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  #31  
Old 04-17-2004, 07:20 AM
millerdog
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Back when I had cash flow, I liked to collect the radios that I grew up with: Panasonics toot a loop, the ball and chain radio and early Sonys.
I think collecting transistor radios can be just as fun as collecting them catalin and tube puppies.
I often listen to local sports on the radio before watching it on TV. There's just some kind of romance about hearing it coming over the airways and not piped in via cable.
Perhaps it goes back to when I made a crystal radio and couldn't believe what I was hearing sans batteries.
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  #32  
Old 04-17-2004, 08:51 AM
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Celt Celt is offline
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Paula wrote: "Dammit, if something is called a 'ruby', it should be red!"

Did you know that if a *ruby* is anything other than a true red (if it's pink or faint in color), that it is considered to be sapphire?

When our radio station signed on in '71, we handed out thousands of free promotional Sony FM radios that were little avocado colored cubes. Pressing on a bar would switch on the radio and there was a seperate volume control. Of course, they had soldered in crystals that locked them to our station. They also sported round "Hitparade '71" stickers on their sides. Wish I had one of those things!
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Last edited by CELT; 04-17-2004 at 08:55 AM.
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  #33  
Old 04-18-2004, 07:19 AM
millerdog
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Celt,
I wonder how much one of them radios would fetch on Epay today!
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  #34  
Old 04-19-2004, 05:29 PM
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Paula Paula is offline
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Re: On Transistor Radios

Quote:
Originally posted by radiolee
...the rewriting of history by large corporations is rampant in the history of the portable radio, to the point that the CEO of Sony at one point went on TV claiming that Sony produced the first transistor radio, when in fact it was the Regency company and the TR-1.
Hi Lee,

Thanks for the story.

Paula

Last edited by Paula; 10-28-2004 at 09:38 AM.
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  #35  
Old 04-19-2004, 05:50 PM
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kby kby is offline
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Memories...

Quote:
Originally posted by millerdog
Back when I had cash flow, I liked to collect the radios that I grew up with: Panasonics toot a loop, the ball and chain radio..
Ah, the Panasonic ball & chain. Probably still have a red one and a white one, but it's at my dad's house.-kby
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  #36  
Old 04-20-2004, 05:38 AM
millerdog
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them ball and chain radios are worth some bucks to collectors. If I had the cash I would buy one just for fun!
I think it's way cool to listen to the radios we grew up with. I mean, that's why we like music now, right?
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  #37  
Old 04-28-2004, 06:01 PM
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Paula-

Too bad you missed my auction on this book-
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Last edited by Charlie; 03-26-2006 at 02:50 PM.
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  #38  
Old 04-28-2004, 09:12 PM
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Re: Update: The Ruby has landed!

mine had all the lytics open and replacement cured it.
btw are you coming to hamvention?
Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
It was only Tuesday that I won the auction for the Standard Micronic Ruby, and quite unexpectedly, it arrived today! Hoorayyy!

There's good news and bad news

First of all, it's much smaller than I'd imagined. It's one thing to read the dimensions on a computer screen, and quite another to hold the thing in one's hand. It's tiny! The exterior of the radio is indeed mint. This thing has obviously spent the last forty years or so just sitting in a box on a shelf. There is no wear whatsoever -- only those incidental microscratches that would result from infrequent, but careful handling.

So much for the good news.

On removing the battery compartment cover, though it would not be readily apparent to the casual observer, there was very clear evidence of battery leakage -- greenish-blue deposits on the battery contacts, and some of the adjacent areas -- the most serious encrustation being on the on/off/volume control, which is right next to the negative battery contact. (Yikes, this thing is even tinier on the inside!)

With a battery of tools that included tweezers, magnifying glass, several small screwdrivers, an x-acto knife, scotchbrite pads, cotton swabs, a 7/64" nutdriver, a 5/32" open-end wrench, and a can of compressed air, I proceeded to disasemble the Ruby, and clean away most of the visible encrustation. The contacts of the on/off switch were the most seriously corroded, and I stopped short of making an all-out effort to get them cleaned up. I first wanted to determine if the radio worked at all.

