Help identifying McMichael radio/radiogram

[Sideband]

When I was but a little ankle-biter we had a McMichael radiogram. I seem to recall it was only partly working (no radio) but my brother got the gram part working. Now I've identified the Radiogram as a 386 from 1938 and a YouTube video confirms it. A pity but eventually our radiogram was scrapped but not before I helped my brother dismantle it. I remember some of the valves as AC/HLDD and AC5 PEN and possibly an AC/TP something or other.


Now I wonder if there was a radio only equivalent (I couldn't justify getting the radiogram even if I could find one and wouldn't have the room for it anyway)? If so I'd like to look out for one to restore. I've done a bit of detective work with the help of Paul's DVD ROM and found a McMichael 381 radio which seems to have the right valve line-up but the radiogram equivalent of that is an 803 which is not the one we had. In fact I can't find info on the 386 radiogram either.


So basically does anyone know if there was a radio only version of the 386 radiogram?

[cathoderay57]

Hi Sideband, I have collected a few McMichael radios over the years but no radiograms. I've attached a scan of the 1939 McMichael catalogue which covers the period of the Radiogram Model 386. It's tempting to assume that the radio version might be adjacent model numbers; nothing so simple. The table Model 385 is listed against the Trader Sheet 184 (which also covers radio Model 362). I have got a 362 and its appearance tallies with the catalogue pic of the 385. However, it's a short superhet with an AC2/PenDD detector/AF output valve so not the same as the AC5/Pen that you suggest for the 386. The Model 387 is the Bijou battery portable with rotorbar tuning so again a completely different chassis to the 386. You are probably right that the table Model 381 is the closest you will get; it certainly has an AC5/Pen O/P valve but the Trader Sheet 399 says it is very similar to the Radiogram Model 803 that has a Garrard AC7A turntable. Maybe the 803 Radiogram was a later development of the 386. I couldn't find any service info on the 386. You might want to get in touch with David Cochrane here http://www.mcmichael.org.uk/contact.htm as he might have the definitive answer. Cheers, Jerry

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by cathoderay57

You are probably right that the table Model 381 is the closest you will get; it certainly has an AC5/Pen O/P valve but the Trader Sheet 399 says it is very similar to the Radiogram Model 803 that has a Garrard AC7A turntable. Maybe the 803 Radiogram was a later development of the 386.

The Trader's "Receiver Specifications and Prices 1935-40" shows that the 803 was a table radiogram, so if one of those were to turn up it might be an option. It has the 381's TV4 magic eye, but not the 381's press-button permeability tuning. The pamphlet confirms that there doesn't seem to have been a closer table radio counterpart to the 386.

Paul

[Sideband]

Thanks for the info guys and particularly Cathoderay for that link. I might just put the question to David and see if he can throw any more light on it. At the moment the 381 looks to be the best option. I wonder why there is no info on the 386 radiogram other than the picture in that brochure? Looking at those pictures, I'm convinced that the 381 is close as the style of the tuning scale is identical. It also states that both are a 5 valve 8 stage circuit with 5 watts output.

So now to try and find a 381.....!