Category Archives: Nostalgia

How Bob found his Zenith “Bomber”

After posting a link to Paul Litwinovich’s Zenith Transoceanic article, SWLing Post reader, Bob LaRose (W6ACU) sent me the following message:

“Just a quick story to follow-up on the excellent Zenith Transoceanic article today. It brought back a lot of great memories!

About twenty years ago I decided to collect some of the things that I couldn’t afford when growing up. I acquired quite a number of Hallicrafters receivers and other “heavy metal” including several transmitters (including my Viking I AM Transmitter). In the process of our last move, I got rid of a lot of the collection. One part of the collection that I did keep was my Transoceanics. If I remember correctly I have every major model except the military one mentioned in the article and the very last one.

Here is my story is about obtaining a “Bomber” as described in the article. I was visiting a gun show at the North Carolina Fair grounds in Raleigh (I went there with a friend who is into Civil War collectables). Anyway, we were walking around and I spotted a small dusty suitcase on a table in the back of a booth. It was closed and to anyone else it looked like an old carrying case. However, by the size and the brown leatherette-grained case I thought it just might be a “Bomber”.

I tried not to act too excited and asked the seller what it was. He said it was an old radio and I asked him to bring it out. Sure enough, it was a Bomber! Still trying not to act too excited, I tried to let on that I didn’t know what is was and asked him if it worked. He said he didn’t know. I made a point of saying that it was missing the dial cover (but the pointer was there and unbent and the inside looked pretty clean and even had its “Wave Magnet”).

I asked him how much he wanted and he said $100. We haggled a bit over the condition and I finally got it for $75. I walked away very happy and excited!

I spent some time cleaning it up, de-oxing the contacts and then used a VARIAC to slowly bring up the voltage to reform the electrolytics. But guess what? IT CAME TO LIFE!

I was even able to get the Sam’s manual and do an alignment. I don’t recall that I had to change any electrical parts or tubes and I even found a guy that made a replacement dial cover! It’s not as shiny as the one in the article but it was sure a great find. It proudly sits on the bookshelves in my office along with the Zenith “Sailboat” AM receiver mentioned in the article and my other Transoceanics. I’ve attached a picture of the two side-by-side. [See photos above]”

Many thanks, Bob, for sharing your “barn find”–or should I say “gun show find”(?)– Zenith “Bomber.” What a great story. I’m glad it’s in the hands of someone who has restored it and can appreciate its history. Indeed, your story proves that you never know where you’re going to find a vintage radio deal.

Paul Litwinovich sheds light on the “Royalty of Radios”

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Zenith Model 7G605, the first in the line of Trans-Oceanic radios.
Credit P. Litwinovich collection via WSHU

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Paul, who points out this excellent article about the Zenith Transoceanic by Paul Litwinovich of WSHU. Litwinovich’s article covers a brief history of the Zenith Transoceanic series including photos from his amazing collection (check out his model 7G605 above).

Here’s a short clip from his full article:

“The first version of Zenith Trans-Oceanic line of portable shortwave radios, the 7G605, [above] was released less than two months before the Pearl Harbor attack. It bore the sailboat image, and continued to be known as the “Clipper.” It sold for $75, and was an instant success. It was just the beginning, though, of the series’ long and colorful history. Zenith planned to heavily promote the radio for the coming holiday season. Then, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor came. Most manufacturers halted production of consumer goods for the war effort. Zenith had other plans for their new radio, though. They changed the image on the grill from that of a sailboat to the likeness of the B-17 bomber. The change was implemented in such a hurry, that collectors have reported finding the bomber grill inserted over the top of the sailboat grill.”

Click here to read the full article at WSHU…

By the way, we’ve mentioned Paul before here on the SWLing Post–I would encourage you to bookmark his excellent article thread on WSHU’s website.

Recording Deutsche Welle Kigali’s final broadcast and remembering its early days

Kigali’s early days

Last week, SWLing Post reader Bob LaRose (W6ACU) sent me the following message and scans:

“Here’s some nostalgia from [when the Kigali relay] opened, 50 years ago!”

Bob then followed this with another email:

“I dug into the “vault” and I found [the] 1964 Third Quarter issue of “Hallo, Friends” from Deutsche Welle that talks about the “new” Kigali station as it was being built. The 1965 issues did not cover the actual inauguration.”

Click here to download this page as a PDF.

Many thanks for digging through your archives and sharing this wonderful DW nostalgia, Bob! It’s simply brilliant!

Readers: If you have shortwave nostalgia you would like to share on the SWLing Post, please contact me.

Latest addition to the RNI Mailbag archive

BBC Bush House desk on eBay

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Want to own an bit of shortwave radio broadcasting history? Many thanks to Mike Barraclough who shares this listing on eBay: a BBC World Service Broadcast Radio Studio Desk from the Bush house in London.

Starting bid is £999–yep, that’s some serious money–and you’ll need to travel to Bristol, England to pick it up.

