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| 1962 General Electric ModelP807B |
Shown in the picture above is a 1962 General Electric model P807B (B black colored case). The one
in white below is the 807C. This radio is a large radio. The style is of a portable. This one I won on a internet
auction. The radio needs only a cleaning. The radio works well and sounds good according to the seller. This radio was made
in black, white , light blue, and red. This radio is a very common radio so its value is not much. I like the style of the
radio. There is civil defense markings on the large tuning dial. The radio does work well with good sound. The selectivity
is good while the sensitivity is fair to good. The radio did use the large old 9 volt battery. GE offered a battery pack that
used 6 AA batterues for this radio and this radio has one with the price still on it. Cost $1.99
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| Motorola Model X48E Portable Radio |
From the early 1960s is a Motorola model X48E portable radio. The radio has a
black leather case with white stitching. The front is silver metal. The radio is powered by four AA penlight batteries. It
is am only and has 8 transistors.
The radio has contorls for tunning,off/on volume, and a tone control. The
tunning dial is marked with the two civil defense stations. The radio has a earphone jack also. The one different feature
on this radio. It is a battery strength indicator. It is the button on the upper front of the radio.
This radio was won on a internet auction. It is in very nice
condition and works well. The radio is sensitive and the audio sounds good too. Even the battery indicator still works. When
I get the radio I will have a working report.
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| Gazelle Model GTR-6 Six Transistor Sample Pocket RAdio |
Above is a new addition to my growing collection. The radio is a Gazelle model
GTR-601 six transistor manufacturer's sample radio. The radio was made in Japan. The radio has conal rad markings on the dial
so it's from the early sixties. It takes a nine volt battery. The radio is ivory and with giold trim. The radio is NOS
(new old stock) I opened the box the radio was wrapped up in its plastic bag inside the leather case. The leather case had
its own new smell too!
The radio is in its original box. It has a leather case, paper work, and
earphone. Everything is still in factory plastic bags. The radio was taken out of its bag for the photo. The radio is ivory
with gold trim. The radio wa also in ivory with silver trim or black with silver or gold trim.
This is a salesman sample radio in that the salesman would take this
radio to show retail store customers. To the right of the radio photo is the salesman feature and spec sheet for this
radio. This company would let you sell the Gazelle brand or on the sheet you could have your name or store name put on the
metal tag in the upper front of the radio. See more deails in the text under the photo of the sheet.
The radio is new and has been tested by the person I
bought it fom. The radio does work like it is brand new! The sound was clear and sharp not to tinny.
Selectivity is very good. No broad signals any
where on the dial. Sensitivity is also very good. The radio picked up many weaker signals on distent local stations with good
volume. For a inexpensive radio it worked better then expected.
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| Americana Model KP-6 Six Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is the second NOS transistor radio that I won on a internet auction. The
radio is a Americana model KP-6 six transistor pocket radio from the 1960s. The other radio is the Gazelle transistor radio
above this radio. This radio was also made in Japan.
This radio is white with silver trim. The radio has a earphone jack and
is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio has its plastic outer case,earphone and paper work. This radio like the Gazelle
is in its factory plastic packaging in the box.(taken off for photos)
The radio is working. Audio is above average for a pocket radio.
Selectivity and sensitivity are very good. Overall this inexpensive radio works better then expected and is a very good quallity
radio. Both this radio and the Gazelle were most likely inexpensive radios when they were new. I would say that they
were $4.00 to $6.00 radios in the stores.
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| General Electric Model 807A |
Another model radio from 1962 is shown in the photo above. It is a General Electric
model 807A portable radio. This radio is a seven transistor model that used the old large 9 volt battery for power. It is
styled like the black GE portable on the top of the page and like the one below this radio. GE kept this style of radio for
three years.
This radio has a earphone jack on the back of the radio. The tuning dial is on
the upper right front. The volume off/on control is in the front left upper corner. This radio works very well. It has very
good sensitivity and selectivity is very good. Audio is very good with its pm speaker. I have six of this style radios in
my collection now.
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| 1959 General Electric Model P755A Transistor Radio |
Shown above is a 1959 General Electric model 755A portible radio. This radio
was the first year of this style which GE carried through to 1962 on some other models. This radio is light green with a grey
speaker grill with darker grey lines in it. The radio used the large 9 volt battery which is shown in a photo of the chassis
below.
The tuner dial is on the front upper right corner while the volume
off on control is on the upper left front corner. There is a earphone jack on the back of the radio. This radio needs
a little capacitor replacement work to work well. The repair work has been doe. The radio works very well now. Sounds good
and the selectivity and sensitivity is as good as the other 800 model GEs in my collection.
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| 1963 General Electric Model P965B Globestar AM/SW 10 transistor Portable Radio |
Above is another General Electric radio made in 1963. This is the model
P965B which is the same style as the GE radio below this radio. This radio is also known as the Globestar. It is a AM SW (shortwave)
radio.
The radio is powered by 6 AA batteries and besides having the normal
tuning knb there is a fine tuning knob shown on the left front of the radio. The normal tuning knob and the off/on volume
control are on the right side of the radio.
The radio has a all leather case with a silver metal
speaker grill. The chassis is a ten transistor. The radio alsohas a external antenna jack and earphone jack. The band selector
switch is also located on the right side of the radio.
I now have aquired a second one of this radio. This one
works fine. Nice audio and good sensitivity on AM and SW. Selectivity is also good on both bands. The one above will be used
for parts for the good one I have now.
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| 1963 General Electric Model P975F AM FM Portable Radio |
Shown above is a GE model radio that my father had when I was between
10 and 11 years old. It was a replacement for another GE small transistor radio he had that had been broken a year earlier.
The radio was in the kitchen and he listened to it when he ate breakfast,
The radio is a 1963 model P975F. This radio was desighned and built
here in the US. It is one of the last ones manufactured here before GE moved the manufacturing of thier radios to Asia.
The radio had a suggested retail price for $34.95
in 1963. That was a sum of money to pay for a transistor radio back then. The radio was a extreamly well made radio. Real
leather outside case, am fm with afc (automatic frequancy control for fm prevented drifting), external ac/dc power jack to
run on house current,external antenna jack for a external fm antenna, and a earphone jack.
The radio is powered by four AA penlight type batteries and
had long battery life durring normal use. The radio had very good sounding audio and the selectivity and sensitivity were
very good on this radio. GE sold many of this fine quallity made radio.
My father bought his at the GE company store and paid
$29.95 for it. The employee discount was a little more then 16% off retail. This radio is in great working shape. The radios
overall appearence is very good except for a nick out of the leather case on the lower left side of the radio. The antenna
is also missing but I have a replacement for it.
The radio also has the original box,earphone,owners
manual,warrenty card, and a real bonus a GE factory store list too. So this radio like my fathers was bought at a GE factory
store. I was curious about the factory stores location where this radio was bought so I contacted the seller after I had won
the radio.
He told me it was bought at a GE factory store
in South Carolina and the GE factory there was a turbine manufacturing plant. That plant is the sistor plant to the one that
my father worked at and that plant made turbines too! I can still remember how well his radio worked. It was a nice radio
to listen to. I listened to it alot. I most of the time would listen to fm which sometimes I would forget to put it back to
his am station. That I got told about!
Now the radio has very pleasent audio sound. There
is bass and the larger speaker is nice to listen to. The am side has good sensitivity and selectivity is very good. I hooked
up a external antenna for fm to do the testing on fm.
On fm the afc must be on. With afc on there was
no drifting on fm. Sensitivity was very good. I picked up 22 stations on fm with this radio. Selectivity is very good. Here
on the fm band there is several spots that are very crowded with stations. No problems at all in those crowded sections. The
radio worked as well as I remembered. The radio today is a popular radio still for every day use. I'm glad that I got it.
Once the antenna is fixed it will see much use.
| Contimemtal AM SW !0 Transistor |
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From the early 1906s above is a Continental 10 transistor AM SW radio. This radio was
made in Japan. It is powered by four AA batteries. I have a couple of Continental pocket radios and they are a high
quallity made radio which they perform very well. Continental was know for this.
The dial on am is marked with red traiangles for the two cd stations. There
is a tone control along with controls for tunning and off/on volume. There is also a headphone jack on the radio too.
