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#16
08-28-2004, 03:38 AM
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I don't know about the "socket for channel" (unless, I am guessing, this is an input for a stereo FM multiplex adapter), but I can tell you what the Channel 200-300 scale on your radio is for. First of all, as has been mentioned by others here, your unit was an export model, since it has 88-108 MHz FM (in most of Europe, the FM band goes only to 100 MHz or so). As to the channel 200-300 scale: The FM broadcast band is divided into 100 channels, each 200 kHz or 0.2 MHz wide, from 88.1 to 107.9 MHz. The FCC (the United States Federal Communications Commission, which regulates all broadcasting and telecommunications here) refers to FM frequencies by the channel numbers, rather than the actual frequencies; for example, here near Cleveland, Ohio, where I live, we have an FM radio station on 105.7 MHz, which would be Channel 289. Another station near Cleveland is on 92.3 MHz, FM channel 222. A station near here is on 107.9 MHz, FM channel 300. Note that the FM channels begin with channel 201, 88.1 MHz--not channel 200 as one might expect. Some of the first U. S. FM radios made in the late '40s-early '50s, after the 88-108 MHz FM band was commissioned for broadcast use here, had channel scales similar to the one on your receiver; this was, I think anyhow, an attempt by the FCC to get Americans accustomed to the idea of referring to FM radio stations by channel numbers, the same as we refer to TV stations today. The idea didn't go over very well, so by about 1951 or thereabouts the 200-300 channel dial disappeared from the dial glass on the fronts of these sets. Today, with most AM/FM radios and stereo systems now having digital tuning which shows the actual frequency in bright numbers right on the dial (no guessing), there is, of course, no need for analog dial scales or channel charts. These radios often allow for split-channel tuning, i. e. tuning between channels of the standard North American FM band. In the U. S. we have FM stations spaced at 0.2MHz (200 KHz) intervals; the number after the decimal point in the frequency is always odd (.1, .3, .5, etc.). However, in Europe, the FM stations' frequencies come in between our 200-KHz channels, so a station, say, in Germany might be on 88.6 MHz. Today's digital FM tuners are designed to take this spilt-channel spacing into account; the digital AM/FM tuner in my Aiwa NSX-A888 bookshelf system does, for example, since these units are also very popular in Japan, where FM stations are assigned frequencies between U. S. channels. The tuners are made to accomodate both standards so they can be used either here in the U. S. or in Europe without modifications. All that is usually necessary to change the channel spacing is a simple front-panel keystroke sequence which resets the system's internal microprocessor (at least that is how one resets the tuning interval on my stereo's tuner); this sequence is ordinarily explained in the instruction manual. Hope this information helps. Kind regards,
__________________
Jeff, WB8NHV Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002 Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten. 
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#17
08-28-2004, 03:55 AM
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Very nice! Yours is the first Blaupunkt Sultan receiver I've seen, and I've been messing around with electronics most of my life. The front panel looks very good, all lit up like yours is, but I wonder about that stain on the speaker grille cloth. Is that simply dirt, or, Heaven forbid, was there a fire inside the set at one time? Just curious. BTW, how is your radio reception where you are? Do you get many U. S. broadcast or FM stations, or is it mostly confined to Bermuda? How about TV? Do you get any of our U. S. networks there, on cable or otherwise? I know you guys have at least two VHF TV stations, one a CBS affiliate, the other NBC, but I'm curious if you get American cable networks like CNN, ESPN, etc. as well (in addition to ABC, The WB, UPN or PBS). Canadian cable television is banned from carrying American TV stations; was wondering if Bermuda's cable systems, if any, are like that too. Kind regards,
__________________
Jeff, WB8NHV Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002 Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten.
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#18
08-28-2004, 05:58 AM
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 As for local radio, unfortunately it does pick them up quite well. So I can listen to de "grass roots" types blathering on on David Lopes' show about how de gummint has to kick out all de bleddy foreigners, etc. etc., or listen to truly horrible "urban contemporary" (read: rap) music on the FM channels. The only bright spot is Peter Lewis on Mix 106 in the morning and the BBC news channel rebroadcast on an AM station 24 hours, but that gets a bit old after a while. The real fun is the SW bands - I'm having a great time listening to them; amazing what goes on in the wild wild west of radio  It's only physical problem seems to be that the tuning dial cord is slipping horribly, so I really have to struggle to tune a station, and getting to the mechanism looks to be a monster job. Built bomb-proof!  (not complaining about that - lovely quality!)Cheers
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#19
08-29-2004, 04:39 AM
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@ Jeffhs Here, in Romania we have FM on 88-108 Mhz (Mc). One of my favourite radios broadcasts on 106.7 Mhz.
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