and games of the city" and did not belong in "quiet nature."⁶ Mercifully, electronics in the first half of the 20th century were large and bulky and therefore had limited portability. Those who wanted to escape entirely could still do so on foot. 

My own grandmother fondly remembered listening to the weekly top hits on the radio as a child like "A Tree in the Meadow” by Margaret Whiting, yet she also cherished the quietness of camping trips with her youth club. Like many campers, she appreciated both modern entertainment and the escape from it.

In later decades as more portable and greater varieties of electronic gadgets came on the market, a sentiment would grow against their presence in the campground. Purists would argue that the goal of camping was to live primitively, away from modern convenience and technology. After all, why are you taking the trouble to go camping if not leaving behind modern conveniences and urbanization for a short time? Others would argue they wanted to enjoy modern entertainment while also enjoying the scenery and environment provided by camping.  

By the 1950s and 60s, camping literature increasingly reflected discomfort with the growing presence of technology in camp. Some authors encouraged radios for entertainment or weather information, while others argued that wilderness should provide an escape from modern gadgets.6a,6b,6c,

Lloyd Mattson was one of the 20th Century's most prolific writers of summer camp instruction manuals. He advised that one of the goals of being in the wilderness is "to discover that life is possible apart from gadgets.”⁷ Although written over 50 years ago, perhaps there is some wisdom in this old advice.

Not everyone embraced an anti-technology mindset. Reports from the 1970s described campers overloading the electrical systems in campgrounds as they plugged in televisions, refrigerators, coffee makers, and other appliances. One camper was even spotted operating an electric sewing machine in camp.7a,7b While televisions remain common in campgrounds today, thankfully the sewing machine never became standard camping gear. 

By the 1970s noise was becoming regulated. In 1975 the U.S. Forest Service included a sign in its official lineup for campgrounds that read, "Music Lovers Quiet 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.” This reflects the growing tendency to manage electronic noise through campground policy.8

Campers received mixed messages. Some guidebooks encouraged radios as necessary equipment for weather updates and entertainment. Others warned readers to expect sleepless nights because of noisy neighbors. Most settled on a simple compromise: bring the gadget if you like, but don't inflict it on everyone else.9,10,11

The message was further confused by electronic manufacturers who advertise directly to campers. A Sony ad for the Walkman Sport cassette player bragged, "audiophiles have been known to take it sailing to Cape Horn, bushwacking the Amazon, and climbing Mount Fuji."¹² 

It seems for most campers; musical entertainment is a necessary luxury. Every generation of campers seems to draw the line in a different place. One camper's unnecessary gadget is another camper's essential comfort. After all, manufacturers wouldn’t continue to advertise to this demographic if it were not lucrative!

Rugged, wireless speakers have amplified this problem of inconsiderate noise in the 21^st century. Previously, loudspeakers were usually limited to the campground because of their bulk. Portable, powerful, wireless speakers have enabled people to blare music while on the move in the backcountry. One mountain biker shared her frustrating experience in which a peaceful ride through some remote single-track was tainted by another biker who passed her blasting a loud beat. As the offending biker passed, she yelled, “Have you ever heard of headphones?!”^12a

Of course, music players have not been the only form of electronic gadgets to grace the backwoods. Electronic games have also been common as long as they have existed. Other portable gadgets to find their way into the campground and trail include communication devices and electronic navigation aids. Two-way radios became portable in the 1960s when the transistor enabled CB two-way radios to be sold at affordable prices. One 1962 camping guide included an entire chapter educating readers about them. Other guides suggested they were too unreliable to be of use. Today, a similar debate continues.

By the early 1970s, there were so many electronic gadgets for camping that one camping magazine had a regular column dedicated to the topic.¹³ Today, there are even more. When cell phones became available, they inevitably found their way outdoors. Electronic navigation aids, including GPS devices, digital compasses, altimeters, and others, have become common in the 21st century. 

Communication devices and electronic navigation aids may seem indispensable, yet they can also encourage poor judgment. In 2001, a hiker in Olympic National Park called search and rescue requesting a helicopter ride, not because he was injured or lost, but because he was running late for a meeting. The request was denied.¹⁴

In 2014, Trever Lee pled guilty to several misdemeanors after posting photos of illegal activities in National Parks to Instagram. His goal was simple: gaining followers.¹⁵ The incident highlights a growing concern that the pursuit of online attention can encourage reckless behavior. People have even been injured or killed trying to capture the perfect selfie.¹⁶

As more camping tools become electronic, experts warn that technology can create a false sense of security.¹⁸ A tragic example occurred in 2013 when a thru-hiker became lost in Maine after leaving her GPS behind. Although a compass was found among her belongings, she reportedly did not know how to use it.¹⁷ The incident is a sobering reminder that electronic navigation aids supplement outdoor skills rather than replace them.

We need solid survival skills in case the unthinkable happens. GPS and rescue devices are extremely helpful tools that increase our safety in the backcountry. They were never designed to replace traditional methods and tools. 

Some feel electronic gadgets never belong in camp. Others find them helpful or even indispensable. When living on the trail for weeks or months you may desire some modern entertainment to keep your spirits up. Also, it’s fun to capture your achievements with photos, GPS tracks, etc. The key is to not annoy other campers or users with them. From phonographs and radios to Bluetooth speakers and smartphones, the devices have changed dramatically. The debate surrounding them has barely changed at all.

One of the goals of getting back to nature is to get away from modern technology and unplug. Whatever side of the debate you fall on, it is occasionally worth leaving the gadgets behind and simply listening. More than 150 years ago, William Murray argued that "no other phonograph is like it." The same may still be true today.

