1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

howard · 16th Feb 2009, 11:38 pm

Hello again,

I got this set from eBay for £4.99 after it had been sitting there for at least a couple of weeks. This Astrad is the export version of the Rossiya (Russia) 301 which was built at the Industrial Union Poliot factory in Chelyabinsk in the early 1970s. Chelyabinsk in South West Russia near the Ural mountains was also known as "Tankograd" on account of the huge tank factory there, and was closed to Westerners until 1992 after the end of the Soviet Union era. The set has MW and LW, and 2 SW wavebands, 13-19 metre and 22-49 metre bands so it has fitted a robust telescopic aerial and also a fine tuning control.

It arrived without its 6v battery box so I popped into Maplins and bought a new 4 x AA box for £0.79, and when fitted, it came on but it had a noisy volume control and waveband switch, and also its tuning knob was seized so I couldn't tune it. So I took it apart, which was very straightforward, to find inside a neatly constructed PCB populated with Russian 'top hat' germanium transistors, cleaned the volume pot and waveband switch with Servisol 10 and then dripped a little WD40 onto the shaft of the seized tuning knob. I reassembled the set, switched it on and away she went. The tuning knob has freed up and works OK but is still a bit stiff.

The plastic case I cleaned with some upholstery cleaner and polished it with Mr Sheen and it came up nice.

The sensitivity of this little Russian radio is extraordinarily good, it picks up absolutely everything on all wavebands, and is one of the best in my collection in that respect. It's sound quality is so so, but OK for a 40 year old transistor set of this size.

Howard

Steve_P · 17th Feb 2009, 3:11 pm

My very first Russian Set was one of these. I have three of them and they do work well. They also came out branded 'Sapphire'.

Cheers,

Steve P.

Tim · 17th Feb 2009, 4:18 pm

Another fine restoration Howard. You really are the business on those Eastern block radios!

howard · 17th Feb 2009, 5:28 pm

Hello Steve, Tim,

The brand name 'Astrad' was replaced by 'Vega' around 1973. I have the TOE service sheet for the Sapphire, and looking at it now, it is the same set.

It never fails to amaze me how sensitive USSR transistor radios are, I guess they had to be as Russia is a big country.

Howard

Mike Phelan · 17th Feb 2009, 5:51 pm

Very nice indeed, Howard.

These Russian radios always look good to me - sooner or later I'm going to have to grab one!
Up to now, the only ones I came across when I did it for a living were valve Unitras and Rigonda radiograms.

ianj · 19th Feb 2009, 5:28 pm

What a neat little tranny....................I picked up an ITT from the same sort of era--they do look good, dont they?ianj

16th Feb 2009, 11:38 pm	#1
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable Hello again, I got this set from eBay for £4.99 after it had been sitting there for at least a couple of weeks. This Astrad is the export version of the Rossiya (Russia) 301 which was built at the Industrial Union Poliot factory in Chelyabinsk in the early 1970s. Chelyabinsk in South West Russia near the Ural mountains was also known as "Tankograd" on account of the huge tank factory there, and was closed to Westerners until 1992 after the end of the Soviet Union era. The set has MW and LW, and 2 SW wavebands, 13-19 metre and 22-49 metre bands so it has fitted a robust telescopic aerial and also a fine tuning control. It arrived without its 6v battery box so I popped into Maplins and bought a new 4 x AA box for £0.79, and when fitted, it came on but it had a noisy volume control and waveband switch, and also its tuning knob was seized so I couldn't tune it. So I took it apart, which was very straightforward, to find inside a neatly constructed PCB populated with Russian 'top hat' germanium transistors, cleaned the volume pot and waveband switch with Servisol 10 and then dripped a little WD40 onto the shaft of the seized tuning knob. I reassembled the set, switched it on and away she went. The tuning knob has freed up and works OK but is still a bit stiff. The plastic case I cleaned with some upholstery cleaner and polished it with Mr Sheen and it came up nice. The sensitivity of this little Russian radio is extraordinarily good, it picks up absolutely everything on all wavebands, and is one of the best in my collection in that respect. It's sound quality is so so, but OK for a 40 year old transistor set of this size. Howard Attached Thumbnails

17th Feb 2009, 3:11 pm	#2
Steve_P Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 6,644	Re: 1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable My very first Russian Set was one of these. I have three of them and they do work well. They also came out branded 'Sapphire'. Cheers, Steve P. __________________ If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...?

17th Feb 2009, 4:18 pm	#3
Tim Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 3,310	Re: 1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable Another fine restoration Howard. You really are the business on those Eastern block radios! __________________ "Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly."

17th Feb 2009, 5:28 pm	#4
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: 1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable Hello Steve, Tim, The brand name 'Astrad' was replaced by 'Vega' around 1973. I have the TOE service sheet for the Sapphire, and looking at it now, it is the same set. It never fails to amaze me how sensitive USSR transistor radios are, I guess they had to be as Russia is a big country. Howard

17th Feb 2009, 5:51 pm	#5
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: 1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable Very nice indeed, Howard. These Russian radios always look good to me - sooner or later I'm going to have to grab one! Up to now, the only ones I came across when I did it for a living were valve Unitras and Rigonda radiograms. __________________ Mike.

19th Feb 2009, 5:28 pm	#6
ianj Heptode Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 525	Re: 1970 Astrad 4TR8-M304 8 transistor MW/LW/SW portable What a neat little tranny....................I picked up an ITT from the same sort of era--they do look good, dont they?ianj