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#1
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:20 AM. |
#2
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:21 AM. |
#3
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:22 AM. |
#4
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Quote:
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Just look at those channels whiz on by. - Fred Sanford |
#5
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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 |
Audiokarma |
#6
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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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Just look at those channels whiz on by. - Fred Sanford |
#7
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:24 AM. |
#8
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:26 AM. |
#9
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:28 AM. |
#10
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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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Audiokarma |
#11
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ah! Flavoradios: Here is the only two I have:
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#12
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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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#13
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. |
#14
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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
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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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Charlie Trahan He who dies with the most toys still dies. Last edited by Charlie; 05-02-2010 at 07:31 AM. |
Audiokarma |
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