There is also a MPX dual jack on the left side of the radio. This was for stereo fm which Continental sold as a seperate unit.
I bought the radio on a internet auction. It also has good
sounding audio. There is plenty of nice sounding bass when the tone control is set to bass. When it is set for trebble the
sound is crisp not tinny. Halfway on the tone control is a good even balance of bass and trebble.
Selectivity on am is very good. Sensitivity is also vgery good
on am. FM sensitivity is good even without afc. The radio stays right on the received signal. Selectivity is also very good
on fm. No bleeding of stations that are close by.
Shortwave the sensitivity is fair to good. The reason
is the short telescoping rod antenna works ok on some shortwave bands and not so well on others. Selectivity is very good
though. Nice sounding feature packed small portible that is up to Continentals known quallity.
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| BrownieModel603_8Transistor |
Shown above from the 1960s is a Brownie model630 Hi Fidelity 8 transistor. This radio was made in
Japan. The front is brushed aluminium and chrome plated metal. The radio is quite heavy without the batteries. The radio takes
four C cell type flashlight batteries for power. The leather case is in excellent condition. The front has some scrathes and
dents as seen in the photo. There is civil defense station markings on the tuning dial. The radio does work. The audio
has good tone and is clear. The radio does have a problem with caps. There is a static sound that pops off and on. It does
dissapear on strong signals. The sensitivity is also effected. It is not very good. Selectivity is very good. This is one
that will work much better after it is repaired.
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| Sano_Stewart_Just-A-ToneTransistorRadios |
The photo shown above is three more radios I won on a internet auction. All three radios are in
original boxes,have all paperwork, and earphones. The Sano and Stewart have been used but only seen very little use. The Just
A Tone is brandnew. Pictures of the radios are shown to the right and below.
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| 1968Just-A-ToneTransistorRadio |
Shown above is a 1968 Just-A-Tone solid state transistor radio. I owned two of them in the past.
One I had when I was 16 and the other in the 1980s I bought used. The one that I had when I was 16 I bought brand new for
$9.95. The used one I paid a $1 but it barely worked so I sold it for a dollar. The radio is a large am radio. It is AC/DC
and has a built in batterycharger. The batteries shown in the picture are real. The radio did come with batteries.
The radio case is made of leather. The leather was either dark brown or black. I had both a brown one(new one) and the used
radio was the black one. The new old stock radio in the photo is black leather. The radio has some problems. It is ok
on weaker stations the audio is very clear but on stronger stations the radio squeels so I will have to check it for bad caps
and resistors. The sensitivity is good but the selectivity is effected by the bad components. I have a update now on this
radio. I repaired it. I replaced three caps and one resistor. The radio works quite well now. The squeel is gone when tuning.
The sensitivity improved so now I would say to very good. The selectivity is good except up towards the 550kc end of the dial.
Strong stations still are a little broad. The rest of the dial they are fine.
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| Federal Pocket Transistor |
The radio shown above is a Federal transistor radio made in Hong Kong. The radio is the typical
big round tuning dial with verticle bars for the speaker grill. This style was popular in the 1960s which was the style on
many transistor radios. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The plastic case is a olive green color and the panel
behind the dial is a mettalic green. I won this radio on a internet auction. The radio is a 5 transistor radio. The audio
is clear but lacks bass. Sensitivity is fair. Gets all the local stations ok but is not a dx radio at night. The selectivity
is good. The radio is a little better then average for a less expensive Hong Kong Radio.
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| Sylvania Model TR 50 Pocket Transistor |
Shown above is a Sylvania model 50 pocket transistor radio. Sylvania was a long time maker of radio
tubes and started making tube radios in 1950. I just won this radio on a internet auction. This radio is from the mid to late
1960s. There is no civil defense markings on the dial. The radio was made in Japan. This pocket radio is quite heavy for a
pocket transistor.The radio has the leather case with it. The case is only in fair condition. The radio takes a 9 volt battery
and the radio is working. There is a earphone jack on the radio. The case is a high gloss black plastic and so is the
section behind the dial. The trim is a chrome plated metal with the speaker grill being silver metal or brushed aluminum.
The radio works very well. Very good audio that is pleasent to listen to. Selectivity is very good and the sensitivity
is very good. The radio is a very good quality made radio.
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| Wooden Telephone 8 Transistor Novelty Radio |
Shown above is a new addition to my collection. It is a 8 transistor wooden crank telephone radio
made by Audition. This radio was made in Japan. This radio is large in that it is 18" high and 7 1/2 inches wide. The
radio cabinet is wood with the trim being brass plated metal. The mouth and ear pieces are black plastic. The right bell
is the tuning knob while the left bell is the off on volume control. The radio is powered by 4 C cell batteries. The
radio has very good clear sound. The sensetivity is very good. The radio pulls in stations that many of my other radios do
not. The selectivity is very good also. The radio is one of the nicer novelty ones that I now have.
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| Studio 44 Pocket Transistor Radio |
Here is another made in Hong Kong radio from the late 1960s. This one is
a Studio 44 brandname pocket transistor. This darkblue cased radio is very close in style to the Dyna Tone radios below. I
would believe this radio and the pair of Dyna Tone radios were made by the same company.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. It has two thumbwheeel
controls. The one on the right side of the radio is for tuning. The one on the left side is the off on volume control. This
is a basic radio that was a inexpensive radio when it was new.
The radio performs like a inexpensive Hong Kong made radio. The sound quallity
is fair. Tinny describes it. Sensitivity is fair. Volume needs to be adjusted on weaker signals due to poor AVC. Selectivity
is good though. Sensitivity is only fair. The radio misses some of our local weaker stations. I would rate this radio as being
down towards the bottom of the cheap made radios.
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| Dyna-Tone Solid State Pocket Transistor Radios |
In the photo above are two more radios added into my collection. The two radios are Dyna-Tone solid
state pocket transistors made in Hong Kong. Both radios have thier original boxes and paper work. Both radios are in working
condition. The radios are powered by 9 volt batteries. One box has the price sticker on the front and it was sold new
for $3.99. The radios did not come with a earphone or battery when new. The radios were sold in a store called Payless.
The blue radio works fine. There is ample audio though it is tinny. The selectivity is good but the sensitivity is only fair.
The butterscotch colored radio works but there is very little volume. The selectivity and sensitivity is not effected. It
is just like the blue one. They are typicall inexpensive Hong Kong made transistor radios.
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| Continental 10 Transistor Radio |
Shown above from the 1960s is a Continental 10 transistor radio made in Japan. This radio I bought
at our local radio club fleamarket. This radio has civil defense markings on the dial. The radio has a black plastic
case and a metal front. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. There is a earphone jack on the left side of the radio.
The tuning and off on volume controls are located on the right side. The radio has clear audio but is slightly on the treble
side. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is very good. The early made Continental radios were of good quality. This is one of
two in my collection. The other is on the right side of the page.
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| Camaro Solid State 12 Transistor Pocket Radio |
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| 1962 Galaxie 6 Transistor Pocket Transistor |
Shown in the photo above is a 1962 Galaxie 6 transistor poket radio that was made in Japan. The
radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The radio has a black plastic case with a stylish metal chrome and brushed aluminum
front. Next to the radio is the leather case. This one is not marked on it NEC like the other Galaxie transistor I have in
my collection. the radio has good clear audio. Sensitivity is good but not as good as other six transistor radios I have.
Selectivity is very good. Overall a nice little radio.
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| Bradford14TransistorPocketRadio |
Shown above is a Bradford 14 transistor pocket radio sold by the W T Grant stores. Gransts was like Woolworth
which was known as a five and dime store. The radio is am and has the case earphone and original box. The radio is silver,gold,and
black. I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. Audio is good on this radio. Very
clear and loud. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is good. Better then most of the other Hong Kong made transistors I
have. Stylish nice looking radio that works well.
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| Amico Little John Transistor Radio |
Above shown in the photo is another novelty radio I recently added to my growing collection. The
radio was made in Hong Kong by Amico. The model is a Little John. The radio is neat in its design. The speaker is in the bowl.
The 9 volt battery is in the base under the bowl while the chassis is inside the tank.
