Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Ed, who writes:
Here in Philly, while perusing a vintage artifacts store here in Philadelphia, I found a 1958 magazine with a photograph of an attractive shortwave receiver model.
Maybe readers of the SWLing Post can identify this radio? Is it the successor to the Zenith Transoceanic series?
Cheers,
-Ed
Please comment if you can shed some light on this particular radio.
Wow! I just found a very comprehensive article about the Zenith Transoceanic Royal 1000 and its variants–including a BFO option, on the Cryptomuseum website. Apparently it was such a good portable shortwave receiver that it was favored by agents of some intelligence agencies for espionage, in particular for receiving Numbers Station broadcasts. (This begs the question of whether Elizabeth Ann Roberts was CIA asset.)
In 1960 the cold war Czechoslovakian intelligence agency used it in Congo with a covert xtal-controlled 50W HF transmitter, which was also used to calibrate the Zenith Royal 1000 dial. Brilliant!
https://www.cryptomuseum.com/spy/zenith/1000/index.htm
That website has the Zenith Royal 1000’s detailed specifications and even its complete service manual. Also lots of great photos, but unfortunately none with Elizabeth Ann Roberts.
according to this
https://antenaativa.com.br/encontrei-um-anuncio-de-1958-com-um-trans-oceanic-na-praia-saiba-como-identificar-se-e-um-zenith-royal-1000-ou-7000/
the ad dates 1958 and the receiver is definitely a Zenith TransOceanic
Makes me think of the magazine from the 1980s Popular Communications. They had a female columnist named Alice Brannigan.
The Popular Communications columnist “Alice Brannigan” was an acronym for “a nice girl in a barn” and was used by then-editor Tommy Kneitel (RIP) https://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/index.php/Tom_Kneitel
-Ed
PS – The magazine you found ad – “National Geographic” or “Holiday”?
The magazine with that photo of a Zenith Transoceanic Royal 1000 is actually an early edition of Playboy celebrating its first five years of “Playmates”, with a pictorial including photos of Elizabeth Ann Roberts with that and and other high-end vintage radios I’ve never seen before. I wonder if she was a DX’er.
It is definitely a Royal 1000. The handle pops up to become an antenna, the 7000 lost this feature – thank goodness. The dial selector here is more of a “key” rather than a knob. It has horizontal knobs on left, only Zenith T/O to have such a feature. The Royal 1000 was available from late 1957-1968. The 7000 series began in 1969.
I have one of these radios working perfectly as of 2026. This FM radio is very good, it’s perfect.
Blog: https://qsldobrasilqsl.blogspot.com/p/qsl-recebidos_51.html
Eye candy aside, that’s a Zenith Transoceanic Royal 7000 series. I have one. That advertisement pic probably goes back to the mid/late 1960s. The lady and the radio are now getting well along in years. But I’m sure they are both still broadcasting in word and music, LOL! Here’s a Wikipedia link for the radio:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Oceanic#/media/File:Vintage_Zenith_Royal_7000_Trans-Oceanic_(Transistor)_Radio,_Chassis_18ZT40Z3,_Made_in_the_USA_(12125483556).jpg
P.S. Taking another look at the pic, Michael might be right that it’s a 1000 model, due to the two volume knobs on lower left side. 7000 has a different arrangement. Maybe the Eye Candy blurred my vision!
I do see an attractive model….dont know her name though
I’d say a Royal 1000. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia photo. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vintage_Zenith_Royal_1000_All_Transistor_Trans-Oceanic_Short_Wave_Portable_Radio,_Made_in_USA_(8723835664).jpg
Radio? Is there a radio?
I see no radio