'60's Tempest "last run" Japanese tube radio

[radiotvnut]

I'm sure most of you remember these cheap "last run" 5 tube Japanese radios from the '60's. I think they were available through most of the '60's, were sold under a million different names, and came in a variety of colors. For cheap radios with 3" speakers and tiny output transformers, I guess they perform pretty well.

I once talked to an older man who had a radio and TV repair shop until the early '70's and he told me that he bought a ton of these radios in the late '60's from a local store who was trying to get rid of them to make way for the solid state models. He said the only reason he bought them was for the tubes, since he was able to buy the radios cheaper than buying the tubes from the supply house. He said he never plugged in the first one. He just pulled the tubes and tossed the rest of the radio in the trash.

The grey tempest has a nice case except for it needing a polish job. This one plays; but, has a volume control issue. It's loud with the control turned all the way down and louder when it's turned up.

The white tempest has what looks to be a stress crack (probably caused by heat from the rectifier and output tubes) and what looks like a melted streak close to the dial. This is no big deal and I'm not going to lose sleep over it. This one is dead, due to a bad power switch. I jumped the switch and it works. The volume is still loud at minimum setting; but, not as bad as the grey one.

I can't find any date codes anywhere and both radios use grey cased paper-in-oil caps and the resistors are grey in color. If it wasn't for the CD markings on the dial, I'd guess these to be from the late '60's b/c the components look just like what I've seen in most late '60's to early '70's Japanese equipment. OTOH, I've heard that CD marking often remained on cheap imported radios for several more years after the US companies stopped using them. Does anyone have a timeline as to exactly when these radios were made or know how to date them?

Someone has a whole bunch of these on ebay priced at $67 each, which is nuts, IMHO. I ended up giving $10 for the white one and $20 for the grey one, which was probably pushing it. I can remember a time when collectors didn't give these radios a second look and a ten dollar bill would get you several at the swap meets. BTW, I do have the tiny schematic that was pasted to the back of the grey one. I'm surprised it made it this long without falling off.

[Sandy G]

I remember those l'il guys ! My Dad brought me one back from a business trip he went on...It was yellow/white, don't remember if it was a "Tempest", but if it wasn't it was a "Tempest's" double 1st cousin. Picked up the local Angel Modulation station L-O-U-D, but was pretty much deaf otherwise. Don't remember whatever happened to it. My Daddy got it for me, so it was the Bestest Radio in the Whole Wide World on Earth....

[truetone36]

I have a chassis for one of these up on a shelf in the back room.

[radiotvnut]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

I remember those l'il guys ! My Dad brought me one back from a business trip he went on...It was yellow/white, don't remember if it was a "Tempest", but if it wasn't it was a "Tempest's" double 1st cousin. Picked up the local Angel Modulation station L-O-U-D, but was pretty much deaf otherwise. Don't remember whatever happened to it. My Daddy got it for me, so it was the Bestest Radio in the Whole Wide World on Earth....

I'm sure you were a happy camper, as most kids from that era would have been. It's a shame that children today often don't share that type of appreciation. Now, they'd expect a 5.1 surround system for their room. I'm one of those from the later generation; but, I was still very happy with that Radio Shack crystal radio kit that I got for my Birthday around '84. Speaking of that, I need to try and find one of those.

I was shocked that one of mine picked up a 5KW station about 35 miles away. They may be tinny sounding and not very sensitive and selective; but, they are still interesting radios that deserve their place in tube radio history.

[Sandy G]

...Yeah, well, it was a BAD decision on my old man's part...It kinda got me started on the road to Rack 'n' Ruin, yammerin' for MORE & nicer radios, culminating-for awhile at least- w/my jonesing for a Sony CRF-230 Christmas 1969. That kinda did me until 1988 or so, when I strolled into a RatShak & a DX-4400, their El Cheapo Sony IC-2010 clone beckoned. That rekindled the long-dormant Radio Urges, I soon started perusing the literature & kept reading about sumpin' called a R398. I found Rick Mish's ad in the back of Pop Com for R-390A Sales & Service, called him, & about half hour later, I'd made a new friend, & had a Dittmore-Friemuth 1968 contract R-390A on the way. Well, one thing led to another, I didn't want Dittmore-Friemuth to get lonely, so it was soon accompanied by a couple of older brother R-390s, an R-391, a couple of R-392s, an R-389, SP-600, SX-73, HRO-50T1, SX-28, EK-07, RA-17, plus a HOST of their draft-dodging civilian cousins... Dammittall, Daddy, see what you done ?!? (grin)

[fsjonsey]

I have one of these too, but It's labeled stellar (in lower case). It was given away as a radio station promotion and was modified to be fixed to that station's frequency. No matter where you turn the tuning capacitor, it always stays on 1250khz. How exactly would I reverse this modification?

[Reece]

Fixed tune radio: if the tuning cap actually opens and closes, they have the cap disconnected and have other means to tune the oscillator and antenna sections. It would be instructive to trace the wiring and draw it out. Then the modification would show up. Should be easy to reverse the mod.

[radiotvnut]

Here's another one that I just received for the cost of shipping from a friend in CA. It's a pink Juliette "Deluxe" and it does work. The chassis looks just like what's in the other radios.

[wa2ise]

I have one of these:

[jgumphress]

Hey guys,
I am new to the forum but have read it many times. I am looking for information on these little 60's Japan radios. A scan of the schematic would be a great start if anyone could post it please.
Thanks,
Johnny

[bob91343]

You have to open that thing and see if there is still a variable capacitor turned by the knob. If so, you can rewire it to operate in normal fashion.