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Old 16th Sep 2007, 4:24 pm   #1
Nickthedentist
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Default 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Hello everyone,

I had a telephone call last week, from a neighbour who's about to move house. He was clearing his loft and came across a "really old radio" which he thought had been left there by the elderly lady who'd lived there previously until she'd passed away.

I dashed round excitedly and found... a big, ugly, brown plastic thing. He said he would take it to the recycling centre if I didn't want it, where no doubt, it would be chucked in a skip, buried under piles of Turkish televisions, then crushed. So against my better judgement, I decided to rescue it.


Anyway, it's a Radio Rentals Model 232 and although it's obviously a cheapish set (plastic case, small speaker, Spire clips everywhere, no mains tx), it actually seems reasonably well made. And it has VHF which potentially makes it a tiny bit more useful.

It's had a bit of bodgery, i.e. one R and C floating in mid-air above the chassis on bare wires, plus the main reservoir cap is dated 1949! But other than that, it looks perfect.


The valve line-up is:
  • UCC85
  • UCH81
  • UF89
  • UABC80
  • UL84
+ a metal rectifier.

Can anyone tell me when this model was made?

And does anyone have service data?

Or is there an equivalent (for which I possibly already have data)? It has an Ekco-ish look to it.

Cheers,
Nick.
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 4:36 pm   #2
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

I've got a similar set on top of the units in the kitchen. It's a BAIRD. I'll hunt around for data, but really you shouldn't need a manual for this.

Cheers,

Steve P
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 4:38 pm   #3
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_P View Post
you shouldn't need a manual for this.
But I'm not as knowledgable as you, Steve

And Mr P Dabbler has been there before me
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 5:46 pm   #4
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

With the exception of an additional EF80, the M232 series looks to have similar circuitry. Its available on Paul's CD2. Could prove useful unless the exact data turns up.
-Tony
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 5:52 pm   #5
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_P View Post
I've got a similar set on top of the units in the kitchen. It's a BAIRD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerodyne View Post
the M232 series looks to have similar circuitry.
Thanks chaps.

I've just looked up the Baird 232 on my hard-drive copy of Paul's CDs, and there it was!

I have to admit that I have never come across Baird radios and did not know that there was a connection with Radio Rentals.

Thank you so much, Steve and Tony

Nick.
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 6:44 pm   #6
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Anyone care to guess a date for this model?
N.
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 8:36 pm   #7
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Hi

Sorry but I can not help with this, but have to agre, damn that is ugly.

Richard
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 8:38 pm   #8
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

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damn that is ugly
Even the chassis isn't pretty!

I'm hoping it will look fractionally better when I've cleaned it up a bit

The worst bit is that it's BIG too... larger than a Hacker Mayflower but with a speaker that looks like it came out of a portable.
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 9:26 pm   #9
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

No old radio is ugly! They may look different, but every set has merits both inside and out. Very few Radio Rentals sets left like that, because many were handed back no doubt.

Anyway - wavechange switch on these can go very stiff. If it does, do not force it. Spray it with Servisol and wait. They do fall apart or fracture when forced.

Cheers,

Steve P.
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Old 16th Sep 2007, 9:33 pm   #10
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Thanks for the advice (and encouragement), Steve.

Interestingly, this set has a red label at the back saying "Property of Radio Rentals Ltd. Not for sale".

But over this is rivetted a black label saying "Radio Rentals. Purchase Model 232". This black label looks like it's designed so that it can be snapped off, leaving the "Not for sale" wording visible if desired.

Better stop here as this will be deemed OT, and I'll carry on in a Success Stories (if appropriate) later

N.

PS Do you have any idea re. date, Steve?
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Old 17th Sep 2007, 10:23 am   #11
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

FYI: the Baird brand - after many changes of ownership - was owned by Radio Rentals and they used it on their rental stock, both radios and TVs. Its a complex story, probably best researched using 'The Setmakers' as a guide.
I doubt your radio can be pinned down to an exact year without some insider knowledge. It is, of course, a product of the later 1950s, to judge by the valve line-up and the bland styling.
-Tony
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Old 17th Sep 2007, 12:56 pm   #12
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Hi Steve,

I have a Radio Rentals model 222 which looks identical to your 232 apart from the fact that mine uses a round speaker rather than an elliptical one. I think it is quite a nice set and I even went to the trouble of making a reproduction dial when the original one was smashed in the post. It is also based on the Baird 232 chassis.
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Old 17th Sep 2007, 5:40 pm   #13
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Hi John,
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiogammon View Post
Hi Steve,
and Nick too?

Quote:
Originally Posted by radiogammon View Post
...mine uses a round speaker rather than an elliptical one.
Interesting to see that your speaker is equally undersized.


Quote:
Originally Posted by radiogammon View Post
I think it is quite a nice set and I even went to the trouble of making a reproduction dial when the original one was smashed in the post.
Your replacement dial looks lovely, much more interesting than my bland, washed-out green one. Did you manage to polish the brass stip above it in-situ, or did you battle with the Spire clips?

The build quality of mine's chassis is very good for a budget set. It is VERY spacious indeed and repair should be extremely easy as a result.

I also like the way that the chassis is retained by the same two screws that hold the back in place, so that after the back is off and the knobs removed, it can simply be slid out of the cabinet. The only trouble is that the knobs are arkward to pull off when the chassis is loose, as the force required then pulls the chassis up against the back of the dial glass. So I suppose it's best to remove them before you even take the back off.

Nick.

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Old 17th Sep 2007, 5:44 pm   #14
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aerodyne View Post
FYI: the Baird brand - after many changes of ownership - was owned by Radio Rentals...
Thanks for that, Tony. I will have to dig out my copy of The Setmakers.

I have seen many 1980s Baird-badged products, including dozens of JVC HR7200 based VHS recorders, which I knew were ex-rental machines, but I didn't realise the connection went back this far.

N.
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Old 28th Dec 2007, 11:47 pm   #15
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

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With the exception of an additional UF80...
Sorry, mine has an UF80 too
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Old 31st Dec 2007, 5:18 pm   #16
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Ah now this is a lovely set! I have one which was given to me buy a local man who had it fully restored by another radio collector, it was free because it came with a smashed dial. The back does say Radio Rentals, but on mine the front badge is Baird. As for a date mine says on the HT smoothing cap 1965 whether that's right I have no idea.
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Old 31st Dec 2007, 5:26 pm   #17
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

[Hi Josh,

That's interesting. Mine works really well on AM now, still to get FM sorted though.

My cap saying 1949(!) and yours 1965 suggests... that the original caps were obviously not up to the job . As others have said, late 1950s is probably the best guess so far.

Look out for mine in a Success Story soon, with luck.

Nick.

PS Maybe Radiogammon still has the artwork to help you make a replica dial?
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Old 1st Jan 2008, 8:00 pm   #18
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Default Re: 1950s Radio Rentals 232 equivalent?

Hi Nick, I reckon with these being rental sets the caps just wore out after abuse, usually Radio Rentals sets are built like tanks. The dial's fixed now so I'm not really that bothered
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