Vintage Multiband Receivers, Transmitters and Transceivers

for Amateur Radio and Telephone Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS to LINKS

Page 1- Vintage Multiband Receivers: (see below)

Page 2- Vintage Transmitters and Transceivers: TRANSMITTERS/TRANSCEIVERS

Page 3- Electromechanical Tranceivers (Telephones etc): TELEPHONES ETC....


Page 1

Multiband (including) Communication Receivers

These represents the higher quality radios that demand the best engineering designs. These radios receive Standard Broadcast 535-1710 KHz (depending on what country), General Shortwave Band (2-18 MHz), Communication Band (10, 15, 25, 40 and 80 meter) in CW and SSB, and may have FM, Citizen Band, VHF (2 meter) and others . These radios usually have a circuit scheme to decode or receive transmissions not practical with general coverage multiband radios. Controls like BFO, Crystal Filtering, Band Spread, Wide or Narrow Band selection, Phase Detection etc are part of these radios. These generally represent the most expensive of all radios $200 and up in 2010 dollars. In general, the more you pay the better the quality due to the radio's ability to lock in on signals and accurately reproduce it with optional enhancements to make listening easier.


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SOLID STATE Receivers

PORTABLES

SONY ICF-2010 (1980-2003) $395


PLL Synthesize Receiver with Synchronous DetectionThis portable was considered by many SONY's best. This receiver took away the standard of long tradition of the Zenith Trans Oceanic Receivers. Can be used as a general coverage or communication receiver. The production run ran from 1980-2003. Highly collectible portable that still demands a high price.

Sony ICF-7600A (1984-1988) $175


The ICF-7600 series spans about 30 years. Going from an analog to digital general coverage portable. A very compact and slim receiver. The ICF-7600A was Sony's best analog version of this series. Features dual conversion IF and bandspread tuning on SW bands. Unlike the Sony flagship ICF-2001 and 2010, this radio cannot receive SSB signals and lacks a wide band and narrow band filter for AM and SSB reception, making it more of a shortwave radio rather than a communications receiver.
ABOVE: Front panel side of components. WARNING: Sony glued the speaker to the front panel to provide some baffle. If you need to clean the switch contacts this can be a problem: BELOW: Back panel side of circuit board.

Zenth D7000Y Trans Oceanic (1973-1979) $ 300


Considered by many the best Zenith Trans Oceanic and probably the best portable with analog tuning at that time. Zenith added wide and narrow band filtering for AM / SSB reception, tuning/battery meter and VHF band.
With Cover On

BOTH A TABLE AND PORTABLE

Kenwood QR-666 (1975). Analog Tuning Communication Receiver


Kenwood made many communication receivers. This model features built in telescope antenna or can use external, battery or AC power, 500 Khz marker generator for calibration, mechanical and ceramic filters for selectivity and FET front end for increased sensitivity. This model represents the peak and the beginning of the end of analog tune communication receivers.
Underneath showing one of the three circuit boards and thebattery holder. Uses 6 D cells for portable operation.
ABOVE: Top view of chassis. BELOW: Underneath chassis
Backside of the receiver showing telescope antenna, externalantenna. Has connector for 13.8V car operation. Has accessfor alignment of RF section.
Front panel lit for evening use

Vacuum Tube Receivers

Hallicrafters SX-110 (1959-1961) $159.50 (1959) with R47 Speaker


The SX receivers have crystal IF filtering for improve selectivity in receiving SSB and crowded radio bands. An easy to use radio and fun to operate. Still uses octal based tubes when miniature tubes were the standard. Also SX receivers don't come with a built in speaker.
Night View
Inside (uses pre WW2 metal tubes)

Heathkit GR-54 (1966-72)


Heathkit's last tube receiver. 6 Tubes and solid state transformer power supply and has product detector for SSB reception. Has feature that allows you to practice Morse Code with a telegraph key connection on the back. Is a single conversion receiver but uses a higher IF frequency. Overall a nice looking with a neat electronic components layout. Sad part, with all the nice things Heathkit put in, they made a terrible cost saving decision to simplify the standard broadcast band oscillator alignment resulting in inaccurate tuning at the band ends.
Cabinet Views
Circuit Board View

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