{"id":42541,"date":"2020-03-28T08:45:05","date_gmt":"2020-03-28T12:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=42541"},"modified":"2020-03-28T08:51:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T12:51:05","slug":"jons-sony-crf-160-should-it-stay-or-should-it-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/jons-sony-crf-160-should-it-stay-or-should-it-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon’s Sony CRF-160: Should it stay or should it go?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Jon Helberg, who writes:<\/p>\n

Greetings!<\/p>\n

During our COVID-19 shutdown I located my old Sony CRF-160 which has been closet bound for some years now, however it has always worked as new.<\/p>\n

[…]Other than the broken toggle switch for the light, all knobs and dials work, are present and accounted for. Upon powering up after many years in storage it lights up just fine and appears to be operational, however once powered up the volume control and every knob I turned brought loads of static to the speakers indicating corrosion of contacts, etc., so I just shut it down without testing any further.<\/p>\n

The power cord has become a bit sticky as some plastics and rubber do over time, but of course that easily can be cleaned up. The entire radio case and front cover is intact (nothing broken, warped or bent), with the standard wear marks on the outside but otherwise fine. I do not have the box, manual, or any other accessories. The telescoping antenna looks as if it may have been slightly bent at one time (not kinked), and it extends and retracts just fine.<\/p>\n

I have owned this radio since new but raised a family who used it as well (kids broke the light switch), so I do know it worked the last time I used it before storage, but I haven\u2019t used it since other than just turning it on as I have mentioned above.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Photos<\/h2>\n
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\"P1110909\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Sony <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

I don’t do much with radio any longer other than listening to AM, therefore this radio had no value to me other than sentimental (purchased it after an Army tour with ASA as a radio intercept operator), therefore looking for your thoughts on whether it’s worth getting repaired, or just focus on selling on eBay, or somewhere else?<\/p>\n

I would have no idea as to its value, who could repair it, or the cost involved.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tough decision, Jon, so thanks in advance for allowing me to share your inquiry here with the SWLing Post<\/em> community.<\/p>\n

I’m hoping readers can comment<\/a> with thoughts on the actual value of the radio, the availability of spare parts (toggle switch), and their thoughts on whether you should keep or sell it.<\/p>\n

I’m a nostalgic guy, so my inclination would be to keep it unless you really wanted to liquidate it for funds, or you simply have no attachment to it at all.\u00a0 As custodians of vintage radios, I also feel we should try to keep them in working order.<\/p>\n

In terms of repairs, I know my good friend Vlado (at HamRadio.repair<\/a>) could re-cap it and make it like new. If you could locate a parts radio or simply a similar toggle switch, Vlado could sort that out too I’m sure.<\/p>\n

Post<\/em> readers:<\/strong> What are your thoughts? Should Jon keep the Sony or sell it? Are parts easy to find. Please comment<\/a> and include any relevant links!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jon Helberg, who writes: Greetings! During our COVID-19 shutdown I located my old Sony CRF-160 which has been closet bound for some years now, however it has always worked as new. […]Other than the broken toggle switch for the light, all knobs and dials work, are present and accounted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,305,26,43],"tags":[8396,8395,681,7523],"class_list":["post-42541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-radios","category-shortwave-radio","tag-jon-helberg","tag-sony-crf-160","tag-vintage-radio","tag-vintage-radio-repair"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-b49","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":44980,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/vlado-restores-mikes-vintage-sony-crf-160\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":0},"title":"Vlado restores Mike’s vintage Sony CRF-160","author":"Thomas","date":"August 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Michael Schuster, who shares the following guest post: Vlado works his magic on my Sony CRF-160 by Michael Schuster Back in the 1970\u2019s my grandfather gifted this solid-state portable to me as it was more than he needed. It was the first \u201creal\u201d radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48957,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/05\/behold-the-epic-sony-crf-320\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":1},"title":"Behold the epic Sony CRF-320!","author":"Thomas","date":"May 19, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Phil Ewing, who highlights this tweet from @Ea4Hng: \"Testing the good old Sony CRF-320 after many years not in use. It works flawlessly in all bands\" EA4HGN's photo, above, reminds me that the Sony CRF-320 sports one of the best designs I've ever seen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25169,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/ebay-sighting-the-sony-crf-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":2},"title":"eBay sighting: The Sony CRF-1","author":"Thomas","date":"April 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who shares the following: This eBay item grabbed my attention primarily for its price. I see that you blogged about one in June last year. Click here to view on eBay. Thank you Mark! \u00a0While the price is quite high at 1,100\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Sony-CRF-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Sony-CRF-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Sony-CRF-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53673,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/video-vintage-sony-japan-manufacturing-plants\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":3},"title":"Video: Vintage SONY Japan Manufacturing Plants","author":"Thomas","date":"August 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow, who writes: [Check out this] YouTube video : Vintage SONY JAPAN Manufacturing Plants: TRINITRON TV, Video Recorder, late 1960-1970s https:\/\/youtu.be\/OIZ8pYL1B0M Click here to view on YouTube. This very interesting near 12 minute video shows Sony manufacturing plants. At 2:10 you will see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Sony-CRF-180-Dial.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20243,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/patrick-comments-on-his-newly-restored-sony-crf-320\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":4},"title":"Patrick comments on his newly-restored Sony CRF-320","author":"Thomas","date":"August 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Patrick Mason, who writes from Juneau, Alaska: I am the owner of the radio that Paul Carlson restored in the video. The serial number is 31358. I wanted to comment about a statement regarding the receiver\u2019s sensitivity. After Paul concluded his final tune-up of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sony-CRF-320","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Sony-CRF-320.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48394,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/printed-circuit-board-information-for-sony-crf-320-panel-light-mod\/","url_meta":{"origin":42541,"position":5},"title":"Printed circuit board information for Sony CRF-320 panel light mod?","author":"Thomas","date":"April 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian, who writes with the following inquiry: I found a pic of a printed circuit board, based on Mr. Carlson\u2019s Sony CRF-320 panel light mod, on the Yahoo 320\/330 fan page but no board dimensions or component values. I plan to order a bunch\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-03-at-08.04.11.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-03-at-08.04.11.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-03-at-08.04.11.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42541"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42541\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}