This is a older radio. The transistors are the large round black color dot coded transistors. I
had to get to tyhe chassi to replace two caps that were bad. The tank slides off the back of the bowl. Then you have a slot
to to pry the tank halfs apart. There is enough wire to the speaker and the leads to the nine volt battery were made long
enough to do this.
The radio worked poorly when I first got it. Now that the caps have been replaced it works very
well. There is plenty of clear sound. The selectivity is very good. The sensitivity is good. The radio has been cleaned since
this picture was taken. My wife thinks the radio is neat. She only has made one comment on one of the other ones I have so
this radio is rare in that she likes it.
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| Lifetone 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a new addition to my collection. This Lifetone 6 transistor was made in Hong Kong.
It is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio is from the 1960s. It has a black case with silver metal grill on the front.
There is silver trim around the front top of the radio. The tuning knob is on the upper right side of the radio. The volume
knob is on the upper left top cornerof the radio. There is a earphone jack on the radio on the lower left side.
The radio has clear audio. It is toward the high ended side. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is
good also. The plastic outer case is a tight fit and makes getting the radio out of it difficult. This Hong Kong made radio
is a better radio then many of the other Hong Kong radios in my collection.
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| Sears Solid State Eight Transistor Gold Coast 6 Transistor Ross Micro 8 Cobra II Pocket Transistor |
Shown above is the second six pack of radios that I won on a internet auction. This group of six
radios are from the 1960s,70s, and the 21st centuary. One of them is NOS. Starting from the upper left is a Gold Coast 6 Transistor
pocket radio. The blue and silver radio is the Cobra II pocket transistor from the 70s. Next is a Ross Micro 8 Transistor.
The top right radio is a Sears Silvertone Solid State 8 Transistor pocket radio. The General Electric shown with the box is
the NOS (new old stock) transistor radio. Everything is still wraped in its plastic packaging. The last radio is a Lifelong
digital AM/FM radio. All the radios are in good to excellent condition. They all are supposed to work too. I now have the
radios so I'll start with the Gold Coast 6 Transistor radio.
The Gold Coast 6 Transistor radio was made in Hong Kong. It has a all white plastic case with
a very nice styled metal chrome speaker grill. The area which the black and silver with the Gold Coast name is painted metal.
The dial window is round and the numbers on the dial thumbwheel are large and easy to read. The volume on off knob is on the
left side along with the earphone jack on the lower left side.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio has good sound quality. The selectivity is good.
Sensitivity is very good. The radio does squeel some on weak stations. I will repair this problem. The radio is a better made
Hong Kong made radio that has good looks too.
The next radio is the blue and silver trimed Cobra Two pocket transistor. This little radio
was made in Tiawan. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio is a four transistor radio. The radio has a 32 ohm
speaker which the audio is only fair, too tinny. Selectivity is good while the sensitivity is fair to good. The
radio has no earphone jack. It was a inexpensive made radio that has a famous brandname on it.
Next is the Ross Micro 8 transistor. This little micro radio was made in Japan. The radio
runs on one AA penlite battery. The case is a plastic case that is black. The radio has the on off volume knob on top
over the tuning knob on the right side of the radio. The earphone jack is on the top left just under where the key chain is
attached. The front speaker grill and where it is labeled Micro eight transistor is silver metal.
The radio does work. It has very low volume right now. There is enough volume for the earphone.
The audio is very clear. Sensitivity is very good. Selectivity is very good also. The radio is not a radio that is easy to
service. The main problem is components on the chassis are very crowded. Even the three mounting screws on the chassis
are very hard to get at. I do have replacement caps ready to be put in. I'll update the working reprt when the radio is repaired.
The Sears Silvertone Solid State Eight was a surprise in several ways. First it is a late 1960s
radio. The style is more early sixties. It is a all blue plastic case with painted silver trim with a fancy waterfall ribbon
metal speaker grill work. The radio was made in Hong Kong. The radio is powered by the old round 9 volt battery.
I did hook a regular 9 volt to it and it works very well.
The audio is very loud and clear. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is very good also. The radio
has two output transistors in push pull so that is why the audio is good. It also has a rf stage so that is why the radio
has above average sensitivity and selectivity. It is a oddball in its old style battery and style. Its performence makes
up for the shortcommings.
Next is the prize of the lot the General Electric modl P1757. This radio is new old stock.
The report for the radio is on the right side under the Viscount transistor.
The last radio in the lot is a Life long radio that is made in China. It has manual tuning for the
AM/Fm along with a on off volume control. The radio has a digital clock and calandar. The radio has good sound. The radio
lacks some selectivity on both bands. Sensitivity is also only fair. It is a cheap made radio.
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| 1978 NEC Model NT6M-33 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is another recent addition to my collection. The above radio is a
1978 NEC (National Electronics Corperation) Model NT6M-33 6 transistor pocket radio. This radio was made in Japan. I
have two other NEC made radios that are older from the early and mid 1960s that are NEC made radios but are Galaxie brandname
radios. One is farther up the page.
This radio has the box included shown in the photo. There is a earphone
jack on the radio and the earphone is still sealed in its plastic bag. She had the radio given to her as a gift when she worked
for NEC. The radio was not used untill she tested it before she sold it.
The radio is red with black trim. There is the tuning dial
control in the upper right front of the radio. The volume off/on control is on the left side of the radio. The radio has a
carry strap on the left side too. She said that the radio is in excellent condotion in appearence and it works like a new
radio too.
I have the radio and it looks very good and it works
very well. The audio is clear and nice to listen to. There is some bass. Selectivity is very good while the sensitivity is
good. The sensitivity is better then other radios I have but not as good as others I have. It is in the middle. Still I
like the looks of the radio. It performs well enough and I don't have many red radios so far in my collection.
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| Philco Model NT-500-BKG 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above from the mid 1960s is a Philco model NT 500 BKG 6 transistor radio
that was made in Japan. This Philco is stylish with its oval dial window and silver metal front. The case is high gloss black.
The radio has thumbwheel controls for tunning and off on and volume. There
is a eaarhone jack too. The radio takes a 9 volt battery. For a small radio it is heavy. It has very nice sound which makes
it a nice radio to listen to.
Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is good. I rate it good
only becuase you can't always null signals out when turning the radio. Nice looking well performing radio. it would not be
long after this that Philco when bought by Ford the quallity would not be as good.
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| Triumph 9 Transistor Radio |
A new addition to my collection. It is a mid 1960s Triumph 9 transistor
radio which was made in Japan. The radio is powered by four AA batteries. The case is black with chrome metal speaker
grill and trim.
The radio has a large circular tuning dial on the front. The
tunning thumbwheel is on the upper right side of the radio.The volume off on control is on the lower rigtt side of the
radio. There is a earphone jack located on the left side of the radio. There is no model number.
The radio was won on a internet auction. First item that is
different inside the radio is the battery holder. It is a two section holder that 2 AA betteries go into each section. The
tuner is a larger open tuner not encased in a plastic cover. The radio has metal germanuim transistors.
The audio quallity is very good for a smaller radio.
It is clear with some basss. Very nice to listen to. Sensitivity is good. Picks up stations well with out unevenness. Selectivity
is very good. No problems with stations interfearing with each other at all. A very well made nice sounding radio that shows
Japanese quallity.
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| United Royal Model Ten One Hundred 9 Transistor Radio |
From the 1960s is a United Royal model Ten One Hundred 9 transistor radio. The
name is a little confusing since the word ten is used in the name. You think that it would be a 10 transistor radio insteaf
of a nine transistor. The radio was made in Japan.
It is powered by 4 AA penlight batteries. The radio is am. The front is
all metal. The tuner is on the upper right controled by a thumbwheel control on the right side of the radio. The volume off
on control is on the loere right side of the radio. There is a earphone jack on the left side of the radio.
Audio is clear but lacks bass. Selectivity is very good on this radio.
Sensitivity is very good also. It is a good dx radio at night. Day time listening it does a very good job picking up stations
that other radios I have will not.
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| Radio Shack D Cell Battery Transistor Radio |
Radio Shack over the years had many transistor radios. They had novilty radios
included. Ik the 1990s they made a D cell battery am transistor radio to promote thier batteries! As you can see it is quite
clorfull!
It is a am radio. The speaker is on top which makes much more sense then
on the bottom. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. Two thumbwheel controls are for tunning which is on the right side.
