For years, I've been looking for a transistor radio I owned as a kid in the '70s. It turned up on Big Bang Theory on a shelf in Howard's room and is pictured here:



Does anyone recognize the make and model?

It has a world map in the middle of the face behind the dials and picked up AM, FM and (I think) shortwave. The sides and top are fake leather.

That basic style was common in the '70's; AM/FM/SW/PB, with a number of different nameplates and fascia. I've seen them -with the graphics you want- on eBay from time to time, in the Electronics/radios, and Collectables/Transistor Radios listings.

Keep an eye there and you should be able to bag one for cheap, eventually.

I have an early-70's Aircastle that looks very similar, if not identical.

Brett

I had one with a General Electric nameplate that was very similar, except for the world graphics. Picked it up at the San Fernando swap meet sometime in the early '70's, for a buck or two. Dunno what ever became of it, lol.

Near as I can determine, there was an OEM manufacturer in Japan that made these types of radios for various outlets. Aircastle/Spiegel, Wards, etc. Mine is a "higher" version of the radio shown here. I think there is one like this on eBay right now, something like 6 bands. It's pretty nicely made, very typical early-70's Japanese manufacturing techniques. Mine is a mediocre performer but has decent selectivity and sound quality.

It's a nightmare to service - just getting it apart is a challenge. Mine also has a blown power transformer and only works on batteries at this point. I would like to find a replacement but 10.5V CT transformers are not exactly growing on trees. It would be easy enough to just make a completely new power supply with 5 v transformer and a 7806 regulator chip, but it's very low on my list of priorities.

Brett

As long as the 'Lytics are all rated at 12 volts or better, I would just use a 12 volt CT xfmr.

All Electronics has them.

Thanks for all the help. I think I've found the radio I had -- a Sonnet 181P. The ones I've seen for sale so far have busted antennas or knobs and are priced for around $30 to $40. It seems like I can get one cheaper if I'm not in a hurry.

Bent antennas are common, but fortunately, so are replacements. Skip any sets missing knobs though, as those are a bit tougher to locate.

Personally, I don't feel that set, in VG condition, should go for more than a double sawbuck ($20) max.

A link I found to one that apparently sold for 8.95
http://www.etsy.com/listing/36064545/so ... radio-181p
Or this one from right here in our own forums:
viewtopic.php?p=1374644

Here's one for $10. Antenna looks good. Made by 'Browni'.
http://frederick.craigslist.org/ele/2934134756.html


~ Mitch ~

I believe I have one of these, and we have had it on fleabay but not for a few weeks.

I got it early this year at the Goodwill Outlet (?) store where they just dump stuff in big rolling bins and you dig through it, then pay by the pound.

It's all intact, knobs and strap and all, all I had to clean up was dust; replaced the chrome strap rings and/or clips which had rusted; may have had to repair a battery or antenna wire but there was nothing complicated. Didn't touch caps or anything. Checked all bands and all work

I don't have a photo with me (it's at my parents' home in Iowa) but as I recall:

Gran Prix brand, made in Hong Kong
brown fake alligator exterior with shoulder strap of same material
early transistor set, uses a circuit board with an early point to point style construction
5 bands, AM FM Police Weather Fire?
The last three bands are really just 3 segments of one band, weather is one frequency
Has a world map but no shortwave (marketing!)
Retractable antenna on the side, ear jack.

rcade or anyone interested in it, PM me and I can put it up in classifieds.

As a BBT nut (with my 16-year-old daughter) I have kept an eye out for this; it also turned up in one of the polar expedition episodes.

Guess the props department thinks it looks like a piece of test gear. Does look pretty geeky, anyway.

Howard has good taste, at least in colorful 60s era Asian radios (not in clothing).

I remember my Gran having one of those, i used it many times as a child, from memory it wasnt a bad radio, i believe it was battery/mains.
I think it was multi band in the uk it had fm/mw/lw/sw, i have no clue of the brand, its been a few years it escapes me but i believe it was made in Hong Kong.
does this sound feasible ?

Hong Kong is on the mark - and so is battery and mains, that's what mine has.

In Europe, SW and LW would make some sense, though the one I have doesn't have those.

On closer inspection I see that the one in rcade's photo of Howard, which matches the Sonnet he found, splits AM into two bands, adding the "Sports" segment for the higher frequencies. So the dial shows 6 bands, though it's really 3. Mine (Gran Prix) doesn't divide AM.

I

Slightly O/T but when did things stop being labeled made in Hong Kong.?

I have that set somewhere with a destroyed dial face plate.The radio still plays fine.

Not sure.... But in the late 1970's Superadios were made there, and they're labelled as such.