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Old 12th Jul 2014, 10:45 am   #141
mhennessy
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

OK - that's a good start. With any luck the internal connections will have been made using battery "snaps", so totally reversible. Hopefully the lead carrying the power into the set fitted without the need to take a bite out of the rear panel.
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Old 13th Jul 2014, 12:02 pm   #142
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Mark,
Some pics attached of the inside. Perhaps you could clarify if the speaker is the gold Elac referred to in other posts (it is gold but I was expecting it to say "Elac" somewhere on it though?).
The mains conversion is very neatly done as you can see with wooden blocks made to fit where the batteries would have gone (I presume) and as mentioned it appears to have used the original battery connectors.
The transformer has nothing at all on it apart from "Taiwan" stamped on the base, no brand, no voltage input/output info. Unfortunately a very small hole has been made at the base of the rear panel for the cable albeit very neatly done.

I'm starting to want this radio for myself!!!

cheers
Gav
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Old 13th Jul 2014, 2:24 pm   #143
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Wow - that's very elaborate!

The external power supply does look home-made. Feel free to post a picture with the cover removed if you like. Obviously, if it's about to be sold, our advice about electrical safety is not legally binding in any way - you ought to get it checked by a qualified electrician first. In your shoes, I'd keep it as it's a great example, but if I had to sell it, I'd probably remove the PSU altogether. The batteries are cheap and readily available, and last for ages.

The loudspeaker is a "painted Elac", which is correct for that serial number. The later ones aren't painted, and the chassis is the same colour as the magnet. There is usually a label on the side of the magnet that carries the Elac logo - I think that I can just about see it on the right of the first picture.

I might be wrong, but the aerial looks pretty original to me.

All the best,

Mark
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Old 13th Jul 2014, 8:41 pm   #144
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Mark,

well thank you very much for all your help with this. I guess it's over to eBay now to get befuddled by the crazy prices.
One last photo attached of the aerial as the other's I've seen (not that many I admit) appear to extract straight from the body whereas mine has a swivel and 45-degree half-stop base (hope that makes sense with the photo) from which a short non-retractable part holds the rest of the fully extractable aerial.

I hope my info has helped with your continuing database.

cheers
Gav
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Old 13th Jul 2014, 9:35 pm   #145
mhennessy
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

That aerial should push down into the body of the set. Looks completely normal to me.

Good luck with the sale...
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 11:43 am   #146
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Mark,

Hunter number 3 for me! Bought from a forum member so apologies if it's already in your database (although I couldn't find the S/N in a forum search).

- Model designation: RP38A, "Hunter VHF",
- Serial number: 45143,
- Handle type: single piece,
- Grille type: extruded aluminium,
- Scale print: all white,
- DC input socket present - yes,
- Loudspeaker type and finish: "gold" Elac,
- Tone control knob style: silver fluted with black skirts

Hope that helps,

Nick.
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 11:56 am   #147
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Nick,

In theory, yours should have the old-style mesh grille. I've got 3 sets after yours (45208, 45391, 45547) that do. The earliest set I have with an extruded grille is 46815, though there's a bit of a gap, then a cluster starting at 49509, going through to 55415 before the change to "Hunter fm/am" took place.

I guess that you have a slightly earlier chassis in a slightly newer case.

All the best,

Mark
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 12:02 pm   #148
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

That's interesting, Mark.

I've just checked the S/N on the chassis and guess what? It is the same as the one on the self-adhesive label on the cabinet bottom! The whole set is in VG condition and does not give the impression of being a "bitsa", I have to say.

Could the new-style grille have been retrofitted to replace a damaged old-style one?

Keep up the good work,

Nick.
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 1:26 pm   #149
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Model: RP38A, Hunter
Serial number: 29,629 - outer label.
Handle type: single piece.
Grille: Mesh or pierced type (absolutely battered!)
DC input.
Elac speaker (Gold coloured)

This is an all Black rexine case inc. end cheeks -pity :-(

Mine has certainly been 'got at'. There are some long lead wires, one from the back of the PCB and one to the on/off switch - all going to a bunch of 3 large electrolytic caps. Presumably to form some type of smoothed PSU.
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 2:48 pm   #150
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Nick,

I think the woodwork changed substantially with the new grille, so it's unlikely to have been a retro-fit job.

However, your set is very close to the change, so it's perhaps conceivable it left the factory that way. Here's my theory:

On the chassis production line, some would display faults that needed specialist attention. So these would have been taken away, and returned into the "pool" at a later date.

Of course, the serial numbers are stamped onto the chassis - presumably before components are fitted to the chassis, or at least at an early part of that process. I believe that a set of matching serial number stickers were attached somehow to the chassis at this point, and at the end of assembly, these stickers would be attached to the bottom of the cabinet, the user instructions, the box, and perhaps other paperwork too.

Most of the time, no-one would be aware of these faulty chassis being delayed in the factory - no-one outside of Hacker would be monitoring the serial numbers. And for a set that hardly changed over its lifetime, no-one could ever discover this practice. However, with the Hunter - a set that did enjoy a lot of changes - we are starting to see evidence of this.

So, the chassis of your set, I suspect, was produced before the change of cabinet, but after the grille change (no green print), and would ordinarily have been fitted to a chassis with a mesh grille. But its passage through the usual production line was interrupted - probably because of a fault - and by the time it rejoined the line, the cabinets had been changed.

As a theory, that seems to fit. I need to look more closely at the other "unusual" sets I have on record, as while some of those are fairly obviously the product of a "bitsa" restoration, others are less clear-cut. I bet some of them could fit this same theory.

The more data we gather, the more interesting this project becomes! Thanks to all that have taken part so far, and new information is always welcomed.