The off on volume control is on the left side. There is even a earphone jack with a earphone included with this novilty
radio!
This radio was made in Hong Kong for radio Shack. The radio has good
sensitinity and good selectivity. Audio quallity is good. The radio even has some bass to it. The volume is not overly
loud so the radio does not over drive the spaeker cuasing distortion. Neat looking,colorfull,and a good working radio.
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| Westinghouse Model 1329370 10 Transistor AM/FM Radio |
The Westinghouse transistor radio above is from the later 1960s. The radio was
made in Japan. It is powered by 4 AA batteries. The radio has ten transistors and is a am fm radio.
The case is a chocolate brown plastic with a metal front trimed in chocolate
brown,black,white, and silver. The dial runs horizontal accross the front. Tuning,volume off on controls are thumbwheels.
The afc is built in unlike having a switch to have it on or off. There is a earphone jack for a earphone for private listening.
The radio was won on a internet auction site. The radio is workig
according to the person I bought it from. Well first of all the audio is very good on this radio. It is not tinny. On both
am and fm the sound is very nice with some bass in it.
Selectivity on both bands is very good. No problems at all. The afc
on fm works well that there is no broad signals and the fm stayes tuned right on. Sensitivity is also very good on both bands.
There is no loss on the am band like there is on many am fm transistor radios. So this Westinghouse is a very good radio like
the rest of the ones I have in my collection.
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| Airline Model 1127A Red Pocket Transistor Pocket Radio |
Montgomery Ward sold radios under the Airline brandname. This pocket radio was sold
by Wards in the mid 1960s. I remeber seeing this radio in the 1964 christmas wish book. I wanted one!
This bright red radio was made in Japan. It takes a nine volt battery. It
is a 6 transistor. When the radio was sold you just got the radio. There was not a case,battery, or earphone with the radio.
It was Wards lowest price radio.
The radio also came in blue or black besides red. The transistors are metal
germanium and are small in size. It is a basic am radio. Now for a basic radio who ever made it for Wards made a very good
radio!
Selectivity and sensitivity are very good. The radio picks up many local
stations even the weaker distant ones. Stations that are close on the dial do not bleed each other. The audio is very clear
and is not overly tinny sounding. So it is a good performing plain jane radio.
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| Monacor AM FM 10 Transistor Portible Radio |
From the later 1960s above is a Monacor 10 transistor am fm portible radio. This
radio was made in Japan. The case is black plastic with a metal front and metal trim. The radio is powered by AA penlight
batteries.
The radio is a small portible but has a large tunning dial that is easy
to read. The tunning knob is on the right side of the radio on the top. The volume control is on the same side but underneath
the tunning control.
The am fm band switch is on the front lower left. There is a earphone
jack provided on the left side of the radio. There is a telescoping rod antenna for fm with a built in ferrite rod antenna
for am.
The working condition of this radio was a nice surprise!
On the AM band selectivity and sensitivity was very good. It pulled in many stations equally the same wether local or
distant. No broad signals on the radio either so selectivity was very good.
On the Fm side it was the same way. I picked up some
fm stations that are more then sixty miles away on the telescoping rod antenna on the radio. Several local stations are next
to each other here and the radios good selectivity kept them right in place with out any interference.
A nice looking, well made radio, with very good performence.
It is one of another radios that I'm glad I have now. I know Monacor made pocket transistor radios too. I'll have to try to
get one of them added to my collection.
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| Windsor Model JB280 AM FM Jukebox Transistor Radio |
Many people remember jukeboxes. They were in bars,restuarants,diners, and
soda fountains. It didn't take long for a transistor radio to be styled as a jukebox. Windsor was one of them. They made several
different versions.
This one is a model JB280 am fm transistor radio. This one is a larger
model then the others that Windsor made. Also this one fully lights up! The radio was made in Hong Kong. It is powered by
AA batteries.
The radio has its speaker up front where the jukeboxes speaker is.
The controls are on the side for tuning,off/on volume, and the bandswitch. The radio has a telescoping antenna for fm and
when down it is out of sight. The lights can be turned off and on by a seperate switch.
The radio was won on a internet auction. The radio works well.
On both bands the sensitivity is very good. Selectivity is only fair. The audio is good but lacks bass. Looks neat when lite
up in a dark room. Nice novelty radio.
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| Camaro 10 Transistor Pocket Radio |
The radio above is from the late 1960s. The brand name is more famous for a model American
car then for a radio. As far as transistor radios many were named the same as many names of cars or car models. This the second
transistorradio I have that is.
This radio was made in Hong Kong. It is powered by a 9 volt battery. It
has a 10 transistor chassis. It is white trimmed in gold accents. It is a basic radio with two thumbwheel controls. One for
tunning while the other is for off/on volume. The radio also has a earphone jack.
The radio has a black vinyl outer carrying case. This radio was a
internet auction win. The working condition of the radio is not known. It was not tested by the seller. The radio does
work. It sounds tinny and the selectivity is good while the sensitivity is just average. It is a inexpensive Hong Kong made
radio that works ok but not as well as other ten transitor radios that I have.
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| Summitone 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
From Japan another earlie 1960s vinatge pocket transistor radio. This one is a Summitone
8 transistor pocket radio. This early 1960s radio has a two tone case. White back section while the front section is chocolate
brown. This radio has the two old civil defense station markings on the dial.
The front of the radio is metal all one piece. The upper section is a satin silver
finish while the lowe metal section is high polished chrome. There are black painted lines, a star, Summitone name,vol tun
under the two windows on the front, and eight transistor engraved in the metal work. The rest of all this is in black also.
The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The transistors are the larger
metal cased type. The radio does have a pair of transistors in push pull in the audio circuit. Thumbwheels control tunning
which is located on the right side of the radio. Volume off/on is controled by the other thumbwheel on the left side of the
radio.
The radio has a earphone jack on the lower left side of the radio.
I also have the leather case that came with the radio. It is in very good shape along with the seperate earphone puch too.
The earphone is missing. Summitone in bold gold colored letters are on front of the leather case.
Now the radio does perform very well. Plenty of clear loud
audio. It is not tinny sounding at all. Sensitivity is very good also. Selectivity is also very good. It is a good quallity
made radio from a brand that I have never heard of before. Glad to have this one!
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| 1961 Arvin Model 61R58 Chestnut Brown Leather 8 Transistor Portible Radio |
Above is a Arvin Model 61R58 eight transistor portible radio. Arvin Industries
in Columbus Indiania made this radio back in 1961. It has a chestnut dark brown leather case. The front has silver metal and
a metal chrome speaker grill. The radio is powered by four C cell battereis.
The radio has a horizontal tunning dial. There is a tone control
which is locared on the left side of the dial. It is a three position knob. Off,music, and voice. The tunning knob is on the
right side of the dial. Thevolume off/on contol knob is on the right side below the tunning knob.
The radio does also have a earphone jack. The radio is about the
same size as the am fm portible shown above and to the right of this radios photo. I won this radio on a internet auction
so when I get the radio I ill have a working report.
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| Sharp Psychedelic Sokid State Pocket Transistor |
Straight from the psychedelic era is this Sharp pocket transistor radio. This
radio was made in Japan. It is powered by a nine volt battery. The psycheselic speaker grill is the difference that stands
out on this radio.
The radio has a black plastic case and the front is all metal. Thumbwheel controls
are used for tunning and off/on volume. There is a earphone jack too.
The radio says solid state so as of right now I don't know how many transistors
are on the chassis. I'll update this soon. I won the radio on a intenet auction sight and the seller told me the radio works. Well
I have the radio now and it is up to Sharp's quallity standards.
The audio is very clear with some bass. It is very nice to listen to. Selectivity
and sensitivity are very good. I could dx with it both durring the day and night!
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| Antelope 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
I'm fiding animal name transistor radios. I have the Gazelle to the left and here is
a Antelope brand name radio. This one is a 8 transistor pocket radio. The case is black plastic with silver painted trim.
The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The tuner control is on the right
side of the radio. The volume off/on control is on the left side of the radio. There is a earphone jack on the left side also.
The radio was made in Hong Kong. I don't expect high fidelity sound
from this radio. Most of this type radio didn't. I do hope that the radio has good selectivity and sensitivity. Well
the audio was not of high quallity. It is clear but tinny sounding.
