1945-1959 Post War Tube Radios
Page 4
1950's Color Radios
America wanted more than a black or white plastic table radio. The decade of the 1950's ushered in the color radio. Most were transformerless (AC/DC) " American Five "Tube radios. Clock radios were popular for the bedroom. Some radios had features like the a built in kitchen timer in Crosley Music Chef. Some clock radios had a calender giving day and month. The 1950's was also called the "Atomic Age" with radical styling.
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COLOR RADIOS
RCA 1X50 series (1954) RCA Victor Camden, NJ51=Dk Brwn 52= Ivory 53=Grn 54= Tan 55= Blue 56= Red 57= White
RC 1104. Unlike most table radios, this one has a special preformed chassis that completely mounts to the front of the radio cabinet. Similar to a unitized body chassis of an automobile.
Westinghouse H397T5Each part of the set is stacked on top of another!
Crosley 11-102U
Front view of chassis showing how the "bullseye" pointer and dial is laid out.
BELOW: Tube glow with back cover on.
PHILCO 53-702 Dial Light. Standard Broadcast on top and Special Services (Long Wave) on bottom.
RCA 8-C-5 Clock Radio (1958 / PRICE $34.95). RCA Victor Camden, NJ. AA5 Basic Clock Radio. Wake up to music only. Uses printed circuit (wire) board.
COLOR CLOCK RADIOS
Westinghouse H397T5 Vertical Standing Clock radio. Standard AA5 radio.
Comes in many colors. Pink and maroon as shown here. Also seen them in grey, blue, black and white
INTERESTING COLOR RADIOS from ARVIN
Noblitt Sparks Industries, Columbus OH)
Arvin 956T1 (1955) TWIN SPEAKER has nice tone register level in center with conventional AA5 design.
1950's COMPACT MIDGET RADIOS
Superheterodyne with AVC12SA7, 12SQ7, 50L6GT and 35Z5GT (early versions)12BE6 or 12BA7(rare), 12AT6/12AV6, 50B5/50C5 and 35W4Superheterodyne with no AVC12AU6, 12AT6/12AV6, 50B5/50C5 and 35W4
Tele-tone 196 or 197U updated (circa 1949-50). Four tube Superhetrodyne Compact Radio. (Tele-tone Radio Corp, New York)
Here a beautiful jade marble radio with a unique design. The electronic design of this radio was used by Tele-tone year after year first with a 12SA7 octal converter tube to the 12BE6 miniature version. Because of the lack of an IF tube like the 12BA6, the radio was not very sensitive. Tele-tone decided to replace the 12BE6 converter tube with a higher performing 12BA7 (usually used for FM sets). It was a cost saving move, as less parts were needed, better performance was obtained but still lack sensitivity. Radio weighs just over 2 pounds. Dimensions 8.5"WX5.5"HX3.5"D.
Postwar European Radios
1958 Grundig 97: "West" German (The COLD WAR ERA) made multiband ( AM/FM/SW ) radio for US export
Tubes L-R: EM84 (Front upside down), EL84, EABC80, EF89, ECH81 and ECC85
Ferguson 384U (1959) Transformerless or Universal Multiband Radio. Made by Thorn Electrical Industries LTD Middlesex- London, UK
Runs on 200 to 250 VAC. Unlike the Grundig above, this set uses series connected filaments plus dropping resistor to add up to 240 VAC. Features VHF band (UK version of FM 88-101 MHz), longwave and medium wave (UK version of Standard Broadcast Band 188-545 meters). Interesting setup, featuring VHF in megacycles but long and medium wave in wavelength nor meters.
RIGHT PHOTOS
Front Panel (Above RIGHT) Showing Magic Eye and Dialight
Top of Chassis >>>>>>>>
Back Side >>>>>>>>>SW and FM Antenna, Phono and EXT Speaker
The Ferguson looks similar to the Grundig. I assume this was a popular style in Europe during this time period.
Made in Great Britain! The body and dot resistor on the right is the filament voltage drop resistor. The Black post is the main or line voltage selector 200-220 VAC or 230-250 VAC.
<<<< Chassis top layout:
Universal tubes used are:
UCC85 (26AQ8) FM RF/OSC, UCH81 (19D8) MIX/OSC, UF89 (12DA6) IF AMP, UM80 (19BR5) Sig Indicator, UABC80 (28AK8), Det/AMP and UL84 (45B5) Audio Amp.
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