Category Archives: Photos

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.

A Photo Tour of the National Capital Radio and Television Museum

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On Tuesday afternoon, I made a pilgrimage the to the National Capital Radio and Television Museum in Bowie, Maryland, USA. The museum is located in a modest and beautiful historic house on the corner of Mt. Oak and Mitchellville Roads in Bowie.

Museum Curator and volunteer, Brian Belanger, kindly gave me a private tour of the museum collections (the museum is closed on Tuesdays).

Many thanks to Brian for taking time out of his day for the tour, and for allowing me to take some photos for the SWLing Post!

The museum has a number of display rooms with radios broadly grouped by style and decade. The first room offers examples of some of the earliest radios produced–including the venerable crystal radio (below).

[Click photos to enlarge.]

Like Brian, numerous volunteers work to keep the collections in working order. This isn’t a place where vintage radios come to die; they actually come to life here.

Even examples of some of their earliest radios are on the air and can be tuned to local and international stations.

This RCA “portable” (below), housed two batteries on either side of the center faceplate. Note the ad on the wall above–a couple enjoy the RCA as they recline on a beach.

Speakers of the day were pretty amazing, too–check out this hand-painted 1927 Air Chrome Double Cone Speaker, below.

The museum also has an extensive collection of studio and off-air recordings that can be played over an AM carrier throughout the building.

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, radio manufactures built gorgeous console radios, features in the living rooms and parlors of many lucky homes.

This E.H. Scott All-Wave 23 console (above and below) sported not only twenty-threee vacuum tubes, but a large, robust internal speaker. Radio collectors consider the All-Wave 23 to be one of the finest performing radios of the vacuum-tube era.

The museum also features the Zenith 12-S-232 tabletop radio with working shuttle dial–a futuristic band-switching mechanical wonder with a stunning dial.

A number of tabletop and portable radios that span the decades have found their homes in this museum. No doubt many SWLing Post readers cut their teeth on these classics!

I love the design of the Garod Model 5A2–wow! And I’m sure many kids of the fifties wished they had an official Hopalong Cassidy AM radio (below).

The museum, of course, also houses a large number of classic televisions.

Radio stations and benefactors have also donated many items used in the industry, both in broadcast and retail.

Brian was also kind enough to take me to the building, next door, where they repair radios and store others for eventual rotation into the collection.

Museum volunteers also teach radio repair and restoration classes.

The number of classic ham radios, home brew receivers and transmitters was simply amazing. Indeed, I felt like a kid in a candy shop!

By the end of the tour, I had decided to become a member of the National Capital Radio and Television Museum. Even though I live a few states away, I like knowing that my membership funds not only help preserve vintage radios and televisions, but also provide me members-only access to many of their scanned archives. Click to view a full list of benefits for a modest $25 membership.

Again, many thanks to Brian Belanger for the amazing tour of this wonderful museum! Brian, I’ll be back next year…

Moshe’s listening post at the office

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SWLing Post contributor, Moshe, writes:

In the attached photos my Sangean receives Elliniki Radiophonia at 9420kHz at my working post. Note the amount of computers, screens and the fact that the radio sits on top of an HP printer.

Still audio is clear and clear reception with only telescopic antenna.

The other radio is my beloved Ben-Gal 1958 tube radio (Israeli made). It looks very much like German radios of the time.

[The Ben-Gal] is in daily use. Anyone seeing this radio loves it, especially when I turn it on!”

Many thanks for sharing these photos, Moshe! Your reception of Elliniki Radiophonia must be exceptional in Israel to overcome all of that office RFI.

The Ben-Gal must produce some rich audio; I bet it’s a champ on medium wave with that large internal ferrite bar! Beautiful set! Thanks again for sharing!

Name that dial!

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Yesterday, I acquired another antique radio (yes, a “boat anchor”) for my modest collection of vintage receivers. I took a quick close-up photo of its backlit dial (above).

For fun, I’m curious if any SWLing Post readers can name the radio sporting this dial? If you want to give it a go, please comment below.

Jerry’s flea market and estate sale radios

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SWLing Post reader, Jerry (WW0E) writes:

“Sorry I missed your table at Dayton. Managed to add 4 old 1940’s 1950’s era broadcast band radios to my collection, had a great time. [Here is a] picture of my 1938 Wards dial tone with tuning eye, $35.00.”

Jerry continues:

“Found this GE-P780 at an estate sale last weekend $20.00, fantastic working condition!”

“Recently purchased this Philco console, 1938, with the Philco ‘cone-centric tuning dial system.'”

Many thanks, Jerry, for sharing these excellent finds! If I had a bigger house, I would certainly fill it with 1930’s era console radios!

Last day of the 2014 Hamvention

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Today is the the final day of the 2014 Dayton Hamvention. For exhibitors, it’s the slowest day of the weekend (Saturday is the busiest).

My voice is hoarse from speaking with so many people–it’s been great! Many thanks to the SWLing Post readers who stopped by our booth to talk radio.

This morning, I’m listening Pacific Break on Radio Australia with my buddy Eric McFadden while we eat breakfast and prepare to leave. I started listening to RA on my Tecsun PL-310ET and Eric (of course) brought out his Sony ICF-SW7600G and AN-LP1 for comparison. A little radio fun before the craziness yet to come.

We’re not staying in a hotel this year, and we have much quieter conditions for SWLing. Eric, as a I mentioned in a previous post, is retired from the Ohio Air National Guard; this year, he was fortunate enough to secure us a “TLF” (Temporary Lodging, Family) on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Our TLF is a three bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house with a living room, laundry room, outdoor patio, yard and is surrounded by acres of green space. It’s about half the price of a local hotel, so we feel most grateful! Better yet, a TLF is like being at home: we can string up antennas indoors or outside and play radio.

Eric eating cereal and doing an informal A/B comparison. The AN-LP1 is attached to the dining room window.

Many thanks to Eric (WD8RIF) and his son, Miles (KD8KNC), for being such dedicated ETOW volunteers.

As I head out this morning, I thought I’d post a few more photos I took yesterday:

Though I wouldn’t have a clue how to operate this Collins 10B (above), I would love for it to adorn my radio table.

I’ve also taken photos of new products vendors displayed at the Hamvention. I plan to post them after returning home later this week.

If you’re visiting the Hamvention today, please stop by Booth BA411 and introduce yourself!

Dayton Hamvention flea market: a few photos

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I had a little over one hour to check out the Dayton Hamvention flea market yesterday morning before manning our inside exhibitor’s table for Ears To Our World.

Here are a few radios that caught my attention:

I actually purchased the Hallicrafters SX-24 in this photo (above) for $60. I would have purchased the speaker as well but he wanted $200 (!!!) for it.