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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

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Old 22nd Oct 2018, 3:40 pm   #1
boxdoctor
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Default Portadyne puzzle. ID required.

I wonder if anyone can identlfy this strange Portadyne?
I found it literally in a barn, and took pity on it.
It had no mains lead, and the telltale stump of a linecord cut off inside the set.
Briefly, I fitted a series capacitor heater feed, and did away with the valve rectifier in favour of a silicon diode etc. to reduce heat generation in the small cabinet. Works very well now, aligned and generally fettled. All valves were O.K., and original, I suspect, too.
The strange thing about it is that it has medium and short waves only, but the station names are those one would expect to find in the U.K. at the time.
If it was a "Planters" model, I would see no point in having U.K. station names on the dial, and expect tropical bands to be available as well. Most odd.
I cannot find any reference to it, or anyting similar, despite much searching of the net.
Anyone know of it, or a similar model?
Incidentally, the orange paxolin sheet fastened to the inside of the back is to prevent fingers contacting the second I.F. can, which sits right against the back panel! Tony.
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Last edited by boxdoctor; 22nd Oct 2018 at 3:45 pm.
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Old 22nd Oct 2018, 5:01 pm   #2
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Portadyne puzzle. ID required.

I've found Portadyne sets hard to identify, I have 3, and all of them have nothing on their backs indicating a model number.
All you get is "Portadyne" on the scale.
The set I have closest to yours is this one I restored a few years ago, late 1940's I suspect.
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Old 22nd Oct 2018, 5:21 pm   #3
Paul_RK
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Default Re: Portadyne puzzle. ID required.

The MU5 was a 1946-7 midget set for MW and SW. A substantial thread on it here, but no general photo of the cabinet or chassis:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=117858

It does seem to have been marketed in the UK, at £15. 8s. 9d., but will have been a hard sell without LW.

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Old 24th Oct 2018, 5:52 pm   #4
boxdoctor
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Default Re: Portadyne puzzle. ID required.

Thank you both for the suggestions.
MurphyNut, your cabinet is very like mine except for the positions of the controls. It may be a similar set. As matter of interest, what wave-bands does yours cover? My bet is that it is the same basic circuit. Thanks for the pics.
Paul, Thanks for the link to the other thread. Seems like the same one.
Its well-made for the time (? immediate posr-war), and has an aluminium chassis.
I think the mystery of the model number may never be solved! Its a "curiosity", but, personally, I rather like it. Tony
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