Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

[mhennessy]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for all those details - a decent collection

Originally Posted by Radiocruncher

RP38 'VHF Hunter' Serial No. 4732

All good!

Originally Posted by Radiocruncher

RP38A 'VHF Hunter' Serial No. 17902

Badge: Pressed aluminium with larger type font
Case: Teak sides and no vinyl on base (looks like it was made that way)
Press buttons: Silver with concave depression

This one also looks good - only clarification concerns the badge. For a set this age, I'm expecting it to be still the type that is pressed into the grille rather than being a physically separate type. I'm guessing that is the case, but thought I'd check...

However, this set is right on a "change boundary", so if the badge is a separate one, that'll bump it along to the next column. But the badge - if present - should be the brass and chrome type. The separate pressed aluminium ones came much later...

The lack of Rexine on the base is interesting - does it look like the set in post #93, with just the small strip below the grille but on the front panel? If so, that's an earlier cabinet, which puts it in the "no separate badge" camp.

The buttons should be the same as your later sets. If different, is there any chance of a picture? Do you reckon they are original?

Originally Posted by Radiocruncher

RP38A 'VHF Hunter' Serial No. 52374
RP38A 'fm-am Hunter' Serial No. 57093
RP38A 'fm-am Hunter' Serial No. 58457

These are all good - thank you

Cheers,

Mark

[mhennessy]

Originally Posted by Edward Huggins

That "dubious" FANE may be a replacement unit. I don't think Hacker ever sourced from Fane - they could get all the (size, cone, magnet) options they wanted from Elac or Goodmans. It also has a rather small magnet too. Edward

I have a very early Hunter (2208) with that unit. Admittedly, we only have 2 of these on record, but so far, so good.

Remembering that the Hunter was originally conceived as an economy model, I could well believe that they went for a cheaper unit than the established Goodmans unit. But it's interesting that they didn't stick with it for long. My set is in storage now, but I don't remember it sounding all that bad compared to the slightly later sets bearing a Goodmans. Perhaps it wasn't as reliable? I also believe that the move to the Elac unit was about saving cost, but if only they'd used it in some of the other sets

All the best,

Mark

[Radiocruncher]

Originally Posted by Radiocruncher

RP38A 'VHF Hunter' Serial No. 17902

This one also looks good - only clarification concerns the badge. For a set this age, I'm expecting it to be still the type that is pressed into the grille rather than being a physically separate type. I'm guessing that is the case, but thought I'd check...

However, this set is right on a "change boundary", so if the badge is a separate one, that'll bump it along to the next column. But the badge - if present - should be the brass and chrome type. The separate pressed aluminium ones came much later...

The lack of Rexine on the base is interesting - does it look like the set in post #93, with just the small strip below the grille but on the front panel? If so, that's an earlier cabinet, which puts it in the "no separate badge" camp.

The buttons should be the same as your later sets. If different, is there any chance of a picture? Do you reckon they are original?

Mark

I've checked again and all the info I have given is correct.

The badge is indeed chrome lettering with black enamel background. No writing on the grille.

The rexine is as per post #93 with a small strip on the front face

The push buttons are smooth chrome with a definite dip and are nothing like my other Hunters. They also look original.

Its a bit of a howler this radio and it's on my vast list of restoration projects. I have included some images of the bits in question. I am happy to do a short video if you want a closer look around the whole set so let me know.

Thanks

Graham

[mhennessy]

Brilliant - thank you for the extra clarification

Those buttons are interesting - I don't immediately recall seeing that chromed type before. I think that we identified some subtle differences in the silver types used in the very early sets. However, it's been a while since I started this, so I could easily have forgotten something...

Regarding the case, I think I need to refresh my memory. The base is definitely entirely covered with the later style (extruded grille), and I know the earlier ones have the small strip (as per #93). But for some reason, I thought that the intermediate models like yours - with the separate badge but still a mesh grille - had a full base covering. But as I think about it, it does makes sense, as your model still has the removable front panel assembly.

