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Welcome to the first photo page of my transistor radio collection. On this page there are transistors from
the 1950's,60's,70's and of different types and styles. There are pocket style and bigger size styles. Enjoy and take
a look. Dave
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| Philips Model 90RL072 Solid State AM Pocket Radio |
Philips is a big Dutch electronics manufacturer. They made a line of radios
and when they could not compete with the asian contries they started having thier transistor radios made in one of the asian
contries. The above radio is one of those radios which the radio is not marked from which country of origion.
The radio is a six transitor with black silicon transitors on the radios
chassis. The radios plastic case is black plastic. On the front is is trimed with bright silver meatl work. Notice that there
is the Philips company coat of arms in the lower right corner.
Thr radio has a larger styled tunner window which is easy to see the numbers
on the tunning dial thumbwheel control. The radio also has a second thumbwheel control for off/on volume. That is located
on the left side of the radio. Just below the off/on volume control is the earphone jack.
The radio is powered by two AA batteries. It has a smaller permenent magnet
speaker. The audio is clear but the audio is tinny sounding. The radio has very good sensitivity. This surprised me for I
wasn't expecting it to be that good. Selectivity is good. Ajacent stations do not bleed each other out.
It is a well made good performing small pocket radio.
I wish the audio was just a little better. This is the second Philips radio now in my collection and I'm pleased with its
performence and good quallity.
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| 1957 Boluva Model 290 Red All Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a 1959 classic transistor radio. Boluva was know as a good quallity
watch maker. They diversified early and went into making transistor radios in the mid 1950s. They had a Japanese manufacturer
make them and thier radios were well made radios. Many jewlery stores carried hem.
The model 290 shown is red cased with silver chrome trim.
I This radio is larg in size. Over 7 inches long over 5 inches high and over two inches thick. The radio is heavy for its
size too.
The large tunning dial on the right has civil defense
station markings on it. A single thumbwheel control on the right is the off/on volume control. All Transistor is in script
writing which adds a bit of class to this radio.
The radio is powered by a nine volt battery.
The number of transistors used is 6 transistors. Being made in the 1950s they are the early metal germanium type.
This radio was won on a internet auction.
I have tested the radio and it has good sensitivity.
Selectivity is very good. Audio is very good. The audio is clear and loud. It is not tinny sounding. The volume control needed
a little cleaning for it was scratchy sounding. Once it was cleaned the noise in the control was gone. Nice 1950s clasic looks.
Good sounding and good working radio.
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| GoodYear Wings 6 Tramsistor Pocket Radio |
Goodyear along with Firestone sold other items in thier stores besides tires.
Both sold tube radios and transistor radios. Firestone sold under Air Chief for there transistor radio line while Goodyear
sold thier transistor radios under the Wings mame.
The radio above is from the early 1960s which was made for Goodyear
in Japan by Toyomenka Inc. It is the model number GP-161. The radio is a high gloss black plastic case with chrome metal
and black trim. It is a six transistor model. There is the two civil defense markings on the radios tunning dial.
There is the Goodyears wingfoot logo on the upper left front
of the radio. The tunning window is on the right upper front of the radio. Two thimbwheel controls are used for tunning and
the off/on volume control. The radio also has a earphone jack and there is shown the leather outer carrying case.
The radio is powered by a regular nine volt battery.
The radio is old enough to have metal germanuim type transistors. The radio is very sensitive. Selectivity is good also. The
audio is clear and sharp not tinny. It is a well made radio from a Japanese company that I never heard of but typical Japanese
quallity.
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| Morse Model 131 Blue and Whaite Reverse Painted Dial 6 Transistor Radio |
Above is the classic styled reverse painetd Morse model 131 six transistor pocket radio.
This radio was made in Japan. The styling of this radio was seen on many different brandnames. The style was from the late
50s into the very early 60s. The year of this radios manufacture is unknown.
The radio is blue and white with silver metal trim. The radio does have
its leather outer carrying case and earphone pouch. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery and has the larger older style
germanium transistors and open air tunning condenser.
This radio is a new addition to my collection. I won
it on a internet auction. The radio works well according to the seller. The radio has no chips but there is what looks like
a small crack near the tunner dial on the front. I will have a full working report on the radio when I receive it.
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| Wards Airline Model GEN1215A 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a Montgomery Ward Airline Model GEN1215A 6 transistor radio from the early
mid 1960s. This radio was made for Wards by NEC. (Nippon Electric Company LTD) This is a fancy small transistor pocket radio
in that the front half of the outer case is sterling silver. The back half is black plastic.
On the sterling silver case in front engraved into it is the Wards logo,Airline
in script writting, and another desighn of a sort of flurdelea. The radio itself is white plastic with a gold speaker grill
along with a nice silver front upper panel.
On the front silver panel in black writting is Six Transistor. Above
the six transistor writing on the upper left side is the volume control off/on thumbwheel. To the lower right side of the
front panel is the dial window with the tunning knob on the right side of the radio. Even though the window is small the numbers
on the tunning dial are large and easy to read.
There is a tension type hinge on the case so when you press
the button on the right side of the radio the case pops open. There is also nice copper small mounting knubs for the hinge
on the left side and the right side located in the black plastic part of the case.
The radio is micro in size. The radio takes a odd size
single battery which is a smaller penlight type 9 volt. I tested the radio with a regular 9 volt battery and the radio works
very well after I cleaned some corrosion of the contacts.
The radios audio is ok. It is clear but there is
no bass. The selectivity is good while its sensitivity is good also. The sterling silver part of the case was badly tarnished
when I first got it so some elbow grease and a lot of repeated use of some tarnish remover got the sterling silver back to
looking decent again.
Another member of the radio club has
this radio. He brought it in one time to show me it. I liked it so much in that it is unique that I looked for this radio
and got the one shown here. As a kid we always went to the big Wards store we had here in Albany NY and I remeber them selling
transistor radios in the jewlery department for several years before they started selling them with appliances. This one fit
right in both departments.
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| Zenith Royal 1000D Transoceanic Portible |
The radio above is the famous Zenith Transoceanic portible radio. This
radio is a Americain icon in the radio world. This radio has a long history from its start in the tube versions right up to
the last Transoceanic model the 7000 series. This model is the Royal 1000D which is the last of the 1000 series models.
This radio is powered by 9 D cell batteries. There is no ac power
hooup or line cord on this model. The radio is chrome and silver with black plastic trim. There is a leather like material
that covers the sides of the radio. There is on the door a band of brass or gold trim too.
The dial is a rotaing drum with the band selector knob
on the right side of the radio. The tunning knob is the large lower right knob on the front. The left smaller knob is the
off/on volume control. The other smaller knob just to the right is the tone control. There is a small little knob for the
dial light.
This radio was made either in the Unietd States
or Cannada. This one was made in Cannada. The radio has plug in type germanium transistors. Zenith used this type of transistor
starting with the first Royal 1000 in 1957 through the 3000 series which replaced the 1000 series in 1963.
The radio has AM and six shortwave bands. There
is no FM on the 1000 series. The handle comes out on one end and the telescoping rod antenna is built into the handle and
can be extended out when needed. This radio was known for its sound, selectivity and sensitivity. It still today
out performs many of todays digital radios. This is a very heavy radio even with out the batteries.
The only two real drawbacks with the 1000
series was the materials used on the radios case. The metal was prone to pitting as it aged. The plastic handle would crack
too. Better materials were used on the 3000 series. The other was not having FM. The Transoceanic series today is a great
radio to use every day. If you like am and shortwave dxing this radio is hard to beat.
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| RCA Strato-World AM FM SW Portible Radio |
RCA like many other manufacturers made a multi band portible radio. Thiers was the
Strato-World. This radio was made in Japan. It ran off ac using a adaptor that plugged in. (shown in photo) Or you could run
it off six D cell batteries.
The case is black plastic with chrome metal trim and accents. The radio covers
AM,FM,3 shortwave bands,( continuies from 1.6mghrtz-30mghrtz) and longwave. The radio has over on the left front side
a tunning meter which will show signal strength.
The radio has its other controls on the front right grouped in four
silver knobs. One is the off/on volume control. A second knob is for tunning. The third control is for tone bass and trebble.
The fourth control is the band selection control. On the top left side is a push button for the dial lights.
The telescoping antenna is for both fm and sw. It rotates 360 degrees
and has stops when you tilt it. There is auxillary jacks for earphone and ac adaptor. On the back is the operating booklet
and user information in a brushed aluminuim case.
I had to clean the volume control and tone control. They were quite
noisy with static. The tone control got quiet and the tone range from bass to treble is very good. The volume control took
quite a bit of working before it was free of noise.
There is plenty of volume that can easily overdrive the speaker. AM and
the three shortwave bands have good sensitivity. Selectivity is good also. The fm band sensitivity is good and so is the selectivity.
Over all it is a good performer but not as good as a Zenith Transoceanic.
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| Montgomery Ward Airline AM FM SW Transistor Portible Radio |
Another Airline radio has joined my growing collection. This one is from th early 1960s.
There is conalrad markings on the AM dial. This radio I bought at a local hamfest. It has AM,FM,and two SW bands.
The radio is powered by 6 D cell batteries. I had to clean up the copper connections
in the battery compartment before the radio would work. Here I was surprised by two paper labels that were in English and
German! The radio was not made in Japan but West Germany by Grundig.
The radio is a good quallity made radio too. Controld are very smooth.
The audio is very pleasent from the large speaker. The radio has a tone control,volume off on,bandswitch, and tunning control
knobs right up front on the right hand side.
There is a dial light button also for night use. The radio has a
ac adapter jack,earphone jack,external antenna jack for shortwave, and a local distance switch for FM. They are all located
on the back of the radio.
There is plenty of bass,midrange,and trebble by adjusting the
tone control. AM and shortwave reception is good with good selectivity and sensitivity. The fm must be on distance. If not
it is a deaf mute.
With the distance switch on fm comes in great! It
recieves many stations very well. You do not have to adjust the antenna the afc action is so strong. Weaker signals stay put
right on with out fading. It performs well over all,sounds good,and well made. I'm very pleased to have this radio.
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| Topps International 7 Transistor Portible Radio |
The above Topps International 7 transistor portible radio was made back in 1958. This
radio was made in Japan. The radio takes three C size batteries for power. The case is heavy cardboard covered leather.
The grill is black plastic and the large tunning dial has the two conalrad
frequencies maked with triangles. The volume control off/on switch is a single knob control. There is no earphone jack on
this radio.
Topps Bubble Gum Company gave this radio away as a promotion to store
owners if the owner bought so many sets of baseball trading cards in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Either Topps over produced
this radio to give them away as a promotional item or they sold poorly.
Topps went on to make transistor radios in the 1960s
under tier own brand or made other brand radios too. The newer radios were not made in Japan. They moved operations to Hong
Kong and they got a name for poor quallity radios and they dissapeared by the end of the 1960s.