Learn more about this topic at these links:

At this link you can learn all about using electronics in the backcountry safely and ethically with Leave No Trace principles. Learn how to use a traditional print map and analog compass in this video series or this article.

Written by David F. Garner

Photo credit:

Top: Popular Science Monthly, June 1922, pg. 70, photographer unknown.

Middle: American Motorist, August 1922, pg. 9, photographer unknown.

Bottom: Edwin Levick, Popular Radio, July 1923, pg. 7.

Sources:

1. William H.H. Murray, Cones for the Campfire (Boston: De Wolfe Fiske & Co., 1891): 96-97, Print.

2. “This Summer Has Shown That Radio Is Not Seasonal,” Radio World Vol III, No. 25, Whole No. 77 (September, 15 1923): 2, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-World/20s/23/Radio-World-1923-Sep-15.pdf.  

2a. Victrola ad, “Take a Victrola with you when…” in Ladies Home Journal (August 1913): 46, print.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Wj7bIKonTIsC&pg=RA7-PA46&dq=Victrola+camp&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0_pyQlMr0AhVwlWoFHUAQCoE4HhDoAXoECAcQAw

2b. Mr and Mrs Roland Ray Conklin, The Trail of The Gypsy, (Rosemary Farm Publishing, Long Island: 1916): 3, ebook, retrieved from 

https://books.google.com/books?id=zITLmgEACAAJ&pg=PP7#v=onepage&q&f=false

3. Gilland Mason, “So Far and Yet So Near,” American Motorist Vol XIV No. 8 (August 1922): 8, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=5lxYAAAAYAAJ&authuser=0&hl=en.

4a. William F. Crosby, “How to Install Your Radio Set On Your Boat,” Popular Radio Vol IV No. 1 (July, 1923): 3, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Popular-Radio/Popular-Radio-1923-07.pdf.

4b. The Bristol Company, “Audiophone Jr,” Popular Radio Vol IV No. 1 (July 1923): 35, https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Popular-Radio/Popular-Radio-1923-07.pdf

5. National Carbon Company, “More Power For Summer Radio,” Boys Life Vol XIV No. 6 (June 1924): 3, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://books.google.com/books?id=VAu8xVoIXY4C&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false. 

5a. Armstrong Perry, “How Radio Adds to the Joys of My Vacation,” The Popular Science Monthly Vol 100, No. 6 (June 1922): 68, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015084537169.

6. Terence Young, Heading Out: A History Of American Camping, (Cornell University Press: Ithaca, 2017): 46, Ebook.

6a. George Stevens Wells, Iris Wells, The Handbook of Auto Camping and Motorist's Guide to Public Campgrounds, (Harper: New York, 1954): 59, Print.

6b. Michigan. Dept. of Conservation, “Conservation of Natural Resources,” Proceedings of Conservation Commission, Volume 39, (1959): 117, Print.

6c. Thomas Lawrence Connelly, Discovering the Appalachians: what to look for from the past and in the present along America's Eastern frontier, (Stackpole Books: Washington D.C., 1968): 211, Print.

7. Lloyd D. Mattson, The Wilderness Way, (Board of Christian Education: Evanston, 1970): 16, Print.

7a. U.S. News Publishing Corporation, U.S. News and World Report, Vol 70, (May 10, 1971): 39-41, PDF.

7b. Clayne R. Jensen, Clark T. Thorstenson, Issues in Outdoor Recreation (Burgess Publishing Co., 1972): 158, Print.

8. United States Forest Service, “Forest Service poster and small metal sign catalog 1975,” February 1975, United States Forest Service, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=WQLxAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover.  

9. Jerome J. Knap, Alyson Knap, The family camping handbook: a complete guide to camping in North America, 1975, (Pagurian Press Ltd: Ontario,1975): 117, Print.

10. Andrew J. Carra, Camping: a complete guide to why, how, and where, (Stein and Day: New York, 1978): 31, Print. 

11. Wayne Armstrong, Camping Basics, (Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, 1985): 35, Print. 

12. Sony, “Camping, sunbathing, or on safari: one Sony plays on,” Spin, Vol 4 No. 4 (July 1988): 77, Print. 

12a. Megan Michelson, “HOW TO UNPLUG: ETIQUETTE FOR ELECTRONICS IN THE OUTDOORS,” Outside online, (2015), accessed July 18, 2019 from https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-to-unplug-etiquette-for-electronics-in-the-outdoors.

13. Henry Groskinsky, “Roughing It Soft,” Life Vol 71 No. 10, (September 3, 1971): 45, Ebook.  

14. James Gorman, “The Call in the Wild: Cell Phones Hit the Trail,” New York Times online, August 30, 2001, accessed June 17, 2019 from https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/30/technology/the-call-in-the-wild-cell-phones-hit-the-trail.html.

15. Will Egensteiner, “Yosemite Instagrammer Pleads Guilty in Federal Court,” Outside online, Oct 29, 2014, accessed July, 18, 2019 from https://www.outsideonline.com/1805931/yosemite-instagrammer-pleads-guilty-federal-court.

16. Kathryn Miles, "Cause of Death: Selfie,” Outside online, Apr 16, 2019, accessed July 17, 2019 from https://www.outsideonline.com/2393419/selfie-deaths.

17. Lauren Abbate, “Hiker who died on Appalachian Trail didn’t know how to use compass,” Portland Press Herald online, May 26, 2016, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://www.pressherald.com/2016/05/26/hiker-who-died-on-appalachian-trail-didnt-know-how-to-use-a-compass/.

18. J.R. Sullivan, “Our Reliance on Technology Makes the Backcountry More Dangerous,” Outside online, Mar 16, 2016, accessed July 18, 2019 from https://www.outsideonline.com/2060641/our-reliance-technology-makes-backcountry-more-dangerous.