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Old 30th Sep 2020, 3:38 pm   #1
kirstyd
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Default Unused Fidelity RAD24

I found this set buried in the bottom of an old Ottoman [under lots of old blankets] In a house we were clearing at work last week .I know its only a Fidelity but as you can see its in mint condition .Not sure how old it is but i remember having a similar Fidelity [only difference was it had conical knobs] back in the early 70s .It was my work radio [it saw lots of building sites and muck] and was quite beat up but it worked and a PP9 would last quite a long time .Most of the Fidelitys i see these days are usually in a sorry state so its quite nice to see a new one so to speak
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 3:40 pm   #2
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Default Re: unused Fidelity rad 24

some more pics of the operating instructions [as if you would need them]
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 6:56 pm   #3
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Nice to see one in mint condition, these sort of sets do usually get used and abused,I quite like the look of the fidelity portable radios from that period.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:02 pm   #4
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Nice! Fascinating to see how these sorts of things sometimes turn up. I wonder what the backstory was that saw it put away and forgotten-about for 50-odd years?

I always liked that early-70s circles-and-squares-mosaic styling, reminds me of the old "Golden Egg" restaurant chain decor. There were some ITT radios around in the same time-window which used similar styling motifs.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:34 pm   #5
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

yes but the ITT grill wouldn't wipe off unlike the Fidelity .Never the less I've always had a soft spot for them .back then most of my mates [and their parents] had a Fidelity products of one sort or the another
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:40 pm   #6
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Quote:
Originally Posted by kirstyd View Post
Not sure how old it is but i remember having a similar Fidelity [only difference was it had conical knobs] back in the early 70s
That sounds like a Rad 12, I had one way back when. Controls and everything else in the same positions as on the 24, but the early version of the 12, with those conical knobs that were originally silvered, seems to have become fairly scarce - I could only find one photo and that's missing a knob.

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...stor-Radio.jpg

I think that's one of the models that started out in a padded wooden cabinet then was changed to a plastic one of almost identical appearance, just as they did with the Rad 11.

Must admit on the couple of occasions a decades-old radio in this condition has come my way I've swiftly returned it, with or without a quick test, to its box so that in due course someone else will have the joy of finding it pristine (and I'll probably snatch an occasional further glance myself...)

Paul
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:42 pm   #7
Michael.N.
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

. . . . my goodness that's an exceptional restoration.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 7:58 pm   #8
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

I repaired one awhile ago, I was surprised to find all the workings contained in the silvery bit at the top,the rest of the cabinet was just for speaker and battery.
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Old 30th Sep 2020, 11:37 pm   #9
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

My Aunt used to have one in the 1980s, which was one of the reasons I bought one a few years ago. It's a little worn around the edges but still works alright.

These were made after 1978 as Radio 4 is on 15000 metres LW.
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 10:43 am   #10
D.Finney
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Amazing finding this in mint condition why do I never find sets like this?
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 11:08 am   #11
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

The RAD11 first appeared as the plastic cased model 208.

It's worth remembering that MW/LW only designs persisted as one of the markets was
the audience in HMPs where radios with vhf/fm were not allowed.
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 11:17 am   #12
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Presumably because back then, Police etc comms were still using the top half of the FM broadcast band?
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 11:25 am   #13
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

MW/LW only radios remained popular in the 70s and 80s amongst older people who had never adjusted to FM and were uncomfortable with it. Such radios typically spent their working lives locked to Radio 2 or Radio 4, often in kitchens where they finished up in a disgusting state after 20 years. Roberts were very strong in this market, continuing to produce MW/LW models long after most premium brands had stopped.
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 3:46 pm   #14
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_RK View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by kirstyd View Post
Not sure how old it is but i remember having a similar Fidelity [only difference was it had conical knobs] back in the early 70s
That sounds like a Rad 12, I had one way back when. Controls and everything else in the same positions as on the 24, but the early version of the 12, with those conical knobs that were originally silvered, seems to have become fairly scarce - I could only find one photo and that's missing a knob.

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...stor-Radio.jpg

I think that's one of the models that started out in a padded wooden cabinet then was changed to a plastic one of almost identical appearance, just as they did with the Rad 11.
A RAD 12 with the silver conical knobs was the first brand new radio I owned - it was a Christmas gift from my parents in 1971. Mine was in black with a plastic cabinet and hardboard rear panel covered in padded rexine at the sides and back.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
My Aunt used to have one in the 1980s, which was one of the reasons I bought one a few years ago. It's a little worn around the edges but still works alright.