All the best,

Mark
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 3:09 pm   #151
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael.N. View Post
Model: RP38A, Hunter
Serial number: 29,629 - outer label.
Handle type: single piece.
Grille: Mesh or pierced type (absolutely battered!)
DC input.
Elac speaker (Gold coloured)

This is an all Black rexine case inc. end cheeks -pity :-(

Mine has certainly been 'got at'. There are some long lead wires, one from the back of the PCB and one to the on/off switch - all going to a bunch of 3 large electrolytic caps. Presumably to form some type of smoothed PSU.
Hi Michael,

This is an interesting set. It's very near to a "change boundary", so could help us improve our data. Are you able to find the serial number on the chassis - it's near the volume control...

Either side of your set, I have 28438 and 30077 on record. The change that takes place at this boundary is the DC input socket. In broad terms it would be easy to assume that Hacker introduced this socket at 30,000, but your set is 29629. In reality, I doubt Hacker would have made a big deal about the DC input socket - would they have tried to align it with a particular serial number? Unlikely, but you never know...

Looking at the rest of the data, your set should have a painted Elac loudspeaker. Well, loudspeakers do get changed - perhaps by dealers back in the day, perhaps by restorers today. Sometimes you can tell by looking - do you think yours is original?

An all-black case is unusual at this point - the latest one of those I have on record is 16510, and as far as I can tell, the option to have black ceased at some time between 17402 and 18500. At this "change boundary", the case was changed slightly, and they went for a separate Hacker badge at the left of the panel above the loudspeaker - before that it was pressed into the loudspeaker grille at the bottom-right. Which does your have?

If your case is the older style, that does suggest that the DC input socket might have been a dealer retro-fit. You can usually tell these by the quality of the wood-work. Any thoughts?

Oh, I presume yours has some green print on the dial?

Sorry for all the questions

Mark
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 3:36 pm   #152
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Thanks for your thoughts, Mark. Fascinating!

N.
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 4:38 pm   #153
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

I have the set in complete bits now, even the grille and case have all been separated.

The serial number on the case bottom does match the one printed on the chassis near the volume pot. 29,629. Unfortunately I've rubbed the case number off (through cleaning) but it certainly matched.

The Hacker badge is above left (front on view) of my very battered grille.

The DC input socket might be original. Certainly the recessed cut on the inside of the case is as cleanly cut as the recess on the opposite side of the case. No evidence to say that it was done at a later date, at least it looks very professionally done.

White print on the dial with some Green.

Speaker is not painted but a gold coated Elac. Someone seems to have fit a socket for an external speaker. Not very professionally done, just left dangling inside the case. Probably done at the same time as the electrolytics.
I can't really say if the speaker has been changed. Maybe. . . . maybe not.

Vol & tuning knobs are plain aluminium. Tone knobs are fluted and skirted.

Apologies if it upsets the pattern. Maybe Hacker discovered an unused old case sitting on the parts shelf and couldn't bear to throw it away! Who knows.
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Old 25th Jul 2014, 5:06 pm   #154
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

The plot thickens

Your case is the mid-run style. There are 3:
  1. First used on the original RP38 - no Hacker badge. Only available in black initially, but fairly early on the option of teak was added...
  2. Separate Hacker badge. I think that the all-black option was dropped at this stage.
  3. Extruded grille. Teak only.

Now, from memory, I'm not sure how different the woodwork is between types 1 and 2. Type 3 is quite different to accommodate the new grille.

Given your serial number, you have the correct type 2 case, but the fact it's all black is unexpected (to me, at least!). My data suggests that the all-black option stopped with the type 2 cases (~18,500), but my data set isn't all that large in this region, so perhaps Hacker did offer the option of black at this time? Or perhaps it was a special order? The presence of the sticker is interesting, as these are hard to swap without leaving evidence (marked corners, etc).

The DC input seems to have become standard at some point during the type 2 run. From what you say, it's possible that your serial number helps us to narrow this change down.

Thanks for all the information, and good luck with your restoration!

Mark
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Old 9th Sep 2014, 8:28 pm   #155
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Mark.

One more Hunter recently added to my collection, details as follows:


RP38A 'VHF Hunter' Serial No. 34232

Grille: Mesh
Badge: Chromed brass badge
Case: Teak sides
Handle: One piece, no insert
Tuning scale print: White and green
Loudspeaker: Elac (gold)
Tone control knobs: Silver
Press buttons: Black with silver insert
DC input: Yes
Royal Warrant: No

Regards
Symon.

Last edited by Philips210; 9th Sep 2014 at 8:48 pm.
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Old 14th Sep 2014, 12:34 pm   #156
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Symon,

Thanks for the data, and apologies for the delay in responding...

I'm pleased to say that it fits the timeline as expected.

Thanks again,

Mark
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Old 16th Sep 2014, 6:44 pm   #157
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Mark

Another Hunter added to the collection.
- Model designation: RP38A, "Hunter FM-AM",
- Serial number: 62739,
- Handle type: single piece,
- Grille type: extruded aluminium,
- Scale print: all white,
- DC input socket present - yes,
- Loudspeaker type and finish: "gold" Elac,
- Tone control knob style: silver fluted with black skirts
- Royal Warrant

Regards

Jim
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Old 16th Sep 2014, 8:42 pm   #158
mhennessy
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Hi Jim,

Many thanks for the details. The only detail that seems incorrect is the handle - a set with that serial number should have the 3-piece type. I presume it was swapped at some point...

All the best,

Mark
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Old 16th Sep 2014, 9:01 pm   #159
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Default Re: Calling Hacker Hunter owners!

Sorry Mark, I'm guilty of cut & paste, it does have the 3 piece handle
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Old 16th Sep 2014, 9:23 pm   #160
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Excellent - so yours fits perfectly. Thanks for the update
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