This radio is a good working radio after I replaced
one smaller capacitor. Before replacement the radios sensitivity was poor to fair. Now it is good. It recieves all our local
stations well. Selectivity is ok. I noticed that one of the local stations was a little broad and did interfere with the stations
on either side of it.
The radio does have good audio despite not having a tone control.
There was bass in the audio. Well I guess I got a good one after all. I'm glad I did.
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| Morse Model 131 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
From the early 1960s shown above is a Morse model 131 6 transistor pocket radio.
Yhis classic styled radio was made in Japan. The case is a blueish purple with a fancy chrome front and speaker grill. Notice
the stylized M on the front.
The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The six transistors are metal
germaniums. There is cd markings on the tunning dial. The tuner thumbwheel control is on the upper right side of the
radio. The volume on/off control is on the left side of the radio. The earphone jack is on the lower left side of the
radio.
Not shown with the radio is its leather carrying case. The
radio does work after I did some cap replacements. The audio sounds decent. There is some bass. Selectivity and sensitivity
is good. I like the styling of this radio and now it works well.
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| Playboy Pocket Transistor Radio |
Another early to mid 1960s transistor pocket radio has been added into my growing
collection. This one is a Playboy brand transistor radio. The rdaio was made in Japan. The radio is powered by a nine volt
battery. There is a top hat, cane, and a pair of gloves engraved in the metal front chrome panel above the speaker grill.
The radio has a silver all metal front. The front part of the plastic case
is a gloss black plastic. The back portion of the case is white plastic The outer carrying case is leather. The radio
has two thumbwheel controls for tunning and off/on volume. The radios dial is marked with triangles for the civil defense
stations. The radio has a earphone jack for private listening.
I do not know much about this radio, There is no labels inside
the case of the radio. So there is no model number or schematic. It is a six transistor chassis with two audio output transistors.
I had to do one cap replacement which took care of the radio just getting static.
The radio has lots of volume and is not all that bad
sounding. Sensitivity is fair to good. It receives all the ocal stations ok but not the weaker ones all that well. Selectivity
is good though. The other thing is it still needs some repairs. There still is constent static in the background even on strong
signals. This I will look into at a later time.
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| Nobility 12 Transistor Pocket Radio |
The radio above is a Nobility 12 transistor pocket radio form the 1960s. This
radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio is white and blue with silver and chrome trim. This radio was made
in Hong Kong.
The radio has two thumbwheel controls. One for tunning and the other
is the off/on volume control. There is a earphone jack for a earphone. There is also a white plastic carrying case with the
radio. Also the original box and paperwork are with it too.
Depending when this radio was made in the 1960s all or
not all of the transistors were used. Twelve transistors is a lot of transistors for just a am pocket radio. Some companies
were putting in dummy transistors in the radios and jacking up the prices.
In 1967 the FCC made a change and made it manditorry that all
solid state devices had to be listed and that they had to be in a working circuit. This put a end to dummy transistors. It
could be possible to have working 12 transistors though.
I have the radio and it seems that all the transistors are in working
circuits. The radio has good sound though weak. This could be from the volume control or a bad cap. Selectivity is good but
sensitivity is poor. This too could be from a bad cap. So I may have some repair work on this one.
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| Westinghpuse Model Escort Clock Flashlight Cigarette Lighter Transistor Radio |
In the 1960s Westinghouse made a model line of transistor radios named Escort. The
radios were made in Japan. The Escort shown above had the most features on it. This was the top of the line version.
This Escort has the clock in the front left upper corner. The flashlight and
gigarette lighter are located on the left side of the radio. The radio takes AA batteries which you could use regular type
or rechargable ones with the radio too. There is a built in charger along with a ac wall plug on the back of the radio to
plug it in to recharge the batteries.
The tuner and off/on volume controls are thumbwheel style. The case is
black plastic and a full metal front pamel silver,black, and white. The clock has alarm features which can be used to wake
you up by a buzzer or music. The clock is a wind up type.
The clock does work along with the flashlight,lighter,and
radio. The radio has very good sensitivity. The selectivity is very good also. The audio is very clear and has pleasent sound
too. A very unique radio from the mid 1960s.
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| Wales Model I032N 10 Transistor Radio |
Above is another transistor ardio from the 1960s decade. This radio is a Wales
model I032N 10 transistor radio. This later 1960s radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio is white and brown with
silver trim.
The tuner window is the little square in the upper front right
with the tuning control on the right side of the radio. The off on volume control is on the left side of the radio. There
is also a earphone jack on the left side of the radio.
The radio came with its original box,earphone,
and a extra earphone too. This radio was made in Hong Kong. The radio is a registered British design. The radio is a product
of Unietd Glass Inc. according to the warrenty paper.
The radio is almost new condition. Sensitivity is very
good. This radio picked up all of the local stations without any readjusting. Selectivity was very good too. The radio had
no trouble f keeping stations that were right next to each other from bleeding. Sound was the only drawback. It is clear plenty
of volume but there is no bass. All in all a nice looking very good performing Hong Kong made radio.
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| Wales Ivory Pocket Pocket Radio |
Above is another Wales 10 transistor like the one above. This one is a different color
and the trim on the front is different. Instead of woodgrain thefront panet is silver. The writing is also a differnt style.
The chassis is the same with 10 transistors. Same controls takes the same 9 volt
battery. This one also was made in Hong Kong. The carrying case is also ivory like the radio. This radio works well and it
is rated as the same as the one above.
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| Sylvania Model 4P19W 4 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a early 1960s Sylvania Model 4P19W pocket 4 transistor
radio. This radio was made in Japan. The radio is a off white or ivory color. The tuning dial is a red colored thumbwheel
control that can be seen in the photo.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. There is a thumbwheel control
for volume and off on on the right side of the radio. The radio came with a leather case. This is the second Sylvania transistor
radio in my collection. The radio does work. The volume contorl shorts so it will have to be replaced.
The radio is a reflex circuit design. It has good audio,sensitivity
is good. Selectivity is good. This is when the volume control doesn't short. Once this problem is fixerd it will be a fully
good working radio.
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| Sylvania Deluxe Eight Transistor Radio |
Here is the second Sylvaia brand transistor radio I have in my collection.
It is the model TR-102 BK1 Deluxe eight transistor. This radio is powered by a nine volt battery and was made in Japan. It
is a heavy radio for a pocket radio and slightly wider then other pocket radios.
The radio is shown in its real leather carrying case. The radio
itself is black plastic with silver trim. The speaker grill is chrome metal. The radio uses thumbwheel controls for tunning
and off/on volume. They are located on the upper right side of the radio. The radio also has a earphone jack and a ac adaptor
jack on the lower left side of the radio.
Now the radio has a nice large easy to read reversed painted dial across
the top front of the radio. On the leather case there is a snap on carrying strap. Also the leather case opens at the botom
not the top like most other outer leather carrying cases. If you look to the left of the dial Sylvanias logo is a futuristic
looking telephone. Sylvania made telephones back in the mid 1960s when this radio was made.
Now the chassis in this radio has eight transistors which four of
them are used for the if stages, Then there is a oscilator mixer and audio detector avc and two audio output transistors.
All are metal germanium type. For the different types as function that they do they are marked with color dots on them.
The first thing that I was surprised by on this radio was the
clearness of the audio. Plus there is bass without a tone control! That shows that there was some quallity in this radio.
Next having four if stages the radios sensitivity is very good. Selectivity also is very good.
A couple of more things about this radio; One there was a old Everready
Premium Nine Volt battery in the radio in very nice shape. That will make a nice extra display piece with the radio. Second
is the way the radio is desighned for battery removal or servicing. The case comes apart not by having two halves of the case
but a panel that is recessed in the back of the radio comes out. Nice sounding, well built, good performence, and extra features
makes this Sylvania transistor radio a very nice one to have.
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| Raleigh 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above from the early 1960s is a Raleigh 6 transistor pocket radio. This
radio was made in Japan. It is powered by a 9 volt battery. Rali\eigh in the early 60s made good quallity radios. To stay
competitive Raleigh like many other brands became a inexpensive radio which the quallity went down.
The radio has a stylish looking all metal front. The radio has thumbwheel
controls for tunning,off/on, and volume. There is a little window in the upper front to see the dial numbers. The radio has
a earphone jack for a earphone. The radio came with a leather case.
I won this radio on a internet auctin. This little radio works well. It has good
sensitivity. Selectivity is good also. The audio is ok. There is little bass but the sound is clear not tinny. This radio
is one of the better made radios.
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| General Electric Reproduction Cathedral Transistor Radio |
General Electric is a well known long time maufacturer of radios. The above cathedral
model is a 3/4 scale of one of GE's 1930s tube radio cathedrals. This is a large wooden cased radio for a transistor radio.
The radio is 18 inches high at the peak of the cabinet. It is 12 inches
wide and eight inches deep. The three knobs on the front are for on/off volume on the left side,the middle is for tunning,
and the last knob on the right side is the band switch.
The wooden cabinet has a laquire finish. There is a large six inch speaker
in the radio that gives the radio great audio. There is plenty of bass with out a tone control. The radio has very good sensitivity
and selectivity on both bands. Thats why this radio is sought after by collectors.
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| General Electric Model Monitor 10 AM\FM\SW\PSB\CB\WB Portible Radio |
General Electric made multi bamd portible radios to compete with Zenith's Transoceanic.
GE made several models of thier World Monitor series starting in the early 1960s . The Monitor 10 model shown above was made
in Hong Kong in the 1970s.
This radio is powered by 6 D size batteries or buit in ac line cord. The radio
is black and grey plastic with some silver trim. The radio has many features on it. The radio covers AM,FM,SW,CB,PSB,and weather
bands. The radio has a band selector switch along with pushbutton band selecting. Seperate tuning knobs which thereis a main
one for AM,FM,SW. A seperate tuning knob for UHF and weather.
There is seperate tone controls for bass and trebble. A sqelch control for elimanating
static. A 1/4 inch headphone jack for headphones. It does lack a dial light and and a external antenna jack.
AM,FM, and the shortwave bands have very good sensitivity. Selectivity
is very good also. The radio has plenty of bass or if you want both good bass and trebble you can have both tone controls
on together. The public service band worked well but did lack just a very little sensitivity. The weather band did
pick up or local station but the volume was low. All this was done off the telescoping antenna on the radio.
The weather tuning knob control is not in a good spot.
It is a thumbwheel control in the back of the radio on lower right side. The one band that the radio does not have
is the marine band. It is a very good working radio. It is nice to listen to. It performs well. It just lacks some small
nice to have features.
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| 1958 General Electric Model P780B 8 Transistor Portible Radio |
General Electric came out with the P780 model in the fall of 1957. This radio
became a standard for the radio industry. The radio had exceptional audio along with sensitivity and selectivity. GE would
create a whole model line over the years on this radio.
