Category Archives: Vintage Radio

Perry spots a Zenith Transoceanic in “The Alligator People”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Perry Lusk (KG7YC), who writes:

I spotted this on an old “B” rated film:

Might be more fun to identify the movie than the Zenith Transoceanic we all know.

The answer is The Alligator People (1959). The man is diagnosed with a fatal medical problem and try’s getting an experimental procedure that involves alligator DNA and later turns into a, you guessed it, an alligator!

Wow! That sounds like a wild ride for the protagonist!

So we may all recognize a Transoceanic when we see one, but does anyone know the exact model? Feel free to comment!

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Dan spots an ICOM in the trailer for the new film “I.S.S.”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes:

An ICOM transceiver features in the new movie I.S.S. A film from the space disaster genre about U.S. and Russian astronauts and cosmonauts on the space station when nuclear war breaks out down on Earth. See if you can ID the radio, which flashes by quite quickly in the trailer for the movie:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Did you catch it? If you want to confirm, check out this screen shot from the trailer… Continue reading

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Mark spots a vintage radio in ‘Taxi Driver’

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who writes:

Thomas,

I’ve been deep down the k-drama rabbit hole for months now and I’m trying to familiarise myself with the Korean language at the same time.

I’ve just started a new series called ‘Taxi Driver’ and this radio cassette player popped up in the first episode. It shouts ‘shortwave receiver’ to me, but what I think is the manufacturer logo is blacked out in the top left corner.

I’m wondering if anyone recognises the model; it has a late seventies Panasonic or Sony vibe to me.

Mark

Readers: please comment if you can identify this radio for Mark!

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Balázs spots a radio in 1993 series “seaQuest DSV”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

I started re-watching one of the sci-fi TV series I watched when I was a kid the seaQuest DSV (1993), it’s interesting how many current topics were in it 30 years ago (environment pollution, artificial meat, VR, AI, drones, etc) and the trivia at the end of the episodes by Bob Ballard from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

In the Season 1 Episode 16 a radio appeared also next to the protagonist played by Roy Scheider, see attached.

with best regards,
Balazs

Wow! Thank you, Balazs. I had completely forgotten about this show. Like you, I did watch a number of episodes back in college. What a great shot of his radio!

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Frans discovers a RACAL receiver in “Golda”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frans Goddijn, who writes:

Dear Thomas,

Recently I watched the film “Golda” (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14454876/)

There are quite a few RACAl receivers in the film and I will send you a few screen snapshots!

Best regards,

Frans

Thank you for sharing these screen shots, Frans! What a gorgeous radio!

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A Transoceanic Saves the Day in “The Earth Dies Screaming”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dennis Dura, who shares a link to the movie “The Earth Dies Screaming“–a sci-fi/horror film from 1964. Dennis notes that a Zenith Transoceanic Saves The Day:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Please note: This movie was was live on the day of posting this article. Quite often, movies are removed from YouTube channels without warning.

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Bill has a shortwave radio double prole mystery from “The Killing Fields”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill (W8LV), who writes:

The TWO shortwave radios from The Killing Fields (1984) !

First Prop: This Shortwave radio is from the movie The Killing Fields (1984) It appears at (about) 1:04:30 in the movie.

I saw this movie on “The Big Screen” when it came out.. And I had a better view of it at that time. While it was indeed thirty nine years ago(!) I THINK that I recall that on the red label, it said: “ITT” as the brand. And you see the “IC” badge as well. Shortwave radio is integral to this scene, and this is the FIRST Shortwave radio shown.

There is a SECOND shortwave radio prop, also integral to a scene, this one at 1:58:30 in the movie. I have no idea what the radio is.

Of Course, neither radio has to actually BE a shortwave radio at all, since they are props! But they are SOME kind of radio…

And NO, I’m not giving away the plot: This is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED movie for any “newer” SWL/HAM who hasn’t viewed it… After all, almost a couple of generations have gone by!

All the Best!

73 DE W8LV BILL

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