That said, I have said in my notes that from ~18,000 the base is entirely covered in Rexine. I wonder where that came from? Perhaps either was possible? I've put a question mark by that conclusion for now...

Annoyingly, most of my Hunters are packed away in storage, awaiting restoration. And generally, I've seen far fewer of the earlier examples compared to the later cabinets with the extruded grille...

So, thank you again. I think we can confidently place your set in the next column, and as you'll see when you look at the latest copy of the data (attached), 17902 has firmed up the boundary considerably.

All the best,

Mark

[Radiocruncher]

Mark

Glad to be able to help with your ongoing quest. Great to hear that I have something a bit more unusual as well. The buttons actually look really good. Before reading this thread I didn't really notice much difference until I started going through them. I shall have to advance this one up the restoration queue. It will need recovering though but I still have some old black rexine which is a match to keep it as original as possible. Keep up the good work.

Kind regards

Graham

[wireless_john]

Here's mine Mark. Let me know if there's anything else you need to know.

John

1. Acquired from a friend who got it at a car boot sale.
2. Serial number: 23985
3. Teak sides, black colour front and back
4. Tuning Scale: Green and White
5. Speaker: Gold coloured ELAC – the gold colour might be cadmium plating?
6. Grille: Aluminium mesh – no logo on bottom right
7. Royal Warrant: No
8. DC Socket: Yes
9. Handle: looks like aluminium with curved ends and profile.

[mhennessy]

Hi John,

Thank you for those details. The only anomily is the DC input socket - the earliest example I have in the main table is 30077. Do you think it's a factory original? I think that there was a kit you could get to add a DC input socket, so it's perhaps one of those?

All the best,

Mark

[wireless_john]

Hello Mark,

The DC input looks like its always been there. I've attached a few photos.

John

[Brian R Pateman]

The item in picture 4 and 5 looks like an aerial socket to me.
The DC input socket is on the opposite side of the case above the earphone socket on my set (RP38A S.No. 52647 post 5 in this thread).

[TonyDuell]

Are you sure that's a DC input? It looks more like a (car) aerial socket to me.

[mhennessy]

Mystery solved! Thank you

Yours has a different aerial as too. Well, the tip, at least...

[wireless_john]

You're all correct! No DC input! Me not paying attention! Sorry.

The aerial isn't the original. It was missing when I acquired the set and this was the closest I could get. I advertised for one on the Yahoo Hacker site and was sent this one by Jim Kerfoot.

John

[DrTerror]

- Model designation - RP38A, 'VHF Hunter'.
- Serial number - 46862
- Handle type - single piece.
- Grille type - extruded aluminium.
- Scale print - all white.
- DC input socket - Yes.
- Loudspeaker type and finish - Gold Elac with what appears to be '8HE' on the magnet.
- Tone control knob style - Silver cap,on black plastic knob.

[mhennessy]

Thanks to the mods for re-opening this thread

And apologies for DrTerror for not acknowledging this one at the time. I did add it to my data, and still had the tab open on a machine, ready to reply. I guess I thought I had.

Anyway, it's an interesting one.

At first, it was looking like the change to the extruded grille took place at around 49,000, but we did have one at 46815. But that one looked like an odd one, all on its own, until your one came along.

So there is still a large gap between ~46,000 and ~49,000, but having 2 sets at that sort of number makes me feel better.

I presume your set does not have a Royal Warrant?

Thanks again,

Mark

[mhennessy]

And also from DrTerror - via PM, which alerted me to the fact this thread had auto-closed...

Originally Posted by DrTerror

I have just got hold of another RP38A,with the S/N 36116,which also has the Aluminium badge (like 36119),mesh grille,white & green tuning markers,18V in,and mine has a plain volume knob (no black marker).
So it looks like there was more than one 'odd one'...The mystery gets deeper!.