This radio is leather with a all chrome speaker grill. The radio has a
large horizontal slide rule dial. The off on volume control is on the left side of the dial. It is the outer knob. The inner
knob on the same side is the tone control which adjusts both bass and treble.
On the right side is the tuning knob. The radio is powered by 6 D size
batteries. Without the batteries this radio is a hefty 12 lbs in wieght. The chassis was like a tube set chassis but has transistors.
This radio was made in Utica NY.
The radio also has a lighted dial which the button is next to the volume
and tone cotrol on the left side of the radio. The radio is am only. The radio lacks a earphone jack. Later based versions
of the radio included one along with a external antenna jack.
This radio is a DX radio! Sensitivity is exceptional. Selectivity
is very good. The audio is excepetional also. There is great bass even when the tone control is set halfway with the trebble
is increased. This radio has console quallity sound! This radio is known for all three of the above and had won awards for
it. This is why this is one of the few General Electric radios that everyone collects!
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| General Electric Model P990 17 Transitor All Wave Portible |
Shown above is a General Electric model P990 17 transistor All Wave portible
radio. This radio is from 1965 and looks a lot like GE's model P780 am radio. The design of this radio was based on the P780.
This is the first World Monitor model.
This radio is powered by 6 D size batteries. The radio has a chrome metal
front with a brown leather case. The radio has am.fm,sw1,sw2,and longwave. The radio on the am and sw bands is a dual conversion
circuit. The fm band is a quad if circuit. With trhis circuitry the radio has excellent sensitivity and selectivity on all
bands.
The radio also has afc on fm,fine tuning,tone control
for bass and treble,and two telescoping antennas for fm and shortwave. There are jacks on the back for external antennas for
FM and shortwave,earphone,and a ac adaptor. GE built this radio to compete against Zenith's Transoceanic. Suggested
retail price was $99.95. This model with this design was run for a 3 year span.
This radio I won on a internet auction. It is said
to be in very good working shape. The case is very good condition. The radio has the original earphone and log book with
it. The radio over all is exceptionally clean.
First the audio on this radio is great! There is
plenty of bass when the tone is on bass. In the middle position there is well balanced bass and trebble. Even when the tone
is set to full trebble the radio is not tinny sounding at all. More then one person has told me the radio has full sound.
I then tried AM and the two shortwave bands. Sensitivity on
am was very good. On shortwave it was almost excellent. Selectivity was also very very good. On FM sensitivity was outstanding!
I am in a poor spot for fm. This radio received stations clearly from my home location over 70 miles from the west and
east of me. North and south the range reached close to 100 miles. This was off the telescoping rod antenna! This was with
the AFC on.
Great performence,great sound,classic good looks,and American made
I would recomend this GE radio to any one. Makes a nice addition for the collector. Or for everyday use it is a very
nice radio.
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| 1960's Afco 14 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown in the above photo is a mid 1960's Afco brand 14 transistor pocket style radio. It has a silver metal
front with gold colored speaker grill. The diamond dial window is a nice styling touch. The case is a charcol grey and white
plastic back. This radio has the triangle markings on the dial for the two old civil defense frequancies. This Afco radio
was made in Hong Kong when it was a Britich colony. The 14 transistors are the original genanium kind. This radio is in working
condition.
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| Encore Model SQ10 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a Encor model SQ10 6 transistor pocket radio. This radio is very
slim. Just a little thicker then the two AA batteries that power it. This radio was made in Honk Kong. It is a light yellow
in color with a very nice gold metal front panel speaker grill.
Both the tunning control and off/on volume controls are on
the right side of the radio. The earphone jack is also on the right side near the bottom. The little dial window in the upper
front right corner magnifies the numbers on the thumbwheel dial.
I have a Encore radio box with the radio. It is for a different model.
The radio has good audio untill you reach a certain point. There is a leaky cap so I'll have to change it. Sensitivity is
good. Selectivity is very good. Very sharp looking radio. It is only the second yellow colored radio in my colection as of
now.
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| Air Cheif Model 4C-66 Hi Fidelity 10 Transistor Radio |
Sraight from the 1960s is this made in Japan Air Cheif model $C-66 hi fidelity
10 transistor radio. The radio has a black plastic case with black and silver metal trim on the front. The radio is
powered by a 9 volt battery.
Thumbwheel controls are used for tunning and off/on volume. The radio has a earphone
jack also. Hi fidelity was a term used to sell transistor radios. It ment better sound. Some times this was true with
the higher count transistors used in a radio. Most of the time the sound was improved by being louder but the audio was still
poor due to the speaker in the radio.
This radio was another Ebay win. Well hi fi sound the radios audio is not. There
is ample volume that is clear. It does lack bass. Selectivity is good while the sensitivity is very good. Overall a decent
radio. Just wish that the audio had bass to it.
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| Firestone Airchief Model 4C-55 8 Transistor Radio |
Above is another Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Aircheif transistor radio.
This is a model 4C-55 8 transistor radio. This radio was made in Japan. It has a black plastic case with silver and gold
metal trim.
The radio is powered by 4 C size batteries. The volume off/on thumbwheel
control is on the upper top left of the radio. The tunning thumbwheel control is on the right side of the radio. The earphone,external
speaker jacks are on the left side of the radio.
This radio has nice audio. It is clear and has some bass to it. It
is not high fidelity like is writen on the radio. It is nicer sounding then other radios the same size I have.
The radio has very good sensitivity. It picks up all the local
stations along with many distant stations too. Selectivity is also very good. No problems with stations interfering with each
other. Nice looking and very good working radio.
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| Adam and Eve Novelty Transistor Radios |
In the photo above is one of the more outrages Japaneese made novelty transistor
radios. The radios above are the Adam and Eve transistors. The radios were last made in 1977. I dont know what year they were
started as far as manufactured. The set above is in black plastic cases. They were also made in red and blue. I don't
know if there were more colors then the three I have mentioned.
The radios are powered by a 9 volt battery. Adam has a white tuning knob on the
top. The off /on switch is the penis which you pull out to turn on and push in to turn off! The volume control is also
the penis. Eve has the speaker contained in her body along with the 9 volt battery.
The radios include the original box, and paperwork. The radios are in working condition.
I won the set on a internet auction. The radio set does work now after the speaker had to be replaced. The selectivity is
good while the sensitivity is only fair. Despite of not being all that sensitive the looks and comments I have received on
this transistor radio make up for it.
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| Nude Girl Novelty Transistor Radio |
Above is a late 1960s early 1970s novelty transistor radio. This one is
one of the most unique novelty radios. The radio was made in Japan. The radio comes in several different models. Blonde,redhead,and
brunette.
The body (case) is a rubbery type plastic like dolls were made out
of. The radios cover is a sheer lacy see through nightie. The controls are on the breasts. The left nipple is off on
volume while the right nipple is the tuner. There is no earphone jack.
The radio takes a 9 volt battery. The speaker is in the base
of the doll. I don't know who made the radio. I do know that this one was made in Japan. Many of the parts on the chassis
and the speaker are Japanese made. This radio was also made in Hong Kong. This radio has 8 transistors.
Sound quallity is ok. It does have a little bass
so it is not tinny sounding. I was really surprised how the sensitive the radio was. It is very good! I did a little am dxing
at night and she picked up stations very well. Selectivity is very good too.So not bad sounding, good performence, and quite
a conversation piece this radio is quite the novety radio.
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| Sexy Linda Transistor Radio Doll |
Sexy Linda is the second novelty doll radio in my collection. She might be the
younger sistor to the doll transistor above her! This doll radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. This one was made in Hong
Kong. It is newer then the other doll radio above Linda.
Linda has differntly styled red hair. The neglegie is red instead of almost
see through like the other radio dolls. The controls are in the same "spots"! (her breasts) They work the same way too.
This radio has a broken speaker wire that needs fixing. Once that
is done it should work fine. I will have a report on Linda and let you know how she works soon! Well I repaired the speaker
and battery wires. She turns on fine now. Audio is average lacks bass and is on the tinny side.
Instead of the whole breast for the volume and tunning
controls the nipples are the controls on this radio. Makes using the two controls harder to use. Sensitivity and selectivity
are very good. It takes patience to tune the radio. So Linda turned out all right.
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| John Player F1 Race Car Novelty Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a recent addition to my collection. The radio is a John Player F1 formula one race
car transistor radio. The body is dark blue and the radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. (not the alternator) The controls
are located in the cockpit. The radio was made in Hong Kong but as of now I do not know the manufactured the radio. The radio
does work. The selectivity is good while the sensitivity is only fair. It is a 5 transistor radio. One other drawback is the
speaker faces down and it sits very close to the surface under it. The volume has to be up so what you are listening to can
be heard.
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| Red Racing Car Transistor Radio |
Shown above is another racing car transistor radio. This one is a little different
then the John Player Special black one above this one. This am radio was made in Hong Kong. It uses a 8 volt battery
for power.
This radio came with it's box and paperwork. The two controls are located under
the car instead of being on the sides near the front wing like the black racing car radio. The speaker is on the bottom
and it has a white colored grill.
I won the radio on a internet auction sight. The radio is brand new condition. The
radio works like a new radio. Sensitivity is very good. It is better then the black one above. Selectivity is good. The audio
is clear but like the black one it is high ended. Still a nice radio and it is nice to have both colors.
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| 1963 Caddilac Convertable Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a 1963 Caddilac convertable novelty transistor
radio. This transistor radio has been redone several times over the years by several manufacturers. This is one of the
reproduction ones not the original one made by WACO which was made in Japan
This one was made in Hong Kong in the Mid 1980s by Nasta
. It has a gold body,black top and black interior. The controls are under the car which are a off on volume control anda tuning
knob. The speaker is also underneath. The battery compartment is underneath under the trunk.
The radio is am only and is powered by a 9 volt
battery. This one is NOS (new old stock and the car is in great condition. The box is also in very good shape. The paper work
is missing. I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio has good audio. There is a little bass so it is pleasent to listen
to. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is also very good. The radio works well over all and the condition is very nice.
I like the style of the 63 Caddy and even though the radio is not the real car I do now own The Standard Of The World.
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| 1963 Caddilac Elderado Convertable Transistor Radio |
The above transistor radio is another 1963 Caddilac Elderado convertable novelty transistor radio.
This one like the gold one above was made in Hong Kong by Waco. The color is gunmetal on the one above. It is also older
then the gold one. It is larger in size,heavier plastic is used in the body, and the control knobs have a different design
to them. This radio works well,has good audio. It is not as in good shape as the gold one. The paint has some spots in
it that will not buff out and there is a headlight missing in the front. Well this one will be a daily driver! (one that is
used every day)
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| 1934 Duesenberg SJ Town Car Transistor Radio |
Above is a American classic automobile. This transistor radio is a 1934 Duesenberg
model SJ town car. This radio was made by Waco in Japan. Newer versions were made in Hong Kong. The car is made from metal
and plastic parts.
