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  #1  
Old 04-28-2004, 11:45 AM
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Show us your vintage pocket transistor radios!

Decades before the Sony Walkman, shirt or coat pocket transistor radios were a must have for any of us growing up between the mid-1950's to the 70's. Not much larger than a pack of smokes (and some actully smaller than that), these single battery powered sets came in a huge variety of colors and styles. They delivered to us The Beatles, The Mamas & The Pappas, and news such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy with the tinny sound of a little speaker.

Here is a Sony 3F-66W from the late 60's. I found this in a little shop in Ybor City, FL a few years ago. Not a scratch on it, and played perfectly. I think I paid 8 bucks for it. Has the leather case, and the antenna is still there with the little red ball on top. This is a 9V AM/FM.
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:20 AM.
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Old 04-28-2004, 11:47 AM
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Here is the same radio in it's leather case. Still has a crease in the strap.
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:21 AM.
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Old 04-28-2004, 11:54 AM
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This is a 1967 Westinghouse H-902P6-GPA. Man! That's a lot of model number for something so small! This little set is like new, and the only wear is the slot where you put a penny to open the back... and it's really minor wear. This radio wasn't used much either. It's AM and 9V.
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:22 AM.
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Old 04-06-2012, 11:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie View Post
This is a 1967 Westinghouse H-902P6-GPA. Man! That's a lot of model number for something so small! This little set is like new, and the only wear is the slot where you put a penny to open the back... and it's really minor wear. This radio wasn't used much either. It's AM and 9V.
I just got one of these new old stock off the Bay. Mine came with the box, earphone still sealed in plastic and a still sealed but probably dead nine volt battery. The radio is charcoal blue with the fitted leather case. To my surprise it works perfect. I expected the electrolytics to be dried out as they often are in NOS radios of this vintage. The set is made in Taiwan to Westinghouse specifications or so it says on the box. The only trouble I have with it is that the modern nine volt batteries seem to be slightly bigger than the old ones so the battery is a tight fit and it is hard to get the back on. I wish they still made the old red Eveready nine volt batteries that I used as a kid in the Seventies. Those would fit into even the smallest transistor radios.
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Old 04-06-2012, 12:01 PM
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More transistor radios!

I like compucats tv!
Here are a few transistors;
Bulova 840
Channel Master 6213 and 6214
Consol boys radio
Craig Projection Radio
Attached Images
File Type: jpg bulova 840.jpg (109.1 KB, 30 views)
File Type: jpg channel master 6213.jpg (36.4 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg channel master 6214.jpg (39.7 KB, 30 views)
File Type: jpg consul boys radio.jpg (36.1 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg craig projection.jpg (38.2 KB, 24 views)
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  #6  
Old 04-06-2012, 05:54 PM
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1949 Motorola 9VT1
 
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Originally Posted by noveltyradio.co View Post
I like compucats tv!
Here are a few transistors;
Bulova 840
Channel Master 6213 and 6214
Consol boys radio
Craig Projection Radio
Thanks. The TV is a favorite of mine and is in daily service. I can imagine it must have seemed really high tech in 1949.
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Old 04-28-2004, 12:18 PM
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I got this Silvertone 4204 by mistake. I saw an ad in ARC several years back for a red Silvertone 4204 radio for 5 bucks. I thought it was going to be a tube set. Sears obviously used the same model numbers more than once, so i was really surprised when I received this little transistor radio in the mail. It's got a few scratches here and there. Evidently was used quite often. It's AM with a round 9V battery. I put a connector on it for a square battery to see if it worked (which it did), but the square battery won't fit in the case. I believe this set is from the early to mid 60's.
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:24 AM.
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Old 04-28-2004, 12:30 PM
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Solar Power!

This little radio belongs to my 93 year old neighbor. It's a Hoffman model PP-706 "Trans-Solar" AM radio. It uses either a 4.7v mercury battery, or the solor panels on top of the set. She paid $75.00 for it back in the late 50's! That was quite a bit for a transistor radio. Hoffman made several models of transistor sets with solar panels.

The little set works great! On a sunny day, the solar panels give it plenty of juice to pump out the tunes. It will even work under a 60 watt light bulb.
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File Type: jpg DSC02352.JPG (62.8 KB, 64 views)
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:26 AM.
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Old 04-28-2004, 12:36 PM
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Since 4.7v mercury batteries are no longer available, I was able to slightly modify the connectors and use a 4.5 photo-flash battery to operate the set. I wrapped electrical tape around the battery to make it a little fatter so it wouldn't move around inside the compartment. Worked like a charm!
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File Type: jpg DSC02353.JPG (24.2 KB, 74 views)
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:28 AM.
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  #10  
Old 01-04-2009, 01:40 PM
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Well, I hunted my basement, but could not find my RadioShack Realistic Lemon colored Flavoradio to share a pic. Sorry. Anyone out there have (or remember) the lemon, cherry, lime, orange or other flavors that were available in the 70's?
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Old 01-05-2009, 03:37 PM
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ah! Flavoradios: Here is the only two I have:

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  #12  
Old 04-28-2004, 12:49 PM
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Wow I didn't know they even had solar cells in the 50's! That's got to be one of the niftiest little radios I think I've ever seen.
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Old 04-28-2004, 01:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by JimiJohnB
Wow I didn't know they even had solar cells in the 50's! That's got to be one of the niftiest little radios I think I've ever seen.
When my neighbor first told me about her little radio, i thought she was mistaken telling me she had a solar powered set she bought in 1958! After seeing it, I was amazed!

I'm not at all surprised that she bought this radio. Even at her age, she's one to like the latest in technology. Buying a solar powered set in 1958 would certainly be high-tech!
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Old 08-25-2006, 08:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie
When my neighbor first told me about her little radio, i thought she was mistaken telling me she had a solar powered set she bought in 1958! After seeing it, I was amazed!

I'm not at all surprised that she bought this radio. Even at her age, she's one to like the latest in technology. Buying a solar powered set in 1958 would certainly be high-tech!

That was also a VERY expensive toy in its day. I just used an on-line inflation calculator - $75 in 1958 = $491 in 2005 dollars. But obviously very high build quality, since it still works 48 years later
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  #15  
Old 04-28-2004, 02:23 PM
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Although not the most attractive, this Kensington 8 transistor set plays pretty good. I can't find a model number on it, but I'd guess it to be late 1960's. I've also got the little clear plastic carrying case that came with it.
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Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:31 AM.
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