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  #1  
Old 09-04-2016, 09:12 AM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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my new GE transistor radio

I am from the tube audio forum but just got a new toy. Do not have it yet.
A GE transistor radio. real good shape, clean and works.
Not much of a looker. Has a lthr case, yuk.
Dont know vintage yet but will find out sometime.
Good price on the bay I think and it was in SF bay area where I am, San Jose.
Here is a pic for you to see it and comment if you wish.
I would like to know what the experts think.
How did I do for a 1st time out of the chute?
Cheers.

PS: do I need to do any refurb, caps and such?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg GE transistor radio.jpg (68.4 KB, 57 views)

Last edited by Electronic M; 09-08-2016 at 06:16 PM. Reason: tweak title
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  #2  
Old 09-04-2016, 01:29 PM
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jr_tech jr_tech is offline
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Yep, I have a whole box full of these ugly little "leather" cases stored away in case I want to sell any radio "complete, with accessories".

Im guessing mid 70s... I have 3 of these little GE radios from this era, and they are really cute to display. They are made from a mix of US and offshore parts, perhaps assembled in the US, I don't know.

To achieve the compact size, GE used a very strange speaker which is a "moving vane" rather than a "moving coil" design. There is no output transformer, as the fixed position coil on the speaker is center tapped, to accommodate the two push-pull output transistors. The speaker also does not use a large permanent magnet either, which also saves space. Now the bad news... this innovative, compact design sounds very "tinny", and I rarely play any of mine.

Certainly, it wont hurt to replace the electrolytic capacitors, particularly if the radio squeals or has considerable audio distortion.

I got most of mine at garage sales, perhaps 10 to 20 years ago, usually under 5 bucks, but suspect that the value has increased somewhat.

jr
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  #3  
Old 09-04-2016, 02:00 PM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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thanks jr tech.
bad news on spkr.
guess thats the price for being a xistr radio novice.
hopefully next time I'll know better.


edit PS: has anyone come up with a ''fix'' for the moving vane spkr?

Last edited by ferninando; 09-04-2016 at 03:51 PM.
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  #4  
Old 09-04-2016, 08:56 PM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jr_tech View Post
Yep, I have a whole box full of these ugly little "leather" cases stored away in case I want to sell any radio "complete, with accessories".

Im guessing mid 70s... I have 3 of these little GE radios from this era, and they are really cute to display. They are made from a mix of US and offshore parts, perhaps assembled in the US, I don't know.

To achieve the compact size, GE used a very strange speaker which is a "moving vane" rather than a "moving coil" design. There is no output transformer, as the fixed position coil on the speaker is center tapped, to accommodate the two push-pull output transistors. The speaker also does not use a large permanent magnet either, which also saves space. Now the bad news... this innovative, compact design sounds very "tinny", and I rarely play any of mine.

Certainly, it wont hurt to replace the electrolytic capacitors, particularly if the radio squeals or has considerable audio distortion.

I got most of mine at garage sales, perhaps 10 to 20 years ago, usually under 5 bucks, but suspect that the value has increased somewhat.

jr
I would have to see the inside of that radio. I think the radio was made after the era of the "moving vane" type speaker.
I've seen GE radios using that setup, but they seemed to be 1960's design. Motorola had a model of that design, as well.
The later 60's and into the 70's, most manufacturers were going into the OTL design, using a complimentary output stage, using an odd speaker impedence and capacitor coupled.
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Old 09-05-2016, 02:49 AM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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when it gets here in about a week the 1st thing I am gonna do
is open it up and have a looksee and report back here.
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  #6  
Old 09-05-2016, 07:55 AM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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GE ''vane'' speaker?