The radio chassis is inside the cars chassis. The tuner and off/on volume controls
are the spare tire sidemounts. The 9 volt battery compartment is under the trunk of the car. The spraker is located under
the car on the center of the chassis.
I won this radio on a internet auction site. The car is in like new
condition. The box is in very good shape too. The radio works very well. The sensitivity is very good. Selectivity is very
good also.
The speaker being on the bottom I thought it would be like the oyher
model car transistor radios I have. The sound would be low since the speaker is pointed to the surface underneath it. Thus
the volume has to be turned up.
Not with this one! There is ample volume even with the
volume turned down. The speaker is larger then the other car radios I have. That could be one reason why. The second reason
is that the chassis is a seven transistor with a set of audio transistors in push pull.
The audio is clear and very plesent to listen to. This
radio is really a Duzie! Nice looking,well made performs vey well, and nice to listen to. Classic performence from a classic
looking radio.
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| Harlie 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a Harlie 6 transistor pocket radio. The radio was made in Hong
Kong. Note that the Sinclair gas pump radio looks very close to this radio that is shown in the next photo. Harlie made that
radio too.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The case is red with silver trim
on the front. The silver panel in the front on top is chrome plated. Thumbwheels are used for tuning and off/on volume. There
is a earphone jack. The radio does have a black outer carrying case included.
This radio was another Ebay auction win. The radio is in very good
shape and is to be working very well. The radio does work very well. The audio is nice and clear but like the Harlie
transistor it is tinny.
Selectivity is very good along with the sensitivity. It is much better
then the Sinclair transistor above this radio. So it is one of the beter made radios from Hong Kong.
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| Sinclair Gasoline Dino Surpream Gas Pump 6 Transistor Radio |
In the 1960s gasoline stations gave away transistor radios as promotion items.
Some gave them free after so many fill ups or you paid a discount price for them with a fill up. Sinclair gave out this radio
through its service stations.
This radio was made by Harlie. It is a six transistor radio. The tuner
window is by the gallons on the pump. The dial numbers appear next to the word gallons. The on off volume control is also
a thumbwheel control. The radio has a earphone jack.
The radio has a red case with metal and painted silver trim.
Sinclair used as its logo a green dinisore which is just visible in the badge on the radio. Sinclair's premium gas was Dino
Supream which is also marked on the radio. Like Dino Sinclair as far as the gas name is now extinct.
This radio is not working. It only gets static. So I have to
repair it. Once I get it repaired I'll have a working report. That will be soon.
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| Gas Pump Transistor AM FM Radio |
Another neat transistor has joined my collection. Above is a 1940s styled am/fm gas
pump radio. This radio was made by Poly Concepts. It was sold in stores back in 1985. The radio has several neat features.
The globe on top ligts up. Also the gallons and price meters area lights up too. The nozzle is the band switch. Lifting it
up or down changes the radio to fm or am.
The round window where on a real gas pump of this vintage you saw the gas swirl
around. This is where the dial numbers are. All the controls except the band switch are on the left side of the pump. The
radio is powered by c size batteries and so are the lights.
The radio stands over a foot high and is about five inches wide. The speaker
is in the back. There is not a earphone jack on this radio. I won the radio internet auction site.
The radio has very good audio. There is bass. Selectivity and sensitivity
is very good on both am and fm. I was really surprised on theradios sensitivity on fm because of the little wire antenna it
has for fm. Real neat radio that works very well and one that draws a lot of attention.
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| FS Super Lube Quart Oil Can Novelty Transistor Radio |
I have in the photo above another recent auction win novelty radio.
There is a wide variety of automotive novelty transistor radios. I so far have three of them in my collection shown here on
this page. Cars,tires,sparkplugs,gas pumps,tires, and car batteries make up a good share of them.
This one is a FS Super Lube quart oil can transistor radio.
It is a brand of oil that is not sold in my area. The seller of the radio came from the south so it might be from that
area. The radio is am. The radio takes a 9 volt battery. The speaker is in the top of the can while the two controls are on
the bottom along withthe battery compartment.
The radio works extreamly well according to the person
I bought it from. The seller was right. The radio has good selectivity and the sensitivity is good too. The radio has
good audio too. (does not sound like a tin can even though it is in one) The radio was made in Hong Kong but no other manufacture information.
Nice novelty radio.
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| Realistic Model 12-720 AM/FM Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a Radio Shack model Realistic 12-720 AM FM pocket radio. This
is from the 1970s and it was one of thier flavor radio line. This one is the flavor strawberry due to its pink color.
This radio was made in Tiwian. The radio is powered by 2 AA batteries.
The speaker grill is black plastic while the rest of the radio is the strawberry pink color. The radio has the carrying strap
and a earphone jack.
The radio is working. I will have a working report when I get
the radio. By the way this radio is comming from Hawia so it makes it the longest disence to travel radio in my collection
so far. The radio arrived so I can tell you how well it works.
The radio has good sensitivity on am. FM sensitivity is very good. Selectivity
is good on both bands. Audio is very clear on this small radio. Sound is good with a littloe bass. The only thing with this
radio is that battery life is short if played modertly loud. Who ever made this radio for Radio Shack made a good little radio.
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| Realistic Blueberry Flavor Transistor Radio |
Shown is the second Realistic Flavor Radio in my collection. This one is blueberry
blue in color. This one is not NOS but very close. It has the box,paperwork,the radio, and earphone. This one is just am only.
This radio is older then the am fm Strawberry model above this radio.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. This radio was made in Japan
for Radio Shack. The radio has a carrying strap and the tuner control is on the right side of the radio. The dial window is
shown on the upper right front corner. The off on volume control is on the left side of the radio. The earphone jack is also
on the left side of the radio.
I won the radio on a internet auction. The seller stated that the radio
works like it was brand new. The radio works very well. Despite testing durring a thunderstorm(staic crashes from lightning)
it had good sounding audio. Selectivity was good. Sensitivity was good also but not quite as sensitive on am as the strawberry
radio.
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| 1960'sOlympic 6 Transistor Radio |
Pictured above is a 1960's Olympic 6 transistor model 781 pocket transistor. The plastic case has a blue
front part and the plastic back is white. The front of the radio is silver with a chrome speaker grill. The Olympic logo is
missing in the lower right corner of the speaker grill.
The dial window is stylish in the pie design. The dial numbers are red in color and with this radio too
the civil defense stations are marked with triangles. Inside the back cover is a complete schematic and parts location schematic.
Plus all the transistor numbers are listed and they were made by RCA and the RCA numbers. This radio is a nice looking and
the radio has good sound and works very well.
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| Holiday 9 Transistor Pocket Radio |
From the 1960s is a Holiday 9 transistor pocket radio that was made in
Japan. This radio has a all metal front with a black plastic case. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio does
have cd markings on the tuner dial so it is early 1960s.
The radio came with a leather case which is shown. There is also
a earphone jack on the radio. The tuner dial is in the square window in the upper front of the radio. The thumbwheel
control is on the right side of the radio. The off on volume control is on the left side of the radio.
This radio is working. I had to do some cap work on it.
Audio is clear and there is some bass. Selectivity and sensitivity is very good on this radio. Good looking and good performing
pocket radio.
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| 1960's Hilto Super Eight Transistor |
Pictured above is a 1960's vintage Hilton Super 8 Transistor radio. There is no model number in the
radio. This radio was made in Japan. The case is a high gloss black plastic. The front is all chrome metal around the
dial and speaker grill. The dial window style reminds me of dials on late 1930's table radios in that it is a ornate airplane
style dial.
This radio takes 3 AA penlight batteries and has six gernanium transistors. This radio has the conalrad
markings on the dial. Very stylish small horizontal style radio. Works well.
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| National Model NT-60 BC SW 8 Transistor |
From the early 1960s is a National model NT-60 BC SW transistor radio.
This radio was made in Japan. The radio is smaller then the coat pocket size radiios but a little larger then the shirt pocket
size radios made in those times.
The radio case is dark blue and grey in color. The dial is reverse
painted. There is cd markings on the broacast band. The radio has the dial tuning knob on the right front side while
the off on volume cotrol is on the left side front of the radio. The radio is powered by 3 C batteries.
There is also on the front the band selector switch with a signal strength
meter in the upper left front. The speaker grill is polished aluminium. The radio used a telescoping antenna for shortwave.
There is also a external wire antenna jack for shortwave and a earphone jack too.
I bought the radio on the internet . I had to do some
cleaning on the volume control and band switch. The tuner is gear driven and I also had to reset the tuner so that it would
read right on the dial. With those fixes I'm happy to report that the radio works well on both bands.
Audio is good on this radio. There is no tinny sound to it as lond
as the tone control is in low. AM band is good on selectivity and good on sensitivity. On shortwave since it is a older anaolog
tuner it is somewhat a chore to tune. Despite this sensitivity is good. Selectivity is fair to good. For a older
small transistor radio it is well made sounds good and performs well.
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| Channel Master Model6248 TransWorld Multi Band Portible |
Channel Master had a radio to compete in the muli band portible market. The model
6246 was the model they made in the late 60s to compete in this market segment. This was Channel Masters most expensive
radio in thier line up.
This radio has 23 transistors in the radios chassis. Four other transistors were
used in the power supply and the bfo. The total transistor count was 27 transistors. The radio runs of ac or 6D size batteries.
This radio has AM,FM,SW1,SW2,PSB1,PSB2,and Aircraft bands. There is volume and
tone slider type controls. There is tunning with fine tunning which the fine tunning is very precise. There is a battery
level and signal strength meter on the front panel. There is a squelch control to knock out static which works on all
bands. There is a switch for FM AFC. The last feature control is a bfo switch which is used for sideband on the ham bands.
On the top the white row of key switches is the band switches. The white
round button is the off on switch. The red one is for the dial lamps. On the back of the radio there is terminals for external
speaker,headphone,external antenna jack for LW,SW,AIR,and PSB bands. Then there is another external anttena jack for FM.
Now the audio output is rated at 2 watts maximum. The radio
has 6 transistors in the audio circuit after the detector agc transistor. There
is two drivers along with four audio out put transistos in push pull. The radio has a lot of audio that sounds very good.
Selectivity is very good on all the am bands. Using the fine tunning
on shortwave you can really pinpoint stations! Sensitivity is very good on AM,SW,and FM. LW (longwave it is good. The
band it lacks on is the higher PSB. Here it is fair. This was just using the telescoping rod antennas on the radio.
I have not tried a external antenna on the radio yet.
Even though Sanyo made this radio which some people don't respect
Sanyo this radio works very well,has some features that you just don't find on the competitions radios. Now the radio in the
picture is not the exact radio that I have. Mine is not missing the volume button but is missing the battery cover.
