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

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Old 24th Feb 2019, 8:20 pm   #21
kalee20
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Default Re: Transistor radios with dial lights

There was one, which an uncle of me be had in the very early 1970's, a battery operated transistor portable. It had a push-and-hold switch to illuminate the dial. It had 6 wavebands, LW, MW, 3x SW, and FM. I seem to remember it was powered by torch batteries, rather than a PP9 type of thing.

But I can't remember the model! Except that it was none of the radios already mentioned- I have googled them to see if the photos look familiar. They don't.
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Old 24th Feb 2019, 8:32 pm   #22
turretslug
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Default Re: Transistor radios with dial lights

Otherwise, it ticks all the Astrad Solar boxes- I had one, the dial lights button was a small grey momentary push on one side of the tuning scale but a slight finger twist while pushing latched it, there were two of the mentioned 2.5V 60mA bulbs in series with one of those characteristic green film resistors across the 8x D cell supply. Very much regret its loss, I think it was given the push in the midst of a house move when I wasn't looking....
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Old 24th Feb 2019, 9:20 pm   #23
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Transistor radios with dial lights

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike. Watterson View Post
Some Koyo models have a lamp at both ends of the scale operated by a button.
I don't know why people want to replace scale lamps on old mains and battery sets with LEDs. Suitable bulbs are available and may have over 5,000 hours life. Clue is the colour temperature. A torch bulb looks quite white and often has a much lower voltage rating than the battery; it may have only 500 hours life. A scale or panel lamp looks quite orange, because the labelled voltage is lower compared to filament temperature than a regular bulb.
Also an LED has an illumination angle, a filament lamp is omnidirectional. Unless the LED has phosphors (which wear), it's monochrome.
Also originality.
So for parallel use, use a higher voltage bulb if a long life panel type isn't available.
For serial use, like a DAC90a, the current, not the voltage is the main issue if it's a panel bulb.
Each 10% reduction in working voltage (parallel resistor in a series chain, or series resistor / higher rated voltage on parallel) will approximately double life. If a replacement bulb doesn't look very orangey compared to a halogen or filament torch, then it's not a panel lamp.
I used a couple of miniature LES filament lamps in my aforementioned Hacker mod. They were secondhand (ex-equipment) when I fitted them, and they lasted several years.
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Old 25th Feb 2019, 3:13 pm   #24
Mike. Watterson
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Default Re: Transistor radios with dial lights

Earliest Ever Ready battery valve Model T has a button near central knob for scale lamp off the 1.5V LT.
The Transoceanic 600 series at least, uses a 1.5V hearing aid cell for scale lamp. It's series battery valve set with 9V LT and 110V AC mains. There is an unsafe ballast for 220V (as the 0V rail connects direct to one side of the USA blade plug!). I made a replica case that takes a C cell internally. It naturally doesn't use the mains PSU for the scale lamp. Despite the hype, I think the Philips, Pye, RCA and Hallicrafters battery valve "World Radios" are better. The Pye also has a magic eye. Later versions of the Philips have a magic eye. The Hallicrafters S72 has a BFO and mad number of valves for a battery set, but no scale lamp.
I've a feeling someone mounted a DM70 or DM71 on the tuning pointer, which might illuminate slightly.
I do have a Japanese transistor set (in the attic, so I forget brand) that has an LED on the tuning scale pointer, which helps in the dark. It also brightens with a stronger signal.
I have an Astrad Aura (from USSR era) with scale lamps, though they don't currently work.
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