I did get a surprise with the radios sensitivity. It is very good.
More then I expected. Selectivity is very good too. So it performs very well but just has the normal tinny sound like most
less expensive pocket radios.
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| Singer Model HE 5010 Solid State AM Radio |
Singer was known the world over for its sewing machines. Starting in the 1960s
Singer started to branch out selling other items. They entered the electronics market by selling transistor radios.
The radios were made in Japan and Taiwan not by Singer but contracted out being made for them.
Singer sold them off and on through the 1960s which they did not have many different
models of transistor radios durring this time. Plus Singer had its own dealer stores and the radios were mainly sold through
them. So sales were not all that much on thier radios.
Now this Singer radio is the first one I have. It is from the mid
to late 1960s and was made in Taiwan. It is a model HE 5010 Am small portible styled transistor radio. It is marked solid
state so the number of transistors in the radio as of right now is unknown.
The radio has a white leather case. The front is metal silver and black with
a silver speaker grill. It has two control knobs on the front. The one on the left is the off/on volume control while the
one to the right is for tunning. The radio is also AC/DC and for DC power uses a nine volt battery.
The radio does have what looks like a hefty built on carrying handle
that does fold down. The radio does have a earphone jack. I won this radio on a internet auction. It does work
very well on ac for the seller had tested the radio. It is quite sensitive and has good audio.
I have the radio and the audio is clear but does lack
bass. Still the audio is not bad to listen to. Sensitivity is good. I had no problem picking up stations which included our
local some what distant weaker ones. Selectivity is very good for also in our area here there stations rght next to each other
after 1300 on the dial. So Singer had a good radio made for them at least as far as this model.
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| Bradford 10 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Back before the days of Wal - Mart there were the five and dime stores. Woolworths and W T
Grant were the two big nantional chains in this country. W T Grant sold radios, tvs, and appliances under the Bradford brand
name. Shown above is a Bradford 10 transistor pocket radio from the 1960s. The leather case is missing the top flap
section. The radio does work. There is civil defense markings on the tuning dial so this radio is early sixties. The only
part that shows in the photo is the top section showing some white. The radio is average in it's performence. Selectivity
sensitivity is average. Audio is also average.
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| Gazelle Model GTR-6 Manufacturer Sample Radio Spec Sheet |
Above is the salesmans spec sheet for the Gazelle transistor radio shown
to the left. On this sheet it tells about color and trim selections. White and black plastic cases with silver
or gold trim. You the customer could have your name on the metal tag in front if you ordered 10,000 radios.
The leather case thread color would be changed too if you did the brandname
change. The thread would be changed from white to black. The word Japan molded into the radios plastic case in the back would
not be molded in also. The factory box wouls have your name on the box not Gazelle. So here is a example of a manufacturer
that besides its own name made private label brands for others. I wonder how many other brands they made!
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| Americana Model KP-6 Six Transistor Radio Box |
Above is a 1960s Americana Model KP-6 six transistor radio made in Hong
Kong. This was made by Topps which before the company went out of business was known as Topps International. Topps was known
for inexpenive transistor radios.
This radio is a inexpensive radio. The Americana radios that were
made in Japan a few years earlier then this one were much better made radios. This radio does have some style to it with its
gold trin and the Americana logo in cursive writing. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery.
The tuner window is in the upper right front and
with large white numbers on the black dial it is easy to read. The knob is large in size too. The tuning control
is on the radios right side. The off/on volume control is on the upper left side of the radio. It is black in color and has
a large red line on the control to show the off position.
The earphone jack is on the lower left side. It
is the larger pin style. The carrying case is a 3/4 hiegh style leaving the upper quarter of the radio exposed. The
original earphone is still sealed in its plastic bag so it was never used.
I tested the radio and I had to replace one
of the two small electrylitic caps. This brought the volume up to where it should be. Now the sound is clear but it is tinny.
Selectivity is very good but sensitivity is only fair. The radio does pick up the major local stations but constant adjustment
was needed on the volume control for each station. (this still might be cap or resistor problems)
It is a nice looking radio but with Topps
typicall poorer performence. It is a good looking Hong Kong made radio with slightly less performence of other less expenive
Hong Kong brands that Topps competed with.
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| Zenith Royale 500 Transistor Radio |
Shown above is Zeniths most famous small transistor radio. It is
the Royal 500 model. Zenith came out with this radio in 1955 and this style 500 model was made untill 1962. Zenith right from
the start with this radio made a good quallity,better sounding,and a very good performing radio. This radio stood up to the
Zenith slogan; The quallity goes in before the name goes on.
I had worked on my daughters inlaws mothers Zenith 500
radio over three years ago. Thats how I got to know about the radio. I was really impressed by the sound quallity and the
sensitivity of this radio! I wanted one of my own. It took all this time to get one.
The style of the radio has earned a knickname for this
radio. Among collectors it is known as the Zenith owl eyes radio. The placement of the control dials and the design of the
metal palte that the knobs are in along with the round speaker it does look like a owl's eyes and face!
The Royal 500 came in black,burgandy,(maroon),white,ivory,and
a coral pink. There also have been some that were two colors as far as the cases but as far as I know that this is yet to
be proven if this was made by Zenith.
The radio that I have the case is not cracked ,chipped,
or scratched. It needs a cleaning and polished back up. The brass colored front metal panel is not in the best of condition.
It is either dirty or the finish on it has worn off from use. I hope it is just blackened by dirt and skin oil.
The case is made from unbreakable nylon.
The radio takes two different types of batteries. One type is a mercury battery and the other is regular AA penlites which
are the same size. The radio takes four of them. I believe the one that I have is older then 1960. It is not the model
D or E which were models from 1960 and 1961.
The 500s were made with 7 or 8 transistors
in the chassis. I don't know the number of transistors in this one as of now. The radio has the off on volume knob on the
left side and the tuner knob is on the right. The radio has a earphone jack but there was no earphone,leather case, or cloth
carry bag with this radio. I'll try to pick those items up later for the radio.
Now the radio I won on a internet auction.
The radio works very well. The seller stated that he was picking up stations from up and down the east coast and stations
out to the rockies. He was located in Tennesee. That sounds like a Zenith!
I have the radio now and it has the Zenith
quallity to it. The contorls work great. The tuner is silky smooth and is very easy to tune. Sensitivity is very good so dxing
is easy to do on this radio. Selectivity is very good too. The radio is in better shape then the photo shows. The darkness
on the metal bezel is a reflection from something black in the photo. The radio is a model E made in 1961.(last year of this
style) Now to see if I can geta marron colored one!
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| Zenith Model Royal B21 Billfold AM FM Transistor Radio |
Zenith made transistor radios in the 1960s that were wallet or bill fold styled.
Above is a Zenith model Royal B21 billfold style radio. This is a am fm transistor radio. The model Royal 20 was am only.
This one has a black plastic outer shell case. Inside the case the radio
is black with metal silver trim. The Zenith badge is on the lowerfront corner of the speaker grill. The radio is powered by
2 AA batteries. Tuning, off, on, and volume are thumbweel controls. There is a band selector switch too.
The fm uses a built in rod antenna and am uses a
buit in ferrite rod antenna. The radio on am has good senesitivity and selectivity. The fm band has good selectivity but the
sensitivity is just average due ti the smaller antenna. Audio is ok foe a small radio.
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| MegaTone Big Ball 8 Transistor Radios |
In the early 1970s ball shaped novelty radios were popular. They were made by
several companies. They came in bright colors. The two above in white and red were made by Meg A Tone a Hong Kong company.
Theese radios were am only. They use a 9 volt battery for power. They are a 8
transistor radio. They have chains with key rings for carrying or hanging. The radios have a earphone jack on them too.
The one radio has the earphone and paper work included. Both radios
have the original box. Working condition of the red radio is only fair. The radio needs some caps replaced. The white radio
works very well. Audio is good but lacks bass. Selectivity and sensetivity is very good. The red one should perform the same
after recapping.
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| Stellarsonic Blue Ball Transistor Radio |
Shown above is another version of a ball shaped transistor
radio. This version was made in Hong Kong in the early 1970s by Stellarsonic. This radio has a little more coliorful styling
then the Megatone and Panasonic ball radios.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The radio has a nice
large colorful dial. The off on volume control and the tunning is done by thumbwheel controls. The large speaker is on the
bottom. There is also a earphone jack too. Like other ball radios there is a keychain and ring attached to the radio.
