Fona (Marconi) 580 FM Tuner - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

bart846 · 29th Aug 2013, 4:56 pm

Does anyone know this tuner? I am in search of more details.......

cmjones01 · 30th Aug 2013, 8:26 am

It seems to be labelled in Danish. I don't know whether that makes it a Danish product, or an export from somewhere else.

Also, it looks like a live chassis AC/DC design, so how you might go about connecting it safely to another piece of equipment needs some thought.

Chris

Nickthedentist · 30th Aug 2013, 9:12 am

I wonder who Fona were? Importers, maybe?

There is a Philips set with their badge on it here: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips...?language_id=2

A 1935 set here: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-65237/r213.jpg

One of their shop fronts: http://radiobutikker.mono.net/9212/FONA

A model service van: http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot...9&Section=3113

The set looks almost home-made, though obviously isn't. I presume it was designed to be hidden away in an existing, older radiogram, so its appearance was unimportant.

N.

bart846 · 30th Aug 2013, 5:11 pm

Thank you all for the answers until now. It seems that Fona is, according to their site, a:
"... major long-standing cross channel retailer of electronic goods in Denmark. Brand recognition is at 98% within the Danish population."

So presumably they were selling various brands with their own label.

This makes me wonder what Marconi factory was producing these FM tuners.

And yes the unit is equipped with U valves and a huge resistor in series with the heaters, with ( sometimes

live chassis.

The unit is clearly made as a setup box for standard AM radio's with gram input.
As the scale shows, Denmark had at that time only 2 FM stations.....Maybe that might be some indication about the year of manufacture.

29th Aug 2013, 4:56 pm	#1
bart846 Triode Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: The Hague, Netherlands. Posts: 14	Fona (Marconi) 580 FM Tuner Does anyone know this tuner? I am in search of more details....... Attached Thumbnails

30th Aug 2013, 8:26 am	#2
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,681	Re: Marconi 580 FM tuner It seems to be labelled in Danish. I don't know whether that makes it a Danish product, or an export from somewhere else. Also, it looks like a live chassis AC/DC design, so how you might go about connecting it safely to another piece of equipment needs some thought. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

30th Aug 2013, 9:12 am	#3
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,866	Re: Marconi 580 FM tuner I wonder who Fona were? Importers, maybe? There is a Philips set with their badge on it here: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips...?language_id=2 A 1935 set here: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-65237/r213.jpg One of their shop fronts: http://radiobutikker.mono.net/9212/FONA A model service van: http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot...9&Section=3113 The set looks almost home-made, though obviously isn't. I presume it was designed to be hidden away in an existing, older radiogram, so its appearance was unimportant. N.

30th Aug 2013, 5:11 pm	#4
bart846 Triode Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: The Hague, Netherlands. Posts: 14	Re: Marconi 580 FM tuner Thank you all for the answers until now. It seems that Fona is, according to their site, a: "... major long-standing cross channel retailer of electronic goods in Denmark. Brand recognition is at 98% within the Danish population." So presumably they were selling various brands with their own label. This makes me wonder what Marconi factory was producing these FM tuners. And yes the unit is equipped with U valves and a huge resistor in series with the heaters, with ( sometimes live chassis. The unit is clearly made as a setup box for standard AM radio's with gram input. As the scale shows, Denmark had at that time only 2 FM stations.....Maybe that might be some indication about the year of manufacture.