The best part of this radio is that it was thrown out! I picked
it up and brought it home! I tested it and it worked on all bands. I had to spend some time cleaning it up. I also had
to put another ac line cord on it. So this freebie turned out to be quite a gem!
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| Channel Master Model 6252A AC/DC AM PSB Hi Low 10 Transistor Portible Radio |
From Channel Master made by Sanyo is a am psb portible radio. It is the model
6252A. This radio is powered by three C cell batteries. It also can be plugged in and run on ac. It has a ten transistor
chassis. The radio has the standard am broadcast band with two psb bans which are hi and low.
The psb bands cover from 25 megahertz through 50 megahertz on the low
psb. The hi psb covers from 147 megahertz through 174 megahertz. The public service bands are fm. There is a external antenna
jack and earphome jack on the back of the radio.
The four knob controls on the front are for
off/on volume,squelch,tone, and tunning. The radio has a larger speaker for better sounding audio. I won this radio on a internet
auction so I have yet to receive it. The radio is in excellent working condition on all three bands.
When I get the radio I woll have a working report
on the radio. I will test all three bands to see how well they receive along with how the radio sounds. I hope it sounds good
and works well.
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| Channel Master Maverick Cordless Battery Table Transistor Table Radio |
Channel Master made several large table transistor models in the 1950s
through the 1960s. One of the 1960s models is shown above. Channel Master had two model Mavericks. I have both of them now
in my collection. The cordless table model and the pocket transistor model.
The table model Maverick is a mid 1960s model. It takes four
C batteries for power. It is a simple radio to operate. On the front you have the large tunning dial for tunning. Then on
the lower right front is the off on volume control. There is a built in handle for carrying the radio.
This radio was made by Sanyo in Japan for
Channel Master. The radio should have good sounding audio. The other Channel Master radios of this type I have do. I
won this radio on a internet auction site. The radio has ok audio. Its larger size speaker gives clear audio. There is a touch
of bass so it's ok to listen to.
The large tunning dial makes tunning easy. It has good
selectivity and the sensitivity is fair to good. I only say this in that rotating the radio does not always knull out
a signal and on other Channel Master radios they will. The radio has the original store label and price tag on the back
of the radio. The radio has a selling price of $23.95. That was a large sum for a basic radio.
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| Channel Master Model 6474 Transistor Encore DeLuxe Pocket Transistor Radio |
Above are two transistor radios from the 1960s. The one shown on the left is
a Encore DeLuxe pocket transistor radio. The black one on the right with the leather case is a Channel Master model 6474.
Both of the radios were made in Japan. Both radios are powered by 9 volt batteries.
The Encore is older. It is from the early sixties while the Channel Master is from the mid 1960s. You can see the difference
in styling in a couple of years.
The Encore DeLuxe is a maroon color with chrome metal front. It has a starburst
design on the front also. The tuner control is on the right side of the radio with a small window showing on the front. The
radio has a earphone jack on the left side of the radio. The radio is a 6 transistor. There is no model number.
The Channel Master is black with a satin metal front. It is more plain jane then
the Encore. It has thumbwheel controls for tunning and off/on volume. It too has a earphone jack. The radio is a 6 transistor. I
won the radios on a internet auction.
The Encore audio sound is very good for a pocket radio. Very clear and pleasent
to listen to. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is very good. I would say slightly better then many other 6 transistor radios
I have. Nice sounding, good looking, and good performing radio. It's a nice addition to my collection.
The Channel Master has only average audio. It's clear but tinny.
Selectivity was good while sensitivity was average. It lacked on picking up weaker stations durring the daytime. This radio
was made when Sanyo started having less quallity in the less expensive radios.
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| 1960 Channel Master Model 6506 6 Transistor (Black) |
Shown above is a 1960 Channel Master model 6506 transistor radio made in Japan by Sanyo. This is the black
colored model and was also in red which I have also in my collection. This radio has nice styling. The dial markings
are reversed painted on the clear plastic.
Channel Master on alot of thier models had some interesting features. On this radio there are two earphone
jacks of different sizes. One is marked earphone the other external speaker. There is also a jack provided for a external
antenna. This antenna was a wire type in construction with the proper size plug on the end. There were leather cases
for the radio, antenna, and earphone. Both of the ones I have are great working radios with nice sound.
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| Channel Master Model 6506 Red Transistor Radio |
Shown above is the Channel Master model 6506 in red. It has the same features as the black one above
the red version. This radio works just as well as the black one wich is very good. In red the radio is a very good looking
radio.
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| 1960s Channel Master Portable Transistor Radio |
From the mid 1960s is the newest of the Channel Master radios in my collection.
It is a AM portable only. It is black plastic with white trim. The radio has on the right front a large tuning dial and the
off/on volume control is in the lower right side of the front of the radio.
The carry handle on top of the radio is leather. The speaker grill
area is metal. There is a earphone jack on the radio and it is located on the back of the radio. The radio is battery powered
only. The model number as of now is unknown. The paper label is missing on the inside of the radio.
The audio is crisp and clear not tinny. Selectivity is good along
with selectivity. The materials that the radio is made with is not as good as earlier Channel Master radios. Still it is a
nice sounding and better then average small portible radio.
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| Invicta ModelT 888 8 Transistor Radio |
In the photo above is a 1960's Invicta model T 888 8 transistor pocket radio made in Japan. This is a heavy
pocket radio like Buicks model Invicta of the same time period! There is alot of styling touches on this radio. The enlongated
four point star around the small dial window. The two rows of raised diamond star emblems in the upper left side. I wonder
if theese are ventaports like that were on Buicks at that time. Between the chrome metal face of the dial area there is a
metal plate painted robin egg blue with black lettering that says 8 Transistor.
The speaker grill work is chrome mesh with verticle lines in it. The center emblem is black red and white.
Down in the lower left corner the Invicta name tag is in Black and dark gold. I have the leather case to this radio and the
lettering on it is in good shape. The radio has the conalrad markings on the dial and plays very nicelly.
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| 1960 Channel Master Model 6515 8 Transistor Super Fringe Transistor Radio |
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| 1960 Channel Master Model6515 Super Fringe 8 Transistor (Red) |
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| Electra Model AM500 Dial O Matic 10 Transistor Radio |
Electra made a ten transistor automatic dialing small portible radio in the mid
1960s. Thiers was the model AM500 ten transistor radio. This is the tird different brand of this type and style radio
I have now in my collection.
This radio like the Panasonic Radarmatic and the channel Master version
(below) has a pushbutton for the automatic tunning. The case is black plastic with a all silver metal front. Thumbwheels for
off/on volume and for maual tunning are used.
The radio is powered by four C cell batteries. They provide
power for the radio and the automatic tunning. The radio has a earphone jack, leather carrying case with two straps. A short
one for the hand and a long one for over the shoulder. Both straps can be seen in the photo.
This radio was a internet auction win. The radio is in
very good shape and works well including the automatic tunning. The radio is sensitive according to the seller and has
good sound from its large speaker. This I will see when I get the radio and have a working report on it.
Here is another Channel Master transistor radio. Thi is the model 6515 super fringe radio. This is a 8 transitor
radio with the typical Channel Master styling. There are some differences between this radio and the 6506 model Channel Master.
The extra two transistors in the 6515 are a rf stage and a extra audio output transistor in push pull.
The 6515 is almost twice the size of the 6506. The metal trim is gold instead of chrome. The dial is larger
but in the same reverse painted style. The radio has the same jacks as the 6506. Batteries used are different. In the 6506
in that it useses 4 AA type while the 6516 useses 4 C cells.
The blackone in the photo was one that I won at a auction. The original box, paperwork, and accessories
are with the radio. This radio was never sold. It was dropped by a drugests son when putting it in the display case. There
is one very small chip in the bottom. The father took it home and placed it in a closet were it sat for over 40 years. The
radio does work but needs to be recapped. I have the red version of this radio also pictured above that is in excellent
shape and has been recapped and the performence is outstanding!
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| Channel Master Model 6459 Signal Seeking Transistor Radio |
Above is the second signal seeking transistor radio now in my collection. This
one is a Channel Master model 6459. I have a Panasonic Radarmatic in my collection also which there were several models made
of that radio. Channel Master made only the 6459 that was a signal seeking radio.
The radio is am only. The case is high gloss black plastic with a chrome
metal front. The seeking activation button, manual tuning control, and part of the dial are dark blue.
The seeking button is on the upper right while the manual tuning knob is on the upper left. The off-on volume control
is on the right side with the local dx switch.
Like the Panasonic Radarmatic Channel Master used a wind up mechanical
action for the moving of the dial. When the seeking button is pushed down the dial will rotate and activate the electronics
till a signal is picked up and the dial will stop.
The radio is in excellent working condition. The appearence of the
radio and the leather case is like new. The earphone leather pouch is attached to the strap shown in the photo. The earphone
inside the pouch is still in its unopened plastic bag. Not shown is the other pouch that holds a external wire antenna which
there is a jack on the radio.
The radio takes four AA type batteries for power. The
radio was made in Japan by Sanyo. I believe the age of the radio is mid 1960s. The radio has very good selectivity and
sensetivity. Audio quallity is good too. The signal seeking works good as well. It took me a long time to get one of
these radios and I am very pleased to get this one.
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| Channel Master Model 6528A-1 Transistor Radio |
Above is another addition to the Channel Master radios in my collection. The radio is a model 6528A-1
am only transitor radio. The radio is a 6 transistor made in Japan by Sanyo. The radio has a small window in the
upper right front. The numbers on the tuning thumbwheel show well through it. The case is a gloss black plastic. There
is silver metal trim on the front of the radio.
The radio takes a nine volt size battery for power. The radio is smaller then the
6506 models. There is some similar style touches to this radio like the Channel Master 6510 model. The most noticable one
is the upper curved metal traim piece which includes the dial window. There is a earphone jack on the radio along with
a on/off volume control. The radio is in working condition. I did replace some caps in it. The radio has good selectivity
but only fair sensitivity. The audio is ok but there is little bass. This was a less expensive radio and its performence is
equall to its lesser price.
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| 1960s Commodore Model 880 8 Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a 1960s Commodore model 880 8 transistor radio that was made in
Japan. The radio has civil defense markings on the dial which does indicate that this radio is from the early 1960s. The radio
has a red plastic case wuth a mostly silver metal front. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery.
The radio has the tuning window in the upper right corner with the
thumbwheel control on the right side of the radio. The volume off on control is on the lower right side of the radio. The
earphone jack is on the left side.
This radio like several other brands of transistor radios had
a 9 volt battery elimanator that allowed to run the radio off of ac or recharge the battery. This was either a option you
bought,came with the more deluxe radios,or you could buy from after market. This radio does not have the one with it but is
set up for one.