The radio is in working condition. The audio lacks bass so
it is tinny sounding. Sensitivity is quite good. Above average for a Hong Kong made radio. Selectivity is very good too. This
was a surprising radio in that it performed very well.
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| 1960sWestinghouse6Transistor |
Shown in the photo above is a 1960s Westinghouse model H-707P6GP 6 transistor pocket radio. The
front is all metal. The plastic case is a lime green. The leather case is a green color. The radio is powered by a 9 volt
battery. This radio is quite small in size. The radio is quite heavy for a small radio too. The radio has a Pioneer speaker
in it which gives very clear audio with a nice sound. There is even a pair of audio output transistors in this little radio! The
radio has very good selectivity and the sensetivity is also very good. I am very pleased with this transistor radio. This
Westinghouse radio has very good quallity to it.
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| J C Pennys 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Shown above is a JC Penny 6 transistor pocket radio from the mid 1960s. This
radio is with its original box,leather outer case,earphone,and earphone case. The radio was made in Japan. Manufacturer of
this radio is unknown.
The radio is black and grey with a large orange tuning dial knob on the
upper front right side. The volume off on thumbwheel knob is on the left side of the radio. There is a earphone jack on the
left side of the radio too. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery.
I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio has nice sounding audio.
Due to some bad caps the sensitivity and selectivity is effected. I will repair the radio and update a working performence
report later.
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| J C Penny Model 1138 Pocket Transistor |
Shown above is a transistor radio made for J C Penny. This is the model1138 which was made in Hong
Kong. The radio is a five transistor. This radio is was most likely made in the late 60s or early 70s. The radio
uses a 9 volt battery. This radio is a nice bright red with silver trim. Early J C Penny radios were made by Toshiba.
This one is not. J C Penny sold radios in thier stores in the 1960s through around 1980. The radio has plenty
of volume which the audio quallity is clear but high ended. The selectivity is fair. Strong stations do bleed close by stations
even turning the radio to null the stronger station does not always work. Sensitivity is good but distent stations are
weaker then other radios that I have from Hong Kong.
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| JC Penny Model1138 Black Transistor Radio |
Shown above is the black cased model 1138 JC Penny transistor pocket transistor
like the red one above this one. The features are the same since it is the same model. However this radio has the box,paperwork,
and a battery receipt.
The battery receipt tells a story about this radio. The radio was
a gift to the sellers grandmother. The radio was to be used for emergency use. It sat in a desk for 10 years before it was
used. The original battery was dead so a new one was bought in 1983. The radio was used and then put back. The radio has only
seen use several more times since then. The second battery is still with the radio.(dead) This radio works much better
then the other one above. The sensitivity is much better. Selectivity is the same though.
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| SanoStewartTransistorRadios |
Shown in the above photo are the Sano and Stewart Transistor radios. I believe the two radios are
from the 1970s. Both have AM FM TV and WB (weather band) bands. Both have carrying straps. The Stewart
is a model ST 527-A with a black case with silver trim. This radio was made in Hong Kong. The radio is powered by 4 AA penlite
batteries. The large verticle dial on the front is easy to read. This radio has a earphone jack and a AC adapter jack
on the right side. The tuning,tone, and on/off knobs are located on the top of the radio. They are chrome plated.
The selectivity is good on all bands. Sensitivity is good on am but is only fair on the other bands. Audio sounds good on
am and fm with the tone adjusted towards the bass side. On the tv and weather bands then the tone makes the sound better
when there is more trebble. Overall the radio is in the middle. I have had worse and I have had better ones.
The other radio is a Sano model 2180 which also was made in Hong Kong. The radio is powered by a
9 volt battery. The radio is black with silver trim. This radio has a earphone and AC adapter jack on the lower right side.
The tuning thumbwheel knob and the off on volume thumbwheel knob is on the upper right hand side of the radio. Audio is only
fair becuase it lacks bass. Selectivity is good but sensitivity is poor on all bands. Weaker local stations are received weakly
and on the weather band it barely picks up the local station which is less then 15 miles from where I live. This radio most
likely a low end model that was inexpensive to buy.
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| General Electric 7 Transistor Radio |
Above is a General Electric 7 transistor radio from the mid 1960s. This radio takes a 9 volt battery.
This radio was made in Japan. I like the style of this radio. The small round tuning dial in the upper right with a window
for the volume control on the upper left corner is different. The radio does not work. There is a lot of corrosion and rust
on the circuit board, battery contacts, and even on the metal transistors! For now this one will be a display radio only.
In the photo above is a Remington 8 transistor radio. This radio looks just like the Universal 8
transistor that I have in my collection. Remington like Norelco is known more for thier electric shavers then the transistor
radios that have thier names on them. This radio was made in the 1960s in Japan. Besides the leather case shown in the photo
there is a second leather case that is a pouch style to put the radio in when not in use. There is also a earphone case attached
to the leather case with the original earphone inside. The radio has clear audio but lacks bass. The sensitivity is good(not
quite as good as the Universal) while the selectivity is good also. Still it is a good radio and I am glad to have it in my
collection.
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| 1968 Round Ladies Purse Transistor Radio |
Shown above is another recent addition to my collection. The radio is a round ladies purse transistor.
This radio was won in a beauty contest by the lady I got the radio from. The radio was made in Japan. The earphone is with
the radio. There is a brocade cloth case white with gold flowers over a leather backing shown in the photo. The
brand of the radio is Westinghouse. It is a model RG11P28A 8 transistor. The radio has good audio. The selectivity is
good. The sensitivity is also good. The radio uses a nine volt battery for power.
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| Crown Key Novelty Transistor Radio |
Here is another novelty transistor that I just added to my collection. This one is a Crown key shaped
8 transistor radio. This radio is over 14 inches in length. The brass parts are plated metal and the radio part of the
key head is made of plastic. The radio is in working condition. The radio has good clear sound. The selectivity is very good.
The radio has only fair sensitivity. The radio has small knobs on it so it is hard to tune. I have a friend that is a
locksmith and the radio is going into the shop as a display piece. I'm sure there will be many comments about the radio.
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| Continental 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
In the picture above is a Continental 8 transistor like the one my brother had. He got the radio
as a birthday present. The difference in this one and the one he had is the color. This one is white while the color of his
was black. The radio was made in Japan. This radio is heavy for a pocket radio. The radio uses two AA penlite batteries
for power. The earphone jack is on the top of the radio in the right hand corner. There is civil defense markings on the dial
for the two old conalrad stations. The dial window is in the middle of the radio. The drawback is that the window is very
small and the numbers are very hard to read. Above the dial window on the metal panel is Continental in black printed letters.
Below that is in red a 8 and transistor in cursave writing. This radio does work but needs cap work. The audio is clear
up to a certain point then goes into rapid motor boating. The sensitivity is good. Selectivity is good also. It is not a
over styled radio like some of the others from that time period. the radio is not a plain jane either.
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| Admiral Bicentenial Pocket Transistor |
Above is one of my newest radios added into my collection. It is a Admiral white,red,blue
color combination. The radio is Admirals bicentenial model for the US back in 1976. The case is white with thin red and blue
stripes. Not as colotful as the two General Electric bicentenial radios on this page but still it is nice.
The radio has the tuber control on the upper right side with the tuning
window in the upper right front corner. There is a earphone jack for a earphone. The radio is powered by a regular 9 volt
battery. The radio is in working condition.
The sound is crisp and clear. The radio has good sensitivity.
It picks up weaker stations well. Selectivity is good also. A good looking and working radio.
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| General Electric Spirit of Sevety Six Transistor Radio |
In the photo above is a General Electric pocket transistor that is in the spirit of the bicentenial
celebration of the United States. This radio is red white and blue. It is a six transistor radio that runs off a nine volt
battery. The white has yellowed with age on this radio. This radio was made in Hong Kong. The radio is powered by a nine volt
battery. I cleaned the radio up and the white is not yellow anymore. The radio has average audio quallity. Selectivity is
good and the sensitivity is fair. The radio is like most transistors made in Hong Kong in that they were a inexpensive radio
that had less quallity and performence then the transistors made in Japan.