These were made after 1978 as Radio 4 is on 15000 metres LW.
The picture of the guarantee for this set appears to have a "79" date, so that seems correct.

John
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 10:40 pm   #15
kirstyd
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
MW/LW only radios remained popular in the 70s and 80s amongst older people who had never adjusted to FM and were uncomfortable with it. Such radios typically spent their working lives locked to Radio 2 or Radio 4, often in kitchens where they finished up in a disgusting state after 20 years. Roberts were very strong in this market, continuing to produce MW/LW models long after most premium brands had stopped.
yes Paul the one i had [with the conical knobs]was in a shocking state .held together with gaffer tape but it just kept on working .Cant fault it for battery life .On five days a week all day the PP9 would last about a month
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 10:48 pm   #16
kirstyd
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_RK View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by kirstyd View Post
Not sure how old it is but i remember having a similar Fidelity [only difference was it had conical knobs] back in the early 70s
That sounds like a Rad 12, I had one way back when. Controls and everything else in the same positions as on the 24, but the early version of the 12, with those conical knobs that were originally silvered, seems to have become fairly scarce - I could only find one photo and that's missing a knob.

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...stor-Radio.jpg

I think that's one of the models that started out in a padded wooden cabinet then was changed to a plastic one of almost identical appearance, just as they did with the Rad 11.My early Rad 11 didn't have a wooden cabinet it was red plastic with red rexine stuck to it .I know this because every time i pulled off the gaffer tape more red Rexine came with it

Must admit on the couple of occasions a decades-old radio in this condition has come my way I've swiftly returned it, with or without a quick test, to its box so that in due course someone else will have the joy of finding it pristine (and I'll probably snatch an occasional further glance myself...)

Paul
I have connected a battery [it works perfectly]without disturbing the packing tape on the bottom .Its now wrapped up and back in its box .Like you i will probably take a look at it now and again
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Old 1st Oct 2020, 11:22 pm   #17
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Default Re: Unused Fidelity RAD24

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
MW/LW only radios remained popular in the 70s and 80s amongst older people who had never adjusted to FM and were uncomfortable with it. Such radios typically spent their working lives locked to Radio 2 or Radio 4, often in kitchens where they finished up in a disgusting state after 20 years. Roberts were very strong in this market, continuing to produce MW/LW models long after most premium brands had stopped.
I heard that Roberts made MW/LW radios for the home office for use in prisons, I guess they made the same models for general sale due to the economy of scale.
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Old 2nd Oct 2020, 9:32 am   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Restoration73 View Post
The RAD11 first appeared as the plastic cased model 208.
Actually the 208A - the original 208 has the same plastic case as the 'A' version but a completely different chassis. The 208A is a little scarce so must have had quite a short run before it gained the Rad 11's padded wooden cabinet. The Rad 11 was joined by a Rad 11B with the same padded cabinet but blue rather than black leathercloth and a different 'speaker grille, then the Rad 11 and 11B were quietly switched from padded ply to padded plastic. The circuit board all along carried the "208A" designation.

Here's a 208 and a 208A. I fondly imagine the predicament of the case designer, finding himself with a blank space on the 208A's dial where the red edgewise volume and tone controls used to be, stuck for an idea of what to put there until he settled for including the image of a couple of red edgewise controls

Paul
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Last edited by Paul_RK; 2nd Oct 2020 at 9:41 am.
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Old 2nd Oct 2020, 9:40 am   #19
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I heard that Roberts made MW/LW radios for the home office for use in prisons, I guess they made the same models for general sale due to the economy of scale.
I think that's been confirmed as just an urban legend - the main model in question was the Rambler, quite popular outside prisons, and the name doesn't seem a likely choice if the model were mainly for incarcerated folk! The explanation that I recall for its popularity "inside" was that both telescopic aerials and cylindrical cells were forbidden, which more or less restricted the market to a few UK-made MW/LW sets employing PP9s.

Paul
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Old 2nd Oct 2020, 9:47 am   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul_RK View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
I heard that Roberts made MW/LW radios for the home office for use in prisons, I guess they made the same models for general sale due to the economy of scale.
I think that's been confirmed as just an urban legend - the main model in question was the Rambler, quite popular outside prisons, and the name doesn't seem a likely choice if the model were mainly for incarcerated folk! The explanation that I recall for its popularity "inside" was that both telescopic aerials and cylindrical cells were forbidden, which more or less restricted the market to a few UK-made MW/LW sets employing PP9s.

Paul
OK I see.
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