Show us your vintage pocket transistor radios!

[pelikanu]

Here is another radio from my collection, a russian kit for amateur builders.
It's a nice radio, unfortunately, is a radio with direct amplification which reduces the selectivity and sensitivity. I would have kept the original electrolytic capacitors but they were all dry. All transistors are original germanium, it's just for medium waves.

[AUdubon5425]

Neat. We don't see too many (if any) Eastern European sets over here.

[Sandy G]

I have a Polish Calypso "Diora" model 62015 AM/FM/SW tabletop set. It is a knock-off of the popular German wooden tabletop sets of the 1950-65 era, but the finish is more or less gone on it, & it doesn't perform anywhere near as well as its German cousins. But to be fair, it only has 5 tubes. Interestingly, enuff, it has the American FM band, & is set up for 110, so maybe it was an attempt by the Poles to try to get hard currency. Who knows ? I got it offa You-Know-Where a few years back, I don't think I have very much in it. Sorry to go off-topic, this is sposed t'be about Pocket Transistor Sets...

[shoshone]

Model 6512, BC and SW. Off Craigs, and I also have the case in fair condition, but missing the screw on antenna. But does not work....With a good set of batteries it seems to be dead on the speaker, but using an earphone I can hear the slightest scratching sound while turning the volume up and down. The sound stays at the same weak output regardless of the position. I guess caps won't bring this one to life, or will they?....

[etype2]

I just found a near perfect example of my first childhood transistor radio, a Motorola X 11 from 1959. It was given to me as a gift in that year. I misplaced or lost it.

Here is a link, scroll all the way to bottom of page.

http://www.visions4.net/journal/vintage-micro-radio/

[resabed01]

Here's one I'm particularly fond of. It's a Autovox two band transistor radio. Built in Italy it has the AM band (MW) and a long wave band of 155 to 275Khz.
Portable in the sense it takes 4 AA batteries and has a flip up handle on top. The cool feature of this radio is you can slide it into a docking station and have it in a car (I'm assuming). It has guide rails on both sides and a PCB card edge connector hidden behind a spring door. Not the greatest shape but it's the condition that I got it.

[resabed01]

What a cool website! I've found some place to show off all the junk I've collected...lol... at least my wife thinks it's junk.
Well, I don't really collect this stuff but I do like to latch onto something I find unique or rare.

I picked up this transistor radio at a garage sale. The woman that sold it to me didn't like that I tried to talk her down, she got quite upset. In the end I think I paid something like $10. Its a Juliette Model APR 256a in pristine condition with original packaging, earbud, warranty and instruction card and the cheezy vinyl case with strap. I don't think it's been used. Made in Hong Kong.

To think when I was a kid I would tear several of these things apart to satisfy my curiosities.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by resabed01

What a cool website! I've found some place to show off all the junk I've collected...lol... at least my wife thinks it's junk.
Well, I don't really collect this stuff but I do like to latch onto something I find unique or rare.

I picked up this transistor radio at a garage sale. The woman that sold it to me didn't like that I tried to talk her down, she got quite upset. In the end I think I paid something like $10. Its a Juliette Model APR 256a in pristine condition with original packaging, earbud, warranty and instruction card and the cheezy vinyl case with strap. I don't think it's been used. Made in Hong Kong.

To think when I was a kid I would tear several of these things apart to satisfy my curiosities.

That was probably more than it sold for new.
I read somewhere that they built those radios for less than one US dollar in quantity.

[Charlie]

Wow... that Autovox is a kewl looking radio!! I'm diggin it!

Welcome to VK. Be careful... this site has a very high addiction rate!

[noveltyradio.co]

yay!! glad to see some great looking transistor radios getting snatched up!!

[magnasonic66]

I have two or three of the Magnavox pocket radios in this eBay brochure ad, and here's two shots of the $1.00 RCA Travel Clock Radio. Don't recall if it works, or where it is.

[magnasonic66]

Here's the Panasonic Toot-A-Loop, and a Ball, and a Panasonic mini cassette recorder. And a bad pic of the Westinghouse AM Clock Radio minus the two desk ballpoints that would have come with it.

[mstaton]

Here's my daily driver. It's a Concord Conrad receiver model DF-1. Made in Japan. Kind of a unique radio. has "beacon", "broadcast" and "marine" bands, AGC and sensitivity control. This radio is VERY efficient. Batteries(good ones) can last up t 3 years with daily use. I listen to "Coast to coast AM" every night. Was bought in La Mirada California at a goodwill for $5 in the mid 90's. I do have the missing knob cap in the battery compartment. There is a US patent number on it but does not match anything on the patent website. I'm guessing the late 60's?

[AUdubon5425]

I didn't see "DF-1" in the Sams index, but it looks like they listed Concord transistor radios up through 1974. Looking at it I'd guess late 60's too.

[Opcom]

It's not a pocket radio but it is DC batteries only, so..

This pic is not of mine, but mine is as nice. the P-780 is arguably one of the best sounding AM battery powered portable radios. It is the best sounding one I have ever hears. It'll really fill the room with sound! The tone control affects bass and treble, rather than just a treble cut control.

It's the first high GE set made with the ideas of maximum performance and durability in mind. It uses 6 D cells and has a quite large speaker so it will play at good volume for a month of days (or nights). The large dial can be lit by pushing a button.

I do take it with me at times. It never fails to please or amaze.


All the details of the set can be seen here. The persons that created this site deserve the credit for the picture.
http://www.transistor.org/feature/jutson/details.html