1. Plural of autodyne; radio receivers or circuits that use a single vacuum tube or transistor to perform both the functions of oscillator and detector, mixing an incoming signal with a locally generated frequency.
Usage: technical; electronics; dated

Examples

• Early radio enthusiasts built autodynes to improve reception with minimal components.
• The autodyne circuit was an important development in radio receiver design during the 1920s.
• Engineers preferred autodynes because they required fewer tubes than superheterodyne receivers.
• Some vintage radio sets employed autodynes for their simplicity and efficiency.