Here’s the full item description:

This is a genuine BBC World Service Studio from Bush House. I bought this when the BBC moved out of Bush House in July 2012. Unfortunately I have no room for it and so sadly I must sell it. All the components are still original as seen in the images.

Just think of the famous people who were interviewed at this desk. The whole desk is bespoke, beautifully made and crafted by BBC engineers, there is nothing quite like it. It still has all the detail such as the panic button underneath the desk, stands for computer monitors, telephone, the professional CD player and cassette desk player. Also original mixing desk, router board and switches – all you need to start your own radio station! The desk is mono as used by the BBC World Service.

Original Revox Professional Series CD player C-221
Original Kenwood Stereo Cassette Deck KX-4520
The original ElectroVoice RE20 Microphone with adjustable stand is NOT included and will be sold separately on eBay
BBC speaker will be sold separately.

The lucky winner will have to ship this from my home in South Bristol at their own expense. It will require a medium sized van and two people to lift it.

More pictures to follow including accurate measurements. Approx 8ft wide, 3 feet deep and 3.5 feet high.

Click here to view on eBay.

Zenith R520A/URR Transoceanic Radio on eBay

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Since I’m a complete sucker for Signal Corps radios, my buddy David Korchin (K2WNW), thought it would be a great idea to tempt me with this recent listing on eBay: a rare Zenith R520A/URR.

Let’s be fair. It’s gorgeous.

And I would like to know the full story behind this radio.

Fortunately, the reserve is $1200 US–high enough that I know I need not bid.

For Zenith folks, though, this would make a handsome addition to their collection.

Click here to view on eBay. I’ve also pasted the full description below.

Very curious if this radio will make its reserve price.

Description of Zenith R520A/URR:

“Up for auction is a rare Zenith Transoceanic R520A/URR. It comes with the Zenith headphones that plug into the rear of the chassis.

It was restored electronically replacing capacitors, resistors, and tubes that needed to be replaced. All tubes are NOS.

It comes with the Zenith headphones that plug into the rear of the chassis. It also comes with a modern battery holder that has been placed into the green battery box that I painted up to look a little more authentic.

It plays wonderfully on all bands with amazing sensitivity on the shortwave bands. Broadcast band can receive stations as far as 750 miles away. Antenna is straight and extends fully. The wave magnet antenna has the metal post that allows it to be placing into the handle so you can rotate it for best reception.

The chassis is extra clean and has all the tube shields.

This has the original cord with a NOS plug with new fuses incorporated.

Both fuse boxes on the back door have been filed with NOS fuses.

Has the manual that came with it and many specs that I printed out for this radio.

The exterior is very clean and the brass was polished and then sprayed with gloss clear coat so it cannot tarnish in the future. Knob inserts are new solid brass that were polished and sprayed as well. The I.D. Tag is an exact reproduction of an original tag.

All the feet are original and in excellent shape.

The cabinet has all the original military markings and are in excellent condition.

Runs wonderfully on AC or DC. I have always run it on batteries.

I have shipped quite a few of these transoceanics and the average cost for the lower 48 states is around 49.00 shipped via USPS Priority Mail.

My reserve is set at 1200.00. If it doesn’t reach this amount, I will keep the radio in my collection.”

Click here to view this item, along with several detailed photos, on eBay.

Remembering Radio Canada International’s final shortwave broadcast

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The transmitter building of Radio Canada International, Sackville, NB.

I spent the summer of 2012 in an off-grid cabin on the eastern coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada. That summer, I listened as two of my favorite shortwave broadcasters left the air within weeks of each other: Radio Netherlands Worldwide and Radio Canada International.

I was able to not only listen to the final broadcasts of Radio Netherlands, but also record them. I wrote a post about that memorable experience.

Ironically, though I was only a geographic stone’s-throw from the RCI Sackville transmitter site, I struggled to hear any Sackville signals as my location was too close for skywave propagation and a little too far for ground wave. Though I paid a visit to the transmitter site only two days prior, I was unable to hear or record RCI’s final broadcast.

Unlike RNW’s final broadcasts, RCI’s ended without fanfare and quite abruptly. This week, I heard a recording of that final RCI broadcast for the first time. My friend, Rajdeep Das, recorded it on June 24, 2012 in Kolkata, India. Rajdeep has kindly shared his recording with the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive and here on the SWLing Post.

This is a short 10 minute recording, beginning at 1550 UTC, June 24, 2012 on 11,675 kHz. Listeners will note that the broadcast ends abruptly during the mailbag program–obviously the Sackville transmitters were turned off prematurely.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

While we’re talking about RCI, I would also like to thank @LeedsRadio, @UKDXer and Al Holt for sharing the following brilliant QSLs and pennant:

Source: @UKDXer via Twitter

Source: @LeedsRadio via Twitter

Source: @grovekid2 (Al Holt) via Twitter

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane!

SWLing Post readers should note that Rajdeep Das has a DX blog you should visit. I’ve added Rajdeep’s site to our blog roll. Thanks again, Rajdeep!