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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 10:48 pm   #1
Jolly 7
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Default Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

Hi folks. Here's an unidentified radio. It isn't working but has SW, MW in two parts and LW.
The outer case is leather and it has 8 metal case transistors and a glass diode inside, presumably all germanium. It even has two sockets on the side for a car aerial and tape recorder. Any ideas please as to what it might be ?
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 10:59 pm   #2
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

It looks like a kit to me.
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:02 pm   #3
Cobaltblue
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Looks a bit like the Roamer 7

Cheers

My Mistake wrong Roamer its the 8

Mike T
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Last edited by Cobaltblue; 22nd Feb 2018 at 11:08 pm. Reason: Wrong Roamer
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:04 pm   #4
Dickie
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

It's a "Roamer Eight".
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/radioe...ht_mk_imk.html
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:08 pm   #5
ms660
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Could be a Roamer 8:

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...h=%22roamer%22

EDIT: Post crossed.

Lawrence.
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:11 pm   #6
Dickie
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Absolutely dreadful things. I remember buying a Roamer 6 as a teenager and being very disappointed.
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Old 22nd Feb 2018, 11:46 pm   #7
Jolly 7
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

That's great. Many thanks to you all for the quick identification. Shall see if I can get the circuit etc.
from Radio Museum or elsewhere.
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 8:27 am   #8
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Here is a circuit for the Roamer 7 might be similar.

John
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 9:11 am   #9
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Looks like a TRF design but the RadioMuseum says its a SuperHet.
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 9:44 am   #10
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Given that there is no sign of any IFTs in th OPs photo I'd say its a TRF.
Also The RadioMuseum says the Roamer 7 is a superhet but is clearly a TRF according to Johns circuit diagram #8 so its info on the Roamer 8 may also be in error.
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 11:33 am   #11
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

I remember getting the kit to make up one of these as a Christmas present , I had got the kit for another set from them (Transona 5?) a year or so before and wasn't very impressed with that but thought one of these more expensive models was going to be much better - it wasn't though
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 12:56 pm   #12
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Default Re: Unidentified radio

Absolutely amazed that any of these Roamer kit radios have survived!

I must have bought mine around 1965. It certainly was not a superhet, it was a TRF, and I think it may even have had a "reaction" wire that provided some level of positive feedback from one of the rf transistors to the ferrite rod (you moved the wire within the box for best sensitivity, while trying to avoid feedback).

The knobs on Jolly 7 model do not look original. Mine were just like the advert posted by cobaltblue.

I just plugged £7 into the MeasuringWorth website and was horrified that this may represent between £116 - £367 in todays money. How could I have been so stupid? And where did I get that kind of money, at the age of 13 years old?

Verdict: A very expensive faux-leather handbag.
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 1:52 pm   #13
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Default Re: Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

I built a Roamer TRF many years ago; not certain which one, but the circuit was probably similar. Mine was in a plastic case. It worked, after a fashion. Triumph of marketing over substance, or merely the ignorance of youth?
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 2:18 pm   #14
music-centre
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Default Re: Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

They are not getting a very good review are they! - I see the copy of the advert on the RadioMuseum link now - Radio Exchange of Bedford was the company selling the kits, the other one I had from them was a "Transona 5" - at least that was only 47/6
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 3:50 pm   #15
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Default Re: Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

I had a Roamer 7 for my birthday ages ago, nice case.
 
Old 23rd Feb 2018, 4:51 pm   #16
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Default Re: Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

I built two of the horrible things. One for myself and one for my younger brother. His for some reason worked better than mine (maybe the output pair were better matched) but neither was much use except on medium wave.

Definitely misleadingly advertised- "air spaced ganged tuning capacitor" was part of the blurb but just about the first instruction in the build was to parallel the sections! TRFs as charged. They were a bit cheaper than the real deals like the Elegant Seven, which although not exactly elegant was at least a standard superhet with acceptable LW/MW performance.
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Old 23rd Feb 2018, 5:45 pm   #17
Jolly 7
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Default Re: Unidentified radio. (Identified as a Roamer 8).

It certainly seems that this kit radio didn't receive much love in its time and even now. However, in spite of the unspecified Ge transistors and the dodgy design, not to mention the three shortwave coils rolled on twigs, I will give it a go at repairing or improving. If all else fails, I will remove its innards and replace with a TA7642-based circuit, which is already working satisfactorily for me on a separate radio I built last year. Thanks John for finding the closest match of circuit diagram for me.
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