This radio if you look at the front has different
patterns to the grill work. I have been told the radio is in very good shape and works. I have a update on the radio.
Iwas sent the radio a lot faster then I expected so I now can give a working report.
There is plenty of audio. It is midrange in sound so
it is not real tinny sounding. Selectivity is very good. No bleeeding of strong signals on weaker stations. Sensitivity is
good. The reason I gave the radio a good rating was that day time listening the radio lacks some sensitivity. Night time it
acts like a completely different radio! The radio is very sensitive. Nice looking well made radio that performs well.
I'm pleased that this radio is in my collection.
Shown in the photo below is a Channel Master transistor radio extension speaker from the late 1950s
or early 1960s. Many of the smaller transistor radios had very small poor sounding speakers in them. Other transistor radios
like some of the two transistor radios had no speaker at all so there were extension speakers made by several companies durring
this time. This is the third one that I have in my collection. The style of this Channel Master speaker looks like a table
radio. It is fairly large. 7 3/4" x 4 1/2" in size. There is a lead out the back which has a male jack on the end to
go into the earphone jack on the radio. I won this speaker on a internet auction. The speaker works extreamly well with most
of the pocket radios. It will improve the sound quallity of them. On larger radios that have a extension speaker jack it also
sounds nice with the radios speaker working with this speaker. The only instence where it does not sound good is with
some of the GE transistor radios that use a 32 ohm speaker.
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| Channel Master Transistor Radio Extension Speaker |
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| Channel Master Model 6510 Cordless Transistor Radio |
The radio in the photo above is a Channel Master model 6510 cordless transistor
radio. The radio was marketed as cordless becuase the radio ran on flashlight batteries. The radios style looked like a table
radio. This was also one of the selling points too.
The radio is a 6 transistor radio. There is in the front a on-off
volume control, beween the volume control and the tuning knpb is the tone switch which gave you either bass or trebble. There
is a recessed handle on the top of the radio that is molded into the case for carrying.
The radio came in several color combonations. The one above
is white and tan. The radio is am only. There is no civil defense markings on the dial. The radio does have a jack for a earphone.
I won this radio on a internet auction. The radio does work but needs cleaning and the volume control is scratchy so that
will need cleaning too. I cleaned up the radio and the volume control.
The volume on the radio is very loud so there still a problem
there to be fixed. The audio is very good on the radio. There is a high low tone control to select bass or treble. In low
there is a lot of bass and I like that. Sensitivity is very good. It is a good day time and night time dx radio. Selectivity
is good. The radio is larger then the Nobility radio I have that is similair in style. I am looking for some of the other
colors in this model. I would like to get the red and the orange one.
I have a second 6510 shown below. This one is slightly
different in color then the top one. This one is orangish brown instead of tan like the top one. Plus this one is a
5 transistor model. This one works extreamly well with great sensitivity. The sound is great on this one too.
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| Channel Master Model 6510 AM Cordless Portible Radio |
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| Channel Master Model 6475 AM FM 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above is the third pocket transistor radio that I have in my collection made
by Channel Master. The model number is 6475 and the radio is AM/FM and has eight transistors. The radio is powered by a 9
volt battery. The case is gloss black with metal and siver trim. The radio also has a leather case which is shown with the
radio. The radio has the volume control on the left side and the tuning knob is on the right. the am/fm switch is located
on the back of the radio. There is also a earphone jack on the left side of the radio. The radio does not work.
Well I have the radio now. The seller was rightin that the radio was not working.
Well I took the back of and the caps were different in thier construction.
They had thick plastic outer cases. On top were the values and they very easy to read. Voltage value determined
the color of the case. 6 volt were a blue grey color while 9 volt caps were orange.
I started testing at the audio stage first. I checked the speaker
and the speaker was rated at 60 ohms which was printed on the magnet. I got zero ohms. It was open. Just to be sure I
put the earphone into the jack and turned the radio on. There was sound! I pulled out the earphone and there was silence.
I had a speaker that fit so I changed the speaker and that worked fine. Sound is very clear and not tinny.
Now the am band has good selectivity. The sensitivity
is fair to good. On weaker stations it barely picks them up or not at all on others. FM is a different story on sensitivity!
The radio has very good sensitivity. The radio has a telescoping rod antenna and this little radio picked up just as many
stations as my home stereo radio with a good dipole antenna on it. Selectivity on fm is also very good. Sections of the band
here are very crowded. The radio had no trouble with having stations right next to each other. Signals are clear. The
radio is very clean with only a few very small scratches and the leather case is in near new condition. Nice good working
am fm pocket radio.
Above is a 1960's vintage Realtone six transistor pocket radio. This radio is on the smaller size compared
to some of the others I have. This radio was made in Japan. The top metal area around the tuning knob is silver not gold.
The tuning knob can be read through the small window or on the section that shows above the dark blue speaker grill work section.
The shape of the radio is the old style wooden coffins that you used to see in the old western movies. Two
intresting things on the radio are the locations of the earphone jack and the coin slot location. The earphone jack is on
the back upperpart of the radio on the right side. The coin slot is on the bottom of the speaker grill work section.
This radio has the conalrad markings on the dial thumbwheel and the radio plays very well. I whish I got the japaneese
battery with the radio but I did not get it.
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| Realtone Model TR 1871 8 Transitor Pocket Radio |
Above is a newer Realtone transistor radio then the one shown above
it. This Realtone is from the later 1960s and is a model TR1871 8 transistor radio. The radio is a very bright blue green
color with silver trim. There is a off on conrtol with volume on the left side and a tuning control on the right
side of the radio. There is also a earphone jack located on the left side of the radio.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. As shown in the photo
it has its original leather case. The radio was won on a internet auction. The seller said that the radio works very well.
I now have the radio. The radio does work but needs two minor repairs. One the ferrite rod antenna needs one support
fixed. The other is the volume control needs cleaning.
There is more then enough volume in this little radio once
the scratchies are out of the volume control. The sound is clear but there is little or no bass. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity
is also good now that I fixed the antenna. I also cleaned the volume control. The audio is clear and is nice to listen to.
Overall a nice little well working radio.
Here is a Top Star 8 transistor that looks like it came right out of the space age era.This radio has a
big chrome rocket spear across the front. The front plastic case is black with a white back panel. there is a chrome support
that the radio can rest in the horizontal position. the radio has a earphone jack and external antenna jack.
The large tuning knob has gold numbers and red triangles marking the two conalrad stations. This radio works
well and has excellent sound for a smaller horizontal sized radio.
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| Westinghouse Green and White Coat Pocket Styled Transistor Radio |
This is the second coat pocket size Westinghouse radio now in my collection.
It is the same color combo as the one below green and white. There is one difference you can see right off between the two
radios. The tunning dials are differently styled. Plus the volume knob on the side of the radios are different too.
The radios maybe different modela and from different years
made. Tnis radios model number is H699P7. This radio was a recent win on a internet auction. I believe with the different
styling touches they should be different models.
Now this radio is also a 7 transistor. Takes four AA
bateries to power it. I had to work on the battery box to get it working better. The radios audio is pleasent to listen
to. Sensitivity is good. Selectivity is good also. Now even though the radios are very similar they are different.
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| 1959 Westinghouse Model H699P7 7 Transistor Coat Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a 1959 Westinghouse model H699P7 7 transistor coat pocket size radio. This one is
dark green and off white. The radio was made in New Jersy and has a case made of nylon shatterproof plastic. Westinghouse
made several models like this one in that the largr tuning knob is on the bottom not on the top. The radio is powered by four
AA penlite batteries. There is a folding metal hadle for carrying the radio or as a support stand. The dial has one round
CD marking on the dial along with two triangles on the dial for the old civil defense stations. The radio is extreamly well
made. The radio works very well with very good audio that is clear and has bass to it. The radio has good sensitivity and
the selectivity is very good. This one keeps up with Westinghous's ad slogan. You can be sure its Westinghouse! This one is.
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| Westinghouse Large Dial Transistor Radio |
Here is another Westinghouse transistor radio that is a recent addition to my collection. The radio
is a early 1960's radio. The radio had a very large easy to read dial. The radio has a black gloss case with silver metal
trim with white speaker grill work.. There is a earphone jack on the bottom of the radio. This is not a practicle
spot for the earphone jack. If you use the earphone then the radio can not stand up! The leather case has marked on its
bottom Made In Japan while the radio is not marked made in Japan. The parts in the radio are Japanese made.
The radio works great. The audio is loud,clear, and the sound is decent to listen to. The radio
has outstanding sensitivity. The selectivity is very good. This radio is a great dx radio at night. Daytime use is great also.
The radio is powered by 6 AA batteries. This radio is a quality radio with great performence.
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| Koyo Model KR91F 9 Transistor AM FM Portable |
In the photo above is a small Koyo model KR91F 9 Transistor AM FM portable made in Japan. The radio
features pushbuttons for off/on,AM, and FM. The radio has the tuning knob on the top right side while the volume and tone
control knobs are on the upper left side. The FM antenna setup is different on this radio. The two antennas are for the FM
band. They are connected by coax type cable in the radio and both are joined together then run to one connection spot on the
chassis. It looks like cofasing. Now the dial does have CD markings on the dial on am. The radio is pwered by four C type
batteries. Audio is very good on this radio due to the tone control. The am side of the radio has very good selectivity and
sensitivity. The fm side works just as well in its performence. Having no AFC on the fm it does very slowly drift at times
other times it stays put. I looked all over the internet to find what year this radio was made but did not come across any
info on this model at all. I came across other models from 1963 that had the same style case, but different dial design and
without the pushbuttons and the knob functions were different. Plus they only had one antenna for the fm.
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| Westighouse Model RPM5010A Seven Seas AM/FM/SW/VHF/VLF/MB Portable |
Shown above is Westinghouse's answer to the Zenith Transoceanic Royal 3000 portable radio. The radio
they came out with is the model RPM5010A Seven seas portable. This radio is a mukti band portable that covers AM/FM/SW/MB/VHF/VHF
low. The shortwave band coverage runs from 1.8- 21.5 which covers all the popular shortwave bands. The vhf high band runs
from 148-175 Mhz. The VHF low band is from 150-450KC. There is 6 bands on this radio. The case is brushed aluminum and black
leather. Controls include on/off volume,combinationsignal strengthbattery level meter,tuning,fine tuning,squelch,dial lamp,ac/battery,AFC,tone,
and in the back of the radio off/charge. The radio has a built in battery charger. There is jacks for VHF,FM,AM external antennas.
