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grid-leak
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 721
Location: Niantic, CT , USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 3:13 am |
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| ton10291 wrote: | | Alan Douglas wrote: | | "And everyone knows what an Operadio model 2 looks like. |
Crap!
I was just about to run down to the radio room and take a picture of mine!
Too common huh?  |
Go ahead and post it anyway.
This thread needs more pictures....... |
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Alan Douglas
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 14982
Location: Pocasset, Cape Cod, MA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 3:15 am |
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That's his version of an Aeriola Senior, probably 1922. I love homebrew sets with stories, like that.
| Quote: | | very impressive.for those of us who are just on the edge of this hobby and looking in can you tell us/me who would of owned something like that and what the quality of reception would have been?--for example a Dr in NY who could pick up music from Boston or a ranch out west that could pick up news from the west coast. |
Portable sets were gimmicks, toys for those who had the money, to be taken on camping trips or to the cottage. I've never quite figured why most of the makers were in Chicago, but they were.
Here's my Operadio 2, 1923. No harm having other photos of the same model if you feel inclined. The front and top cover unfolds to become the loop antenna, pretty ingenious.
And finally the 1916 (I remembered it wrong) American Marconi receiver, sold by Sears, Roebuck. There was a companion spark transmitter in the catalog. It was described as a "U.S. Army field set" but I suppose the Army didn't want them, so Marconi peddled them to Sears. "Specially recommended for military organizations, Boy Scouts, schools, camps, etc."
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radious
Member
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
Posts: 101
Location: Washington
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 4:10 am |
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Automatic Radio had a long line of Tom Thumb models, here's an early one.
Bob |
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grid-leak
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 721
Location: Niantic, CT , USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 4:14 am |
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Alan , That Operadio 2 is a work of art.
As you may know I am looking for one also , yours just makes me want to search harder..
Radious..That's what I'm talking about..beautiful !
I have an unusual (Obscure portable.)
It resembles a Kemper portable (same cabinet), but is built more like Ron's portable.
I'll post a picture tomorrow. |
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Norm Leal
Moderator
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 22373
Location: Livermore, CA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 4:19 am |
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Surprised no one posted a RCA AR-812. It was supposed to be portable if you had a good arm.
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Norm |
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Dale Davenport
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 2811
Location: Fort Smith Arkansas USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 5:23 am |
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Has anyone else noticed?
It's like somewhere there was one factory turning out similar instruction/hook up
cards for a number of different manufacturers & models.
Ron's Vagabond:
Automatic Radio, "Tom Thumb" model:
Here is a Trav-Ler, (currently on Eeevil-Bay):
I just thought it kind of curious.
.
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Philip Colston
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 636
Location: Making For Arcady
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 5:52 am |
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| I have also noticed that over the years, Dale. And it is not just the instruction cards that have a family likeness—the designs of these sets have this, too. And there are more portables of this era in the same “family”. The parallels are clearly far more than coincidental. |
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ton10291
Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 160
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 5:53 am |
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| grid-leak wrote: | | ton10291 wrote: | | Alan Douglas wrote: | | "And everyone knows what an Operadio model 2 looks like. |
Crap!
I was just about to run down to the radio room and take a picture of mine!
Too common huh? |
Go ahead and post it anyway.
This thread needs more pictures....... |
Since the Operadio model 2 has already been posted I'll offer a BC-14A portable made by Liberty Electric Corporation for the U.S. Army Signal Corps circa 1918:
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Dale Davenport
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 2811
Location: Fort Smith Arkansas USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 6:01 am |
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WOW!
It just gets better and better. First in my heart is Alan's American Marconi set, the Telmaco is right up there too, now a BC-14A - - not to mention Grandpa's home brew Radiola copy and all the rest - - - - - - -
Makes me wish I'd kept a Kemper 52 I used to have.
Question:
Does any one have a "Alvon?" I've only seen pictures; never a actual set, but it has been on my wish-list for a long time.
.
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Philip Colston
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 636
Location: Making For Arcady
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 6:58 am |
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There are two versions of the Operadio 2. One had all of the tube sockets mounted on a separate chassis board, which was in turn suspended from the cabinet by rubber strips. It also had four of the swinging latches that hold the cover on the cabinet when the radio is closed.
