Commando II 4 band radio

[Trevell]

Hello everyone. I'm looking for some help and information on a radio I have acquired. I really don't know much about radios so I thought I'd come here to look for advice from those who do. I a have a commando II 4 band radio, the only other identifiable words on the unit is "supersonic". Does anyone know about this radio? i.e year of manufacture, current value etc.

Thanks in advance, if any other information is needed, just ask.

T

[AC/HL]

A less enigmatic photo might help. Does it have any other detail, country of manufacture etc.

[camtechman]

If you could provide a picture of the front of the radio that would be more helpful.

[MotorBikeLes]

Just a guess, West German origin from late sixties since it appears to have a fixing for a car mounting bracket, and has a slightly "later" Germanic look.
A full frontal is always good to see.
Les.

[Trevell]

I had tried to upload a few photos but it seems only the last one posted.

[Edward Huggins]

Looks like a UK Export version or a French/German make. Note the Bandspread feature. Early 1970s? - a new one to me. Edward

[Hybrid tellies]

Very interesting radio with good comprehensive coverage of all the short wave broadcast bands including the lower tropical bands.

[paulsherwin]

My guess would be it's an early 70s east European export set.

[Martin Bush]

I nice looking set in my opinion.

I've had a quick look online and found that Cossor used the name 'Commando' and also found a company called 'Supersonic' who still make multiband radios.

Both may be red herrings of course.

[hamid_1]

The original post did mention the name "Supersonic" on the radio.

I wonder if this was a product of Supersonic Radio of Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Africa.

There are some other Supersonic multi-band radios from Zimbabwe on the Radiomuseum website, such as this one http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/supersonic_chairman.html and this one http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/superso...nquest_iv.html as well as brief details of the company.

It's definitely not made for the European market - there's no Long Wave, which was pretty much essential here, and the medium wave band is labelled "BC" instead (meaning "Broadcast"). With the additional short wave bands, this radio would have been more useful in an African country with relatively few local stations.

So my guess is that it may have been made in Zimbabwe, southern Africa, sometime in the early-mid 1970s. Value - probably not much, sadly, unless you happen to find somebody seeking that exact model to fill their collection, or for nostalgia because it was the one that Grandma had.

[Martin Bush]

I like the look of the set and am glad hamid_1 has shed some light on the possible manufacturer.

We don't know yet if it works...

[paulsherwin]

The Zimbabwe suggestion is very plausible, as the radio doesn't have FM, which would have been standard for a radio of this type in Europe in the 70s.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Martin Bush

I've had a quick look online and found that Cossor used the name 'Commando' and also found a company called 'Supersonic' who still make multiband radios.

Cossor's "Commando" was a 2-way mobile radio series available from the late-1950s through to the 1970s. I don't think your radio's part of that particular series!

[Meat Pye]

I googled Supersonic radios and found a number being sold on bidorbuy.co.za, which confirms the Zimbabwean origins of the radio but possibly of South African manufacture. Do you have any more details about the radio? Is it mains or battery powered? If battery, then which kind? Any sockets on the back for a SW aerial?

[G6Tanuki]

I'd support the opinion that this was probably intended for the African market: the "Shortwave 1" band covers the 60- 75- 90- and 120-Metre "Tropical" broadcast-bands.

Central/Southern America also made use of the "tropical bands" - as, paradoxically, did Canada! These days there's not much to be heard on these frequencies: in vast swathes of Africa people now generally "listen to the radio" by streaming on their mobile phones, just as they pay for things using their phones (M-Pesa) rather than using cash.

[Trevell]

The only sockets are the ones in the first picture, and also a headphone one on the front. It takes D batteries. I think I might go and find some to see it it works. Cheers for the info folks.

[wireless_john]

I think early 70's is a good bet as I think that's about when megacycles became megahertz as it says on the radio.

[HamishBoxer]

Normende?

[MotorBikeLes]

NordMende? NO!
But it does have that German look as I said earlier.
I still think it looks like it fits a car bracket though, which just about all the German manufacturers produced back then.
So, is there a matching notch on opposite end, and is there a connector block (possibly covered) on the bottom?
Les.

[paulsherwin]

It is styled like the big European sets of the 70s, but I still think the Rhodesia/Zimbabwe origin is the most likely. A look inside may provide more info.