here is a pic of the back of the GE 8 transistor radio I bought.
Does that square thing in the center look like the ;;vane'' speaker?
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File Type: jpg GE ''vane'' speaker.jpg (91.7 KB, 58 views)
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  #7  
Old 09-05-2016, 08:36 AM
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Ed in Tx Ed in Tx is offline
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Here's a side view of one of those, in a larger early '60s vintage GE portable radio I have. Actually sounds pretty good, being in a larger cabinet.
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File Type: jpg geradio-spkr.jpg (33.0 KB, 55 views)
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  #8  
Old 09-05-2016, 10:02 AM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ferninando View Post
here is a pic of the back of the GE 8 transistor radio I bought.
Does that square thing in the center look like the ;;vane'' speaker?
That's it, alright. I didn't think, the radio was that old but in perfect condition. The Texas Instrument transistors have a code date from 1965.
Two penlite cells is a lot better than using a nine volt battery.
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Old 09-05-2016, 10:09 AM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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OK then. thanks to you both.
will see how it sounds.
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  #10  
Old 09-05-2016, 10:21 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dieseljeep View Post
...
Two penlite cells is a lot better than using a nine volt battery.
Kinda forgotten the term "penlight cell". Mine uses a big #266 9V battery. Not a cheap battery even in 1961 when I got this radio for my 10th birthday. I think the radio cost 8 books of Plaid Stamps. (A&P grocery stores used to give out Plaid Stamps.) I have an old 266 that I hollowed out to put a conventional 9V battery inside.
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  #11  
Old 09-05-2016, 10:49 AM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed in Tx View Post
Kinda forgotten the term "penlight cell". Mine uses a big #266 9V battery. Not a cheap battery even in 1961 when I got this radio for my 10th birthday. I think the radio cost 8 books of Plaid Stamps. (A&P grocery stores used to give out Plaid Stamps.) I have an old 266 that I hollowed out to put a conventional 9V battery inside.
I should've used the term, "are a lot better".
The last of the #266 batteries used two 216/006P batteries in parallel.
I don't remember any batteries being really "cheap", with the exception of flashlite batteries. Even the better quality import batteries, Maxcell etc, were pricey.
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  #12  
Old 09-05-2016, 11:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ferninando View Post
here is a pic of the back of the GE 8 transistor radio I bought.
Does that square thing in the center look like the ;;vane'' speaker?
For sure that is one!

Last night, for grins I did a side by side comparision of the sound from a tiny GE P1711C and a similar sized Sony TR-63 (which has a PM speaker), and, indeed the Sony had more lower end and sounded better, but the difference was not huge. Both radios had that tinny early pocket transistor radio sound but the Sony really sounded better on musical programs, while the GE was somewhat more clear on sports programs.

Dieseljeep... how do you read the date code of the TI transistors? I have several radios that could be dated by this method.

Attached is a photo of one of my GE sets... the "pushrod" from the vane is soldered to an eyelet in the center of the speaker. one coil can be seen above the driver transformer and there is another coil on the other side.

jr
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File Type: jpg image.jpg (142.6 KB, 53 views)

Last edited by jr_tech; 09-05-2016 at 11:50 AM. Reason: correction
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  #13  
Old 09-05-2016, 01:09 PM
ferninando ferninando is offline
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maybe better getting late 60s/-70s radioes
to be sure of getting a real speaker.
gotta keep looking .
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  #14  
Old 09-05-2016, 08:27 PM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jr_tech View Post
For sure that is one!

Last night, for grins I did a side by side comparision of the sound from a tiny GE P1711C and a similar sized Sony TR-63 (which has a PM speaker), and, indeed the Sony had more lower end and sounded better, but the difference was not huge. Both radios had that tinny early pocket transistor radio sound but the Sony really sounded better on musical programs, while the GE was somewhat more clear on sports programs.

Dieseljeep... how do you read the date code of the TI transistors? I have several radios that could be dated by this method.

Attached is a photo of one of my GE sets... the "pushrod" from the vane is soldered to an eyelet in the center of the speaker. one coil can be seen above the driver transformer and there is another coil on the other side.

jr
The TI transistors have a 514 or a 510 stamped under the GE part numbers. Also, the style of the transistor case, which is 60's issue. They seem to be Germanium types. Not always true on some of the import parts. They coded their components differently.
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  #15  
Old 09-06-2016, 02:31 PM
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Yer so vane....ewe prolly think this song is about ewe....
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