There is a ground terminal and earphone jack on the back. There is a world map on the inside top door but no log like the
Transoceanic. There is two telescoping rod antennas for FM and VHF SW bands. I have the battery box that was never used
with the radio. Now the performence on all the bands is very good. I have only used the telescoping antennas not a external
antenna on this radio. The selectivity is outstanding using the fine tuning. The sensitivity is also very very good. The audio
is very good on the radio also. This radio was the top of the line radio for Westinghouse and was only made for two years.(1964-1965)
The dial string is slipping on mine. As for getting to it it is a mission impossible! I would say if you can find one that
is nice looking condition and is working get it. You won't be dissapointed.
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| JVC Nivco 11 Transistor Model11A-7 AMSW Portable Radio |
Above in the photo is a JVC Nivco 11 transistor am/sw portableradio from the early sisties. There
is a total of seven bads on this radio. AM plus sis shortwave bands. Shortwave bands are 1.8-3.0,3.1-4.5,4.5-6.0,6.0-10.5,10.5-16,16-22.0mhz.
The radio takes 6 C type batteries or runs off a 9 volt adapter. There is civil defense markings on the AM band dial
scale.The case is a light tan plastic with white trim. There is a volume off on control,band selector knob,and tone control.
This is one of the few radios that does not work that I have in my collection. It powers up and there is very weak static
comming through the audio. The battery terminals have suffered heavy acid damage from leaking batteries so I had to power
the radio up from the ac adapter jack.
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| Realistic Watch Transistor Radio Combo |
In the photo above is something different that was made for Radio Shack. How about a wrist watch
transistor radio combonation! Radio Shack thought this would make a nice gift idea. The case was a hard plastic case that
the front looked like a transistor radio from the outside. You opened the watch case and the watch was inside as shown in
the picture. The radio is next to the watch under the cloth covering. You can see the tuning knob and volume control in the
photo. This set was availible in either black or brown. I have the brown case one which is brand new old stock. I won this
radio on a internet auction. The radio is powered by two AAA batteries. The radio gave me a surprise. It is just a FM radio
not AM! There is a brass plated telescoping rod on the top of the radio. There is also a brass plated support stand
that is on the back of the radio case. Selectivity is very good with very good sensitivity. Audio is very clear and tone quallity
is good. The watches working condition is unknown due to the battery needs to be replaced.
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| RCA Solid State Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a RCA solid state transistor radio which is the first pocket RCA radio in my collection.
This radio was made in Singapore. The model number is RGA1049. There is six transistors in the radio. The radio uses 3 AA
batteries for power. The case is blue in front and white for the back cover. There is chrome trim on the front. Nice
styling touch with the tuning knb in that there is a little square window which acts as the dial ponter as you rotate the
knob. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. This is another radio that I won on a internet auction. The radio is in excellent
working condition. Audio is clear and not to tinny. Sensetivity is good and selectivity is very good on this well made
radio. The only thing I do not like on the radio is the battery holder. It only goes in one way right. If you have it wrong
the back cover will not go on.
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| RCA Travel Clock Transistor Radio |
Above is the third clock transistor in my collection. This one is a RCA
that was made in Japan. The radio is shown with its original box. The original battery is shown also. As seen the battery
is a regular 9 volt that powers the radio.
The radio is white with silver trim. The tuner off/on volume controls are
on the radios right side. The tuning window is in the upper roght corner in the front of the radio. The left side of
the radio has a cover which opens which the clock is under the cover.
There is a earphone included with the radio so there
is a earphone jack on the radio. The clock works fine. The radio needed just a clean up with some contact cleaner on the volume
control. The audio is clear and is not tinny.
The radio has good sensitivity but selectivity is average.
Rejection of strong close signals will bleed each other. You can wake up to a alarm or music with this radio. Besides the
radio the colorfull box gets lots of comments too.
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| RCA Model RHH17 N All Transistor Pocket Radio |
The radio above is the second pocket radio made by RCA in my collection.
The other is the blue one above this radio. This is a RCA model RHH7 N all transistor radio. The radio is shown with
its leather case.
The radio was made in Japan. The radio is powered by a niine
volt battery. The case is white with a copper metal strip running down the right side of the front of the radio. The
size of this radio is bigger then the small pocket radios but not as big as the coat pocket size tranisistor radios.
The tuner window is in the upper right front corner with the
thumbwheel contol on the upper right side. The off on volume control is on the middle right side. There is
a arphone jack on the bacside of the radio.
I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio is a eight
transistor with three if stages and a pair of audio output transistors in push pull. The radio has very good sound. It has
some bass to it so it is nice to listen to. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is very good also. A nice sounding good
working radio.
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| RCA Model 3RH31 Pocket Transistor Radio |
Another RCA transistor hasbeen added to my collection. This RCA is a model 3RH31
made in the early 1960s. It is black and white color as far as the Impact plastic case. The speaker grill is metal. I have
the black leather case with the radio.
The radio is powered by a 4.5 volt battery. The tuner dial is large with
the knob on the top of the radio just off left center. The off on volume control is on the right upper side of the radio.
The earphone jack is on the back of the radio.
The dial has the old conalrad markings on the dial and can be clearly seen
in the photo. The radio is a seven transistor radio. The radio does work quite well. The sound is clear,loud,
and pleasent to listen to. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is very good.
The radio is a US made radio and is smaller then RCA's earlier coat
pocket size transistor radios. It is a good looking radio with good performence. The drawback is the battery. You can get
the exact replacement but it is expensive.
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| 1960 ECA Model 3RH21G Transistor Radio |
From RCA made back in 1960 here in the USA is a model 3RH2G coat pocket size
transistor radio. This radio is black and grey with silver painted trim. The case is made of Impact plastic which was a RCA
tradename for its plastic cases. The radio is all transistor.
The radio takes 4 AA penlight batteries for power. RCA coat pocket style
transistor radios used the big upper front tunning dials. Styles varied from year to year and from model to model. They also
used a single off/on volume control which that had varied styles which sometimes would be a knob on the lower right side of
the radio or a thumbwheel control.
Some grillwork would be trimed with paint while others were
not. Some had a earphone jack in the lower middle on the front of the radio,others would not have one. Also some would have
Victor the dog logo with the RCA logo while others would only have the RCA logo on the front grill.
One other thing I'll mention is the batteries
used in the radios. This one like I said above took 4 AA penlights. I have another that takes 3 C type batteries. There are
other models that used RCA 4 volt battery that looked like a bigger diameter AA battery.
This radio was won on a internet auction.
The radio has very good sounding audio. There is even some bass in the sound. The volume is clear bit a little low. This might
be due to needing some capacitor replacements. Selectivity is very good. Sensistivity is also very good. Nice sounding with
good over all performennce wiuld sum up this radio.
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| General Electric Model P1706A White Pocket 10 Transistor Radio |
In the photo shown above is the second General Electric Model P1706A 10 transistor radio in my collection.
I got this one to replace the first one that I bought locally that turned out that it did not work all that well. This one
does. This one works just as well as the P1706B (black color case) that I have. The photo shows the chassis in the radio.
The circuit board is brown and is thicker then the green ones you see in most of the radios today. There is 10 transistors
cramed on the board. Good sound,ample volume and the selectivity along with the sensitivity is very good on this radio. The
radio uses AA penlights for power.
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| Windsor Solid State AM Pocket Radio |
In the phot above is a Windsor Solid state pocket radio model M-9M. The radio was made in Hong Kong.
The radio is powered by a two AA batteries. The plastic case is blue with a brushed aluminum front. Very stylish
colorfull pocket radio. Not like most of the all plastic transistors that were made in Hong Kong. The box is the original
and the paperwork is included. The radio is NOS. I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio works very well for
a inexpensive Hong Kong radio. Sensitivity is very good. Selectivity is very good. Sound is very clear and not that tinny
sounding. The battery compartment on this radio is tight. There is not much room inside so the fit of the back of the case
is not tight unless you get the battery box just right. The soft vinyl strap has left a impresion in the side of the radio
case which does happen alot when the radio is left in the box for a very long time. I am happy with the radio despite this.
One very stylish,colorfull inexpensive, and good working radio.
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| Setico 12 Transistor Hi Fi Pocket Radio |
In the above photo is a NOS Setico 12 Transistor Hi Fi pocket radio. The radio
was made in Hong Kong. The radio uses a 9v battery for power. The case is a gloss black plastic with silver trim. There is
a headphone jack on the left side towards the bottom. The on/off volume control is on top of the radio on the left side while
the tuning knob is on the upper right side of the radio.
The radio was imported by The National Drugstore Company located in Jacksonville
FL. This radio has the originial price tag on the box. The radio was sold by The Canyon Road Drugstore and the price was $5.88.
The radio was in the original plastic outer case and clear plastic bag. The earphone was in its plastic bag. The original
Eveready red and black cat battery was in the box too. The paperwork included with the radio are the the operating manual
and warrenty cards.
The radio works like it is brand new. The audio is very clear and loud.
The sound quallity is good but is somewhat tinny. Selectivity is very good while the sensitivity is good. Lacks some pulling
power on weaker signals. This is a better Hong Kong made radio but still not as good as its Japaneese made competition.
I believe this radio has some dummy transistors in it which was done by many manufacturers durring the mid 1960s which the
FCC stepped in and dissallowed in 1966. Still a nice radio.
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| Arvin Model 60R-029 6 Transistor Radio |
In the above photo is another recent addition. This radio is a American made Arvin
6 transistor radio. Arvin made its radios in Columbus Indiana starting in the 1950s through the 1960s. Then they went to Japan
and had them made. The model number of the radio is a 60R- 029. There is three versions of this model being different
colors. The 60R-027 is red and white while the 60R-028 is a sandstone and and white and the last one the 60R-029 is slate
grey and white.
The radio has a very large tuning knob with easy to read markings on the dial with
cd markings. There is a handle that is brass colored used for support or carrying. The radio has a earphone jack and takes four
C cell batteries for power. The chassis does have three if stages in it. I hope this helps the radio in its sensitivity and
selectivity. The radio is working and the sound is nice to listen to. The selectivity is only fair. Strong stations
are broad. Sensitivity is also only fair. Weaker stations the action of the avc is poor. This could be from bad capacitors.
I'll update the working report after I do some work onthis radio. I have done the capacitor replacements. This has improved
the sensitivity to good. It picks up more stations now. Selectivity has improved also. Broad signaled stations befoere are
not splattering and the avc is working better now.
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| Sears Silvertone Model 1206 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
The box for this radio shows the atomic symbol
on the front. This radio is right out of the atomic age. Most likely this is a late 50s or very early 60s transistor radio
which is a Sears Silvertone model 1206 6 transistor pocket radio. I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio has a black
and white panel around the dial window. The speaker grill is a silver metal.
The radio uses a round style 9 volt battery for
power. I also do not who manufactured this radio for Sears. The radio was made in Japan. The working condition of the
radio is that it is not working. I tried a regular 9 volt battery and there was no sound at all. I did test the off/on
switch which was good. there is power getting to many different spots on the board. I believe this radio has bad caps plus
a bad transistor. It is on the repair list.