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| 1976 GE Super Star Pocket Transistor Radio |
The GE radio above was the second model they made for the Bicentenial in 1976.
Like the Spirit of 76 model above this radio it was in red, white, and blue colors. I do'nt have the box with this radio
but the box had writen on it Super Star.
The radio was made in Hong Kong. It is a six transistor radio. The front
is red with the right side blue border with the white stars in the blue. The rest of the front part of the case is white. The
back of the case is blue. The tuner control is on the right side which you can see the widow in the upper right front of the
radio.
The volume off/on control is on the upper left side of the
radio. There is a carry strap attached on the left side also. The radio has a earphone jack in the back of the radio
located to the right center of the back.
The radio has good selectivity. The sensitivity of the radio
is very good. The big surprise was the sound on this small pocket radio. The sound is great. There is bass and it is very
clear. The radio is a delight to listen to. The speaker was made by Foster which in other GE Hong Kong radios the speakers
are different brands. Stylish good performing and excellent sounding pocket radio.
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| Minya Collections Model 4681 AM/FM Suitcase Transistor |
The radio above I bought at a garage sale. The radio is not old but is a nice
novelty radio. The radio is a Chineese made Minya Model MI4681 AM/FM roll a bout suitcase transistor radio. It is powered
by 3 AA penlight batteries. The radio I have is a black case with silver trim. The radio is in silver(one shown),black,off
white, and blue. The radio has working wheels so that it does roll and the handle does go up and down.
The radio does have one very different freaturs on it. The
handle is the volume control. The radio on am has very good sensitivity strong signals are slightly broad. Slelectivity is
very good so the strong broad stations do not cover up stations next to each other. The dial though does slightly misread
as a result. The same is also on fm. The antenna circuit on fm suffers from not having a good wire connection so that
signal strength is affected greatly by having your hand on the antenna the signal is louder and when not touching the antenna
the signal drops way down. Sound quallity is good and clear and the radio is not tinny. This radio is still
in production.
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| Viscount Model 601_6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a new addition to my collection. The radio is a Viscount model 601 6 transistor pocket
radio made in Okinawa. The radio is a black gloss plastic and metal trimed front. The radio uses a 9 volt battery. There is
a wrist strap with the radio. The radio is most likely late 1960s vintage. The radio has fairly good audio. The midrange is
fair but it is more to the trebble side. but does not sound tinny. Selectivity is good. Sensitivity is good also. Typical
inexpensive Japanese made radio.
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| General Electric NOS Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a NOS (new old stock) General Electric pocket style transistor radio. I won this radio
on a internet auction along with 5 other radios. Every thing that came in the box is still in its plastic packaging. The radio
model number is unknown as of right now. All the accessories are included. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The
original battery is included but not shown. The radio has been tested by the person who I bought it from. It works like a
new radio.
The radio does work like it is brand new! The plastic case still shines and has the slight oily
feel to it like a new radio. The radio is a Hong Kong made radio. The sound is so clear and stays that way just about to full
volume. The radio has very good selectivity. The sensitivity is very good also. The paper work was all there in the box. The
earphone has never been used. It is still sealed in its plastic bag. The radio being a General Electric it has not much
value. What makes the radio valueble to me is the nos condition.
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| 1960s Riviera Model RV62 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a stylish early 1960s pocket transistor radio that
was made by Americana. It is the model Riviera RV62 six transistor. The radio was made in Hong Kong. The radio is interesting
that it has RCA made transistors and the rest of the components are of Asian origin.
The front is all metal. The area above the speaker grill is
brass and the speaker section is silver. There are 12 stars on the front of the radio. 11 in a row that are small ones and
one large one on the left side of the radio that is under the indentation for the volume control. The plastic case is
black around the front and sides while the back is white. The on/off volume control is on the top left and the tuning knob
is on the right side.
There are civil defense markings on the dial at
640kc and 1249kc. The radio takes a nine volt battery for power. The original cowhide case is with the radio. I had to replace
the battery clip which had shrunk! Once that was done the radio was tested and it works well.
The audio sound quallity is clear but there is
no bass at all. Selectivity is very good. Sensitivity is good. The radio is not as sensitive as some of the other 6 transistor
radios that I have but does have better sensitivity then other Hong Kong made radios. It is a stylish good performing poket
radio.
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| 1970s Panasonic Model R-47 Black Cube Transistor Radio |
From the early 1970s shown above is a Panasonic model R-47 cube radio. The early
seventies style was popart or also known as the Eames era. Panasonic made several well known pop art style radios. The R-47
was one of them.
The R-47 shown above is a AM FM radio. The dial is very large and the pedistal
base gives this radio its pop art look. The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The bottom comes off as shown in the photo.
The controls are the tuner knob with a off/on volume control. There is a band select switch too for am or fm.
I have seen this radio in a white case but I'm not sure if it was made in other
colors. I won the radio on a internet auction. The radio works very well. Sound quallity is nice. It is a good radiio to listen
to.
Selectivity is very good. No broad signals on this raio. Sensitivity is
very good also. Pick up many weaker stations durring the day and does well for dxing at night. With its different look this
radio gets noticed when seen.
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| 1970 Panasonic Model R-70 Panapet White Ball Transistor Radio |
Shown above is one of Panasonics most known models. The model R-70 Panasonic
Panapet which was made starting in 1970. This is the most famous of the ball style radios. Panasonic made this radio for several
years. It is a popular collectible radio.
This radio was made is several colors. The colors offered were white, red, blue,
green, yellow, and purple. Panasonic made a few improvements to the radio durring its production. Most had to do with changes
in the circuits. Some slight changes were made to outside trim too.
The radio is just a AM radio. The dial is one of the upper round
windows while the other is the off/on volume control. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. The radio comes apart in
the middle so you can change the battery when needed. The speaker is on the bottom of the radio. There are two small molded
feet that will hold the radio in place to keep it from rolling.
The key chain and key ring can be used to carry the radio or hang
it as a decoration too. The radio has very nice audio from a large speaker. The radio is very sensitive. It is a good dx radio.
The selectivity is also very good. Typical Panasonic quallity.
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| Panasonic Red Model r70 Panapet Transistor Radio |
Above is the second Panasonic Panapet transistor I have in my collection. This one
is red in color. This one is missing the ring with the keychain like the white one has. This one also is a little more well
used then the white one.
It has the same features as the white one. This one works well and I would
rate it as same as the white one above. Same Panasonic high quallity. Now if I can get the rest of the colors I will be all
set!
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| Life Tone 8 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is a Life Tone 8 transistor pocket radio that was made in Japan.
This radio has a white plastic case witha silver and dark brown metal front. This is a early 1960s radio. It has the CD markings
on the tuning dial.
It has the starburst on the upper left front and there is also a
styling touch above the tuning window. The tuning control is on the right side of the radio while the on off volume control
is on the left side. The radio has a earphone jack and a leather carrying case.
I don't know if the company is the same that made the other Life Tone transistor
radio shown on this page. That one is a Hong Kong made radio while this one is Japanese. It may or may not be. There is a
big difference in quallity beween the two radios.
First of all this radio sounds good for a pocket transistor.
Second it has very good sensitivity. Picks up all the local strong and weak local stations. Selectivity is very good
also with no bleeding problems. Nice older pocket radio that works well.
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| Universal Model RC-64 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Another Universal transistor is now in my collection. The one above is a Universal
Model RC-64 6 transistor pocket radio. The radio was made in Tiwian. It has a black and white plastic case with silver
rim.
The radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The tuner is on the right sde
of the radio while the off on volume control is on the left side of the radio. The earphone jack is on the lower left side
of the radio also.
I don't know the exact age of the radio but looks like from the early 1960s.
There is civil defense conal rad markings on the tuner dial. There are a couple of nice styling touches on the radio.
One is the sloped upper metal panel above the egg crate speaker grill work. On the sloping panel is the other nice styling
touch. There is a engraved star burst. This is seen on many radios from the late 1950s through the early 1960s.
I won it on a internet auction site. The radio is in very good working
condition. The audio is clear, loud and ok to listen to. Sensitivity is very good. Picks up stations very well. Selectivity
is good too. No problems with station bleeding over on the next close station.
Nice styling,good performing, and small size are the pluses on this
radio. The drawback is the way the radio is styled it is hard to keep the radio in a upright standing position.
