Home Motorola 5A5 portable radioRadios and related old Electronics

Some radios and miscellaneous old electronics from my collection of interesting stuff,
in roughly chronological order within categories

Interesting set of letters from EH Scott (dated 1940)

American Bosh Magneto Co model 28 advert - radio is in my collection, not pictured her

Radios

Click here or on image for more photos of this radio

Motorola model 5A5 portable radio, 6X5X5 inches, front flips up to turn on the radio and reveal the controls.  5 tubes (4 plus rectifier) (tubes are 1R5, 3S4, 1S5,
1T4)

RCA television, 8TS30.  The "8" means 1948, "TS" for Tabletop Set, and "30" is the number of tubes, including the kinescope, which is a ten inch round 10BP4 with an ion trap, or a 10FP4 with an aluminized phosphor that doesn't need an ion trap.  I'm not sure which CRT these shipped with.  I'd guess the 10BP4.  I'm not even sure which mine has -- it's been a while since I've had it opened up. 
   They're nice little sets, and, are pretty much the start of true commercial television receiver production in the United States. 

 

Zeneith Transistor radio in snap type plastic case

There is a screw on the back of the case that allows you to open it up and replace the batteries.

Zeneith Radio - S56957, chassis 5K05, AA5, miniature tubes

RCA clock radio - RHS33A, AA5 miniature tubes

Silvertone Radio - A23884, tubes of course, AA5 configuration

RCA 2C515 clock radio - cool design - this one is missing the volume knob, otherwise nice condition.

early loud speaker - don't know the brand name - grill cloth is obviously not original.  Wooden frame, black and gold pot metal base and back.  there is a transformer in the base visible through a clear plastic window.  I doubt that the plastic or the self stick bright green felt on the base is original.  Acquired in the '70s

 

Test Equipment

RCA Oscilloscope -

two type 80 rectifiers, an amplifier and a gas triode sweep generator make up the tube complement (plus the CRT) - works, of course if all you want is a low freq trace

 

this is an old capacitance bridge that I have in my collection - it looks to be hand built but it is well done.  click on the images for a larger view.  The paper in the top is a hand drawn schematic.  Labels are typewritten on paper and glued on.  The front panel is bakelite.  The graduations on the large dial are all done by hand.  This is a nice and interesting piece of early test equipment.

 

Setchel Carlson Model 55B PA amplifier - this is absolutely unrestored.  I've had it for a long time, it worked when I first got it, but now, in the interest of safety I choose not to plug it in.  It may work, but I see no reason to put the old capacitors at risk by trying it out.  Click on the images to see them full size.  Notice the Raytheon brand shouldered tubes, and the speaker connectors (male connectors are visible on top of the cabinet in the bottom image) - I sold this thing on ebay to make room for other stuff, it didn't bring much money (under $20) even though it is such a cool old amplifier - but I needed the space more than I needed it.

This is a FoxBoRo model PC-84 frequency standard , serial number 25482, it operates on 117VAC 50-400 Hz or from an internal 12VDC Ni-Cad (that would go in the clips in the center of the lower image).  It's a really cool piece of early transistorized test equipment.  The label on the outer case refers to it as a "digital frequency standard", perhaps because it has a precision oscillator that it counts down to make the various frequencies.  It is from an aerospace lab. (and I sold it, just keeping the photo here to amuse you)

Model FCB-10, serial numbers 114616 and ??8, made in Japan for Fannon Electronic Industries, Newark NJ.  Controls on the side are volume, push to talk, on/off and an external battery connector.  Antenna extends 48 inches.  Case is aluminum (cast, with sheet metal back) covered in glued on leatherette.  Removable battery door on bottom is chromed.  ( 9 transistor, CB band, I believe, 7 inches high).  I got rid of these to make space

Walkie-talkie, two transistor, plastic case with aluminum speaker grill.  Push to talk switch and on/off switch only.  No date or other markings.  Uses 9V battery.  also disposed of to make space

Last Updated 07/14/2021