The other version had a single chassis board for all components, and the tube sockets themselves were of the spring suspension type. It had three latches (a single one at the rear).
Based upon serial numbers, the second type was the later version. Both appear to provide an “unofficial” space for a 4.5-volt C- battery, on the right hand side of the cabinet. |
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radiorich
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 5604
Location: tacoma,wa,usa
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 7:25 am |
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Hello Guys,
my oldest portable is a majestic model 130 that I got from one of the forum members a while back .
Rich
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mgmradio
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 122
Location: Fredericksburg,Va.USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 4:22 pm |
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How about a Deforest F5 portable.
They didn't make to many of these.
By the way I'm looking for an inner lid or at least a pattern,
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grid-leak
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 721
Location: Niantic, CT , USA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 4:26 pm |
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Here is a Hexadyne portable.
Must have been made at the Kemper plant.....
6 UX-199's in shock mounted sockets.
Odd circuit, possible reflex.
Utah bright nickel horn driver.
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Alan Douglas
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 14982
Location: Pocasset, Cape Cod, MA
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 5:15 pm |
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Wouldn't surprise me if all those Chicago portables were made in the same plant, under different names, in case Westinghouse sued and enjoined them from selling under any given name.
Operadio had the good sense to get out of radio, in favor of audio and speakers. They sold their radio business to (I recall) Trav-ler. |
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Ron in Radio Heaven
Member
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 1082
Location: Radio Heaven, North Carolina, near Charlotte
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| Posted: Nov Thu 05, 2009 5:56 pm |
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| Norm Leal wrote: | | Surprised no one posted a RCA AR-812. It was supposed to be portable if you had a good arm. |
OK, since you asked, here's my AR-812
with the UZ-1325 horn and the AG-814 loop antenna.
You really had to want to listen to the radio
away from home to haul all this around.
This is from my Super-Het web page,
http://radioheaven.homestead.com/superhets.html
I remember seeing somewhere a photo of
a guy and a girl in a canoe with one of these
sitting in between them out in the middle of a lake.
_________________
73, Ron w4ron
"Preservation, NOT restoration"
http://radioheaven.homestead.com/menu.html
http://charlottearc2010.homestead.com/index.html |
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grid-leak
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 721
Location: Niantic, CT , USA
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| Posted: Nov Sat 07, 2009 1:29 pm |
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Colin Kennedy model 311 Portable.
Uses 1 WD-12 tube.
Has internal storage for A and B batterys, as well as a headset.
Requires only external antenna and ground.
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Merrill Bancroft
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 660
Location: Townsend, Ma.
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| Posted: Nov Sat 07, 2009 5:30 pm |
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| Joe: Mine was missing the cover that fits into the right compartment. You seem to be missing one. Rich Foster made me a perfect replacement. He has a set to go by. Mine has two broken hinges - otherwise it is perfect. I have seen the amp that fits in the case on the right side but never owned one. |
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grid-leak
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 721
Location: Niantic, CT , USA
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| Posted: Nov Sat 07, 2009 5:56 pm |
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Merrill,
I have the battery cover, it is in the last picture next to the tube.
Here is a Kennedy 312 portable with the amp (not mine.)
Note the larger cabinet and antenna and ground posts at the top of the panel...
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dynadude
Member
Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 287
Location: Chapel Hill NC USA
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| Posted: Nov Sat 07, 2009 8:57 pm |
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Wow, neat stuff.
_________________
Bryan
Spacekat Designs Unique Musical Instruments |
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Merrill Bancroft
Member
Joined: 01 Jan 1970
Posts: 660
Location: Townsend, Ma.
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| Posted: Nov Sun 08, 2009 10:43 pm |
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I got these at Lansing about 10 years ago around 5 in the morning. They seem to be almost in a one-of-a-kind category. These were in bad shape when I got hem but they came around quite nicely. Marketed by the Thomas E. Clark Co. of Detroit, Michigan around 1923 I guess.
Recently I found a very large photo of which seemed to be a factory display of Tecla products none of which has ever surfaced except this pair. Perhaps some of you saw the picture at various meets I dragged it to. These sets are always a blue ribbon winner due to there extreme rarity.
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