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| Silvertone Red 6 Transistor Pocket Radio |
The early 1960s red pocket 5 transistor radio above is a Sears Silvertone model
1204. This radio was made by Arvin in the USA. The Silvertone name oval badge is missing on the front. This small stylish
red radio is powered by a 9 volt battery. The front speaker grill and face trim is metal.
The radio has thumbwheel contros for tunning and off/on volume. The radio has
a earphone jack. I won the radio on a internet auction. This small radio has civil defense markings on the tunning
dial.
The radio has very good sensitivity and selectivity for a 6 transistor. The audio
is very clear. There is some bass which makes for pleasent listening. It has a old style open air tuner. This radiohas good
performence,nice style,and performes very well.
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| Tempest AM FM MB PSB Solid State Transistor Portible Radio |
Here is another inexpensive multiband portible from the 1970s. It is a Tempest
which was made in Hong Kong. There is no modle number. The radio is ac/dc powered. If on dc it uses 6 D size batteries.
The radio has a black leather finished case with chrome trim. There is also black
gloss plastic parts with the speaker grill being satin silver in color. If you look on the front there is printed in large
black lettering STEREO-SONIC along with Tempest and a stylish T logo.
It is a basic radio. There is knobs for tunning and off/on volume. No others
for any other features becuse there is none. The only extra is a red button for dial lights. There is a earphone jack on the
left side of the radio.
Lift up the upper silver metal door and on the inside there is a
worl map and time wheel indicator. The dial like many other radios of the time the band markings are in different colors.
There is a og scale on the dial too.
The radio does have a pair of speakers behind the grill. They
are small and the audio is tinny. It is not even close to having stereo sound! FM is not stereo any way. It is mono only.
Now on the am band selectivity and sensitivity is only
fair. Signals had to be strong. Anything weak it was just barely there. The radio did not pick up anything distant. The marine
band was just about totaly deaf accross the band. I only picked up a few bible belt shortwave stations.
FM was only slightly better then AM. I would rate it
on FM fair to good. Sensitivity was better but not by much. Selectivity was all right where the radio did pick up close by
stations.
Where the radio did work well was on the AIR and
PSB bands. I picked up a lot of airplane and traffic control stations. On the public service band it picked up the end
of the 2 meter ham band repeaters,local police,fire and other emergency services that still use the band. The two bands are
FM so I wonder why the broadcast FM band did not work as well.
So the Tempest looked like a more expensive radio but worked like
a inexpensive radio. Not great audio,poor performence on most of the bands. It did work well on two of the bands. I really
dont listen to AIr or PSB becuase I have very good scanners for listening to those bands.
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| Channel Master Model6502 Precor Model 611 RCA Solid State Pocket Transistor Radios |
Here I have a trio of transistor pocket radios. The Channel Master model 6502
is the oldest one. It is from 1960 made by Sanyo in Japan. This radio is the one on the right in the photo. The second radio
is a Precor on the left side of the photo. The third radio is a RCA solid state pocket radio in the middle.
The Channel Master is one model I have been trying to get for a long time.
This one is black with silver metal trim. It has a leather outer carrying case with its strap and earphone pouch attached.
The radio is a 6 transistor radio. The radio has two thumbwheel
controls for off/on volume and for tunning. There is also a earphone jack and the radio does have its original earphone in
the leather pouch. The radio is powered by a nine volt battery. This radio is to be working fine.
The Precore model 611 has its box,earphone, and outer
carrying case. This radio is a 6 transistor pocket radio. This radio was made in Hong Kong. This one is blue in color with
silver trim. This radio is also powered by a nine volt battery. This radio is in working condition also.
The RCA is black cased with silver metal front panels.
It is marked solid state. It is a six transistor radio. It uses two thumbwheel controls also for tunning off/on volume.
Instead of a outer carrying case the radio has a strap attached. This radio is to be also working fine.
The Channel Master has good sensitivity along with
good selectivity for a six transistor radio. The audio is only average as far as sound quallity. The radio lacks bass. It
is not tinny but it is just ok to listen to.
The Precore is a typical Hong Kong made radio.
Selectivity is good but sensitivity is fair. Audio is tinny and it is easy to overdrive the speaker when turned up. JUst anotyher
inexpensive radio that for the most part performs like a inexpensive radio.
The RCA was tghe surprise of the lot. For
being one of the lower end models it performs very well. Sensitivity is very good. This radio could pull in many stations
that a lot of other six or eight transistor radios couldn't or as well as this radio. Selectivity was very good also. Audio
is good on this little radio too. Pleasent to listen to. Nice radio for being a inexpensive radio.
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| Summit Model S109 10 Transistor Pocket Radio |
Above is another 1960s transistor radio. This one is a Summit brand model
S109 10 transistor Pocket radio which was made in Japan. This radio is powered by a nine volt battery. It has a superhet chassis.
The case is white plastic with silver edged trim. The front is all
light silver metal with the large oval speaker cut out in it. Thumbwheel controls for tunning and off/on volume. There is
also a earphone jack provided.
A bought this radio on a internet auction site. The radio
is to be working well. Well I now have the radio. It does work well with average sounding audio. It is easy to overdrive the
speaker since there is ample audio. Selectivity and sensitivity is good but not above average.
I believe that even though the radio states
there is 14 transistors in the radio and there is 14 of them on the chassis. This radio does not have all 14 transistors in
circuit which before 1967 manufacturers could do this. It is a nice looking radio with average performence.
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| RCA Canadian Model GP625 6 Transistor Radio |
Here is the first transistor radio I have in my collection that is Canadian made. It
is a RCA model GP625 6 transistor radio. It is a 1960s vinatge radio. It is red colored plastic case with a chrome metal front.
The Nipper dog logo and the round RCA logo is on the lower right front in black
with six transistor in written script all in black paint. There may have been in the peaker grill another label but
that is missing.
The radio has two thumbwheel controls for tunning and off on volume. The
radio also has a earphone jack but there is no earphone with the radio. The leather case is with the radio but not shown.
The radio is powered by AA penlite batteries.
I won the radio on a internet auction site so I have not received
the radio yet. The radio is supposed to be in excellent working condition so when I get the radio I will have a working report
on it.
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| Arvin 10 Transistor AM FM portible Radio Toshiba Model 871463 AM SW 8 Transistor Radio |
I won the two radios shown above on a intrenet auctione site. The one on the
left is a 1961 Arvin 10 transistor portible. The other is a 1960 Toshiba AM SW portible radio. The Arvin was made here in
the USA while the Toshiba was made in Japan by the Tokyo Shirbura Electric Company LTD.
The Arvin is powered by four C size batteries. The Toshiba is also powered
by four C size batteries. The Arvins case is dark brown plastic with dark brown leather. The Toshibas case is brown leather
and silver metal and gold metal tv sreen styled speaker grill. Both radios have the conalrad markings on thier tunning dials
on AM.
The Arvin uses a black thumbwheel control on the upper
left front for off/on volume. The single tunning control on the right front side does the tunning which both the AM FM circular
dials move at the same time. The Toshiba uses two black thumbwheel controls with the tunning one on the upper right side of
the radio by the dial while theother on the left side of the dail is the off/on volume control.
Both radios have a earphone jack on the left
side of the radio. Also the Toshiba has a phono input jack under the earphone jack. Both radios have a telescoping antenna
on the right side top of each radio. The anteena on the Arvin is for FM. The one on the Toshiba is for shorwave. There is
a bandswitch on each radio also.
One nice feature on the Toshiba is
that you do not have to open the radio to replace the batteries. On the right side of the radio there is a plastic cap that
you unscrew. Tip the radio at a angle and the batteries slide right out.
Now the Arvin has very nice audio to listen
to. It has bass without a tone control. Very nice to listen to music on AM and even better on FM. Sensitivity is good on both
bands. Selectivity is good also. The Toshiba sounds good also. Nice clear audio pleasent to listen to.
The Toshiba does have good sensitivity on AM. Selectivity
is also good. On shortwave there is a problem. It is a deaf mute durring the day bit at night it does pick up siganals but
besides on shortwave also on AM. So it is going to need some repair work to take care of that. Overall a couple of older transistors
that I'm glad to have them in my collection.
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