This one looks OK apart from the badge. As you rightly say, there is another with a very close serial number to have the same "wrong" badge. Now, these could have been swapped by a restorer, but equally they could be factory-fits. I'm sure there would have been a transition period when the new badges came in, and it's easy to see how the production lines could have been kept going when the old brass badges were out of stock by borrowing a few aluminium ones. While we will never know the true answer, the more data we have, the more accurately we can surmise...

For now, I'll put it next to the other 'odd one'.

Cheers,

Mark

[mhennessy]

Final one for now - arrived via email a couple of days ago:

Originally Posted by akuram1

Just bought 53075 today at charity shop for £4.99 and it is in perfect working order after a clean-up. Very happy.
Grille Extruded
Badge Pressed Aluminium Badge
Case style Teak sides
Handle One piece
Scale print White
Loudspeaker Elac I think
Tone controls Silver
Buttons Black with Silver inserts
DC input Yes
Royal warrant No

Thank you for that. All present and correct, and something of a bargain

All the best,

Mark

[DrTerror]

Originally Posted by mhennessy

This one looks OK apart from the badge. As you rightly say, there is another with a very close serial number to have the same "wrong" badge. Now, these could have been swapped by a restorer, but equally they could be factory-fits. I'm sure there would have been a transition period when the new badges came in, and it's easy to see how the production lines could have been kept going when the old brass badges were out of stock by borrowing a few aluminium ones. While we will never know the true answer, the more data we have, the more accurately we can surmise...

For now, I'll put it next to the other 'odd one'.

Hi Mark.

I would say mine is definitely un-restored!.It was caked in about 40 years of kitchen grease (Damn those deep fat fryers!),and it came with a non Hacker PSU,(but still a really good one,totally noiseless) which is in the same sort of condition (sun damage,cobwebs,and kitchen grease,but works well).

By the looks of it,it has been sat in a kitchen,aerial extended,since new!.I don't think it has been used much,as the volume pot is totally noiseless,but the tuning knob was/is a bit 'crackly',which IMO says who ever had it before me,tuned it in to one station,and left it there for its life time,just like my grandparents did!.

Another thing,both PP9 connectors inside the case,were in a small plastic bag,tightened up with a totally brittle elastic band,and both foam circles were there too...All disintegrated the second they were touched!.

Deep cleaning the old girl tomorrow...

[Cobaltblue]

This one is on its way to a new owner however here are it details:

- Model designation RP38 Hunter VHF
- Serial number 05844
- Handle type single piece
- Grille type sheet aluminium
- Scale print all white,
- DC input socket None
- Loudspeaker type Goodmans
- Tone control knob silver
- Push Buttons Black, Silver top
- Royal Warrant No

Cheers

Mike T

[mhennessy]

Hi Mike,

Apologies for the massive delay in replying to this. The tab has been open in my browser all this time, but there's always something else happening...

The only detail that isn't right is the pushbuttons. With this serial number, they should still be the silver type. At least, I have 2 later sets with silver buttons. I wonder what's happening here - perhaps the originals were in poor condition? While it doesn't seem terribly likely, it is possible that the PCB, complete with buttons, was swapped by a previous owner?

Regarding the handle, that should have an insert. Sets of this sort of age should be black, and so the insert should be black to match. Can you remember if these details are correct?

Thanks, and sorry again for the delay.

Mark

[McMurdo]

Model designation (RP38 or RP38A, "VHF Hunter" or "Hunter fm/am"
RP38A Hunter VHF

-Serial number
53671

-Handle type (single piece or the later 3-piece type)
single

Grille type (sheet aluminium or extruded aluminium)
extruded

Scale print (all white, or with some green)
all white


DC input socket (or not!)
yes

Loudspeaker type and finish (most were "gold" Elac, earlier ones had a grey
painted frame, earliest examples used a Goodmans loudspeaker)
gold elac

- Tone control knob style (most were silver, the very later ones were
black+chrome)
black/chrome