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| Firestone Air Chief Pocket Transistor Radio |
Shown above in the photo is a new addition to my collection. It is a Firestone Air Chief pocket
transistor radio. Firestone sold radios,kitchen appliances, even televisions in thier tire stores.
They built a new store here in Troy NY back in 1961. I remember the store selling the radios,tvs,and
kitchen appliances. They slowly did away with all these items in the late 1960s.
This Firestone radio is the typical style of the late 50s or early 60s with the starburst design
and the rounded edged corners. There is cd markings on the dial. There is also the metal support stand on the back case of
the radio to stand it up. The front is chrome metal. The rest of the case is plastic.
The radio has some chips in the plastic case. There is also some cracks that have been repaired.
The leather case shown is in excellent condition. The radio uses a 9 volt battery for power. The radio works very well despite
its appearence. The radio was made in Japan. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is also very good. Sound is clear and ok
to listen to. Nice working radio with many style touches from a long past era.
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| General Electric Model P746A All Transistor Radio |
From 1959 is a USA made General Electric Model P746A all transistor radio. "
All Transistor" was a selling point for radios in the late 1950s. Tube radios were still being made at this time so all transistor
was used in advertising.
This radio was made in Utica NY and so was General Electric transistor
servicing center. This radio used the old big style 9 volt battery for power. It is white and aqua in color as far as the
case colors. Two tone colors was big in the 1950s!
The radio has the large tuning dial on the front marked with the
conal rad stations. The off on volume control is the thumbwheel control on the top front. On the radios back cover is the
earphone jack.
This as of now is the oldest GE transistor in my collection.
There are 5 big top hat style germanuim transistors in the radio. I had to replace the very old nicad battreies in the radio.
Once done I turned the radio on. The radio does work well. The sound is ok. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is also good.
So my oldest GE works well.
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| 1962GeneralElectricSportmateTransistorRadio |
Shown above is a 1962 General Electric Sportmate transistor radio. This radio wa marketed towards
the older male market. The ads in magizines had nice hunting or fishing sceans with the hunter or fisherman with dogs at times.
The radio would be seen with them. The radio was not marketed towards teens.
The radio is a coat pocket size radio. This is one of Ge's last type of coat pocket size styles.
The radio is a heavy radio. It is almost three pounds in weight. The radio has a all metal front. There are two thumbwheel
controls up near the top front for on/off volume and tuning. The case is a black plastic. Seen on the front is a Winchester
rifle emblom giving the sports mottif of the radio.
The radio has a heavy leather case which I do have but not shown in the photo. The radio is powered
by four AA batteries. There is a earphone jack provided on the radio too for private listening. the earphone jack is
located on the lower left side of the radio. The radio is a nice looking radio,rugged, and the quallity of the materials
used is very good. There is Conalrad markings on the tuning dial.This radio did not work when I first got it. There was extensive
damage done to the battery box due to leaking batteries. I spent 45 minutes repairing the damage. The radio is working now.
The radio has good clear audio and lots of it. In fact too much for the speaker. Selectivity is
very good. Sensitivity is good. The odd thing about the radio is that instead of phillip head screws all except one is a bolt
type head so it takes a nut driver to remove them. The case is a light tan pebbled plastic to make it look like leather. I
cleaned the radio up and it looks very good now. This is one radio that I wanted in my collection. I am very happy with it.
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| RCA Model 1-BT-36 Transistor Radio |
In the photo above is a recent addition to my growing collection. The radio is a RCA model 1-BT-36
from 1958. The radio is a horizontal style radio. The radio is powered by two 4.5 volt batteries or 6 AA batteries. It has
been converted to a 9 volt battery by adding a battery clip that takes the regular 9 volt battery.
The radio has a white back with a grey and highly polished chrome metal front. The front of the
radio is reflecting the color of the wall and table it is on. The large tuning dial has cd markings on the dial. The thumbwheel
off on volume knob in the lower right front is very close to the style of knobs used on another radio from the 1920s. This
radio was a Grebe.
The handle doubles as a support for the radio when you listened to it. The case is a Impact plastic
composit. It is marked on the back. There is also a earphone jack on the radio which is on the top of the radio on the left
side. The radio is all transistor which was used in advertising in the 1950s for transistor radios. It was not a hybrid
using tubes and transistors. The radio does work according to the person I bought it from. I have the radio now. The
volume control was dirty and it needed a good cleaning. I really had a time getting to the volume conrtol. to clean it. I
did clean it as good as I could get it. It is much better now. There is one other problem aand ther radio will motorboat when
the volume is turned to a certain point. The radio has crisp audio. It is clear with a higher sounding pitch. The radio
has very good sensitivity. Selectivity is good. The radio has one interesting feature on it. It is a transcharge model.
This radio had a seperate battery charger unit which plugged into two plugs in the back to recharge the batteries. This is
missing. The radio has good looks with good performence.
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| Belcore Model TR1001 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a Belcore model TR1001 8 transistor pocket
radio that was made in Japan in the early 1960s. The company was a American company located in New Jersy. There
is civil defense markings on the dial. The radio has a black plastic case with a metal front. The metal is silver in color
as far as the speaker grill.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The tuning control is on
the upper right side. The dial window is the little oval in the upper right front. There is a off/on volume control and
a earphone jack on the radio too. The radio has its leather case also. The radio is in working condition. The radio
has typical small transistor audio which is high ended. Selectivity is good and the sensitivity is good. Radio has good styling
and its performence is good.
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| Yaou 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a classic late 1950s Yaou Transistor 6 pocket radio. This radio has
all the classic style of radios that were made in Japan at this time. Big round metal speaker grill, Fancy metal work with
the squares up towards the top,indentaion line in the metal to seperate the top from the rest of the lower metal work.
Notice that the tuner window is located on the upper left front of
the radio. Most are on the right. The volume off / on control is on the right side. This radio has the support stand on the
back half of the radio. The radio case is blue and white. There is a earphone jack located on the back.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The transistors are large
metal germanuim type. The radio according to the person I got it from works very well. The radio does have some slight damage
to the case. A chip out of the bottom and the upper metal grill on the right corner is bent. The radio needs to be cleaned
too. Once that is done the radio will look much better then it does in the photo.
The radio does work even though the tuner is a little loose.
Sensitvity is ok. It picks up all the local stations. Selectivity is good. Audio does a have a problem where it will be clear
on low volume at first then in a short time will fade and distort. Turning up the volume the sound will clear. Nice looking
little Japaneese made radio.
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| Westinghouse Model RPA5979A Transistor Radio |
This a different looking Westinghouse transistor radio from the late 1960s. It
looks like a electric razor! The radio ia a six transistor powered by a nine volt battery.
The radios controls are thumbwheels on the sides of the radio. The
right side tunes the radio. The left side control is the off/on volume control. The earphone jack is on the left side of the
radio.
The radio has good sensitivity. Selectivity is good also. The audio sounds
good with some bass to it. There is a problem with the volume control. It is loose as far as the cener shaft. So the volume
level is effected in that it goes almost to full volume when the radio is turned on. I may have to change the control to fix
it.
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| Arleigh 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
From the early 1960s is a Arleigh 6 transistor pocket radio. This radio was made
in Japan. The radio has civil defense markings on the tunning dial. The case is black with silver and gold metal trim.
The radio has two thumbwheel controls for tunning and off/on volume. The radio
also has a earphone jack for a earphone. The radio takes a 9 volt nattery for power. The transistors are metal germanium types.
The tunning window is larger for a pocket radio which makes it easier to see and tune.
This was a inyernet auction win. The radio is working according to the
seller. The radio does work very well. Sensitivity is good. Selectivity is very good. The radio has good sounding audio for
a pocket radio. So I am pleased with it.
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| Suntone 10 Transistor Pocket Radio |
From the mid 1960s shown above is a Suntone brand 10 transistor pocket transistor
radio. This radio was made in Japan. Style is known as seafoam with a white plastic case and plainer all metal silver front.
The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. Two thumbwheel controls do
the tunning,off/on,and volume. There is a earphone jack for a earphone. The leather carrying case shown with the radio has
a little more style then most other cases I have seen.
The chassis has 10 transistors which are germanium type. This
radio was won on a internet auction. The radio is working according to the seller. So when I get the radio I will have a working
report soon.
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| Walthem * Transistor Pocket Radio |
Some of the well known watch makers got into the transistor radio market
through the Japanese radio manufacturers. Walthem was one of them. Above is one of thier 1960s 8 transistor radios.
This one has a grey plastic case with a silver trimmed front and
gold metal speaker grill. Thumbwheel controls for the tunning and the off/on volume are used. The radio also has a earphone
jack for a earphone.
The model number is unknown along with who made the radio
for Walthem. I won the radio on a internet auction. There is no model number marking on the radio. I repaired a broken battery
clip. The radio does work.
The audio is ok bit there is no bass. It is sharp and
clear. Sensitivity is good. It picks up all the local stations without adjusting the volume. Selectivity is good also with
no problems with signals over ride. Not a bad radio at all.
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| 1889 Chrome Microphone AM FM Transistor Radio |
Above is a chrome microphone am fm novelty transistor radio. The brand name is Classic
Tunes and was made in China. It is powered by 2 AA batteries whiched are housed in the mics base with the radios chassis.
The bullit head top houses the speaker. Two knobs on the base are for tunning
which is on the left and the off/on volume control is on the right. In between the knobs is the band switch for either am
or fm. There is a thin external wire antenna for fm.
The radio works well on both bands. Am selectivity and sensitivity
is good. On fm it is also good. As far as a chinese radio it is a lot better then others I have. Audio is pretty good too.
Even wih a small speaker audio is not tinny and there is even some bass. This one is bettr then average overall.
| Lloyds Model 7K-25 14 Transistor Pocket Radio |
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| Lloyds 14 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a Lloyd's model 7K-25 14 transistor pocket radio from the 1960s. This radio
was made in Taiwan. It takes a 9 volt battery for power. It has a white colored case with gold trim. One nice feature is the
larger tunning dial window along with the numbers on the tunning dial are large and easy to read.
The tunning control and the off/on volume controls are thumbwheels with the tunning
control on the right side of the radio and the off/on volume control on the upper left side of the radio. Even the off/on
volume control is unique. It turns on counterclockwise instead of clockwise.
The radio does have 14 metal style germanuim transistors on the chassis.
The radio does have a rf stage ahead of the if stages along with a seperate transistor used for the oscillator and mixer.
Then the audio stage s are detector, pair of drivers, and then two pairs of output transistors in push pull.
Now Lloyd's made some very good radios and some that were not
really good at all. Thier quallity was up and down. On this radio the quallity is very good. Selectivity and sensitivity is
very good. This is a very good dx radio for a pocket radio. The audio is very sharp and clear. Overall a very good performing
radio.
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