The seller claimed that he did not know whether it worked or not, as he did not have batteries to test it with. An easy enough dodge, but since the particular batteries that this radio takes are no longer in production, and he knew virtually nothing about radios to begin with, I wouldn't say he was being deceptive.

So anyway, I connected some clip leads from a 3-volt DC power supply to the battery contacts, and switched it on --- nothing. So I then attached one of the clip leads to a tiny awl (sort of a really small ice pick) and touched it to the battery side contact of the switch --- still nothing. When I touched it to the downstream contact, I finally did get a response from the 1-1/2" dia. speaker -- a faint, mellow static, with a nearly unnoticeable hum. Rotating the tuning knob through the limits of its travel had no audible effect. Drat!

My first guess, since the radio has obviously had very little actual use, is that one or more of the electrolytics have died of old age. Quite unbelievably, the owners manual includes a fully notated schematic. And even more unbelievably, it's printed in the space of about half a business card! Nevertheless, the print is high resolution, and by scanning at 1200 dpi, I was able to print out a quite easily readable copy on 8-1/2 x 11" paper.

At this point, I don't know if I will pursue trying to get the radio to play or not. I certainly did not purchase it for regular usage, although it would be nice to be able to say to amazed on-lookers, "Of course it works!" At the same time, quarters are very cramped inside this little receiver, and though there is no annoying tide pool of paraffin on the pc board to contend with, it would require some very delicate and tedious work. I'm considering whether or not it wouldn't be more advisable to just leave it completely original, working or not, rather than go mucking about the innards with a soldering iron. Maybe I can locate someone who is more adept with these kinds of repairs.

Anyhow, I'm still quite pleased with this little gem. The overall level of quality and workmanship is surprisingly high, easily exceeding my expectations in that regard.

More to come

Paula
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  #39  
Old 04-30-2004, 12:24 AM
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Paula Paula is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by radiolee
Too bad you missed my auction on this book-
You're right, Lee, I probably could have used it

I did, however, take your advice and pick up a copy of The Portable Radio In American Life by Michael Brian Schiffer. It just arrived on Tuesday, and I'm already a third of the way thru it -- really fascinating!

Paula
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  #40  
Old 04-30-2004, 12:45 AM
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Paula Paula is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by kc8adu
mine had all the lytics open and replacement cured it.
I'm going to see if I can find a parts radio with a servicable PC board.

Paula
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Last edited by Charlie; 03-26-2006 at 02:56 PM.
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  #41  
Old 05-02-2004, 10:49 PM
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kc8adu kc8adu is offline
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Talking

cool.a gal thats not afraid of a soldering iron
hamvention is in dayton may 15-17 .
and modern lytics will fit no problem.
i bought a bunch of ultra subminis from the thompson club at the last indy hamfest.
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  #42  
Old 05-02-2004, 11:13 PM
lynnm
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"(BTW: Nothing smells worse than a selenium rectifier going bad!)"

Yeah ??

Try a 20 foot high stack of pea straw fermenting in the July sun. Trust me the rectifier is a mere fart in comparison. They both share the same basic odor but that pile of pea straw is the olfactory equivalent of 300,000 beer farts being released simultaneously.

I have smelled both and trust me ... The pea Straw wins by a mile ( Yes you can smell it that far away. )
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  #43  
Old 05-03-2004, 10:53 AM
andy andy is offline
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---

Last edited by andy; 12-07-2021 at 04:17 PM.
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  #44  
Old 05-04-2004, 12:05 AM
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Paula Paula is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by kc8adu
...I bought a bunch of ultra subminis from the Thompson club at the last Indy hamfest.
Thanks, kc8adu! Do you know how to get in touch with them?

Paula
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  #45  
Old 05-04-2004, 12:07 AM
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Paula Paula is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by andy
One trick I've used on battery contacts was ordinary vinegar. It eats away battery corrosion down to bare metal. Battery "acid" is actually a base, so you need to use a mild acid on it. You might try rubbing it on the board to try to remove the corrosion.
Thanks for the tip, Andy! I will give it a try...

Paula
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