Unusual pocket radio - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

lightning · 5th Aug 2021, 3:17 pm

l came across this radio for sale online, it says two transistor, which seems to be the case.

It also has a speaker, so how well is it going to work with only two transistors? l am tempted to buy it, just to find out!

Paul_RK · 5th Aug 2021, 3:51 pm

It will have a reflex circuit. Performance is pretty minimal, but quite a lot of this sort of thing were sold in the early '60s - I've one somewhere with "Boy's Radio" on the back although the speaker grille is in shocking pink with a multitude of glass "diamonds"! At a time when pocket radios were out of reach to many children, these drew lower taxation though being classed as toys, which helped sustain a market for them.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=131899

By the late '60s six-transistor sets were selling in their hundreds of thousands at a little under £2, and lesser radios had almost disappeared.

Paul

5th Aug 2021, 4:42 pm

I remember a "Take 20" PW project from when I was a kid. "A one transistor loudspeaker radio", the starting line was "Until there is a law against cruelty to transistors", must have been the '70's.

lightning · 5th Aug 2021, 4:43 pm

The link to various one and two transistor radios is really interesting

Paul_RK · 5th Aug 2021, 4:51 pm

Going back a little further, here's another of our past visits to the topic.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=29635

5th Aug 2021, 3:17 pm	#1
lightning Heptode Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 712	Unusual pocket radio l came across this radio for sale online, it says two transistor, which seems to be the case. It also has a speaker, so how well is it going to work with only two transistors? l am tempted to buy it, just to find out! Attached Thumbnails

5th Aug 2021, 3:51 pm	#2
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,256	Re: Unusual pocket radio It will have a reflex circuit. Performance is pretty minimal, but quite a lot of this sort of thing were sold in the early '60s - I've one somewhere with "Boy's Radio" on the back although the speaker grille is in shocking pink with a multitude of glass "diamonds"! At a time when pocket radios were out of reach to many children, these drew lower taxation though being classed as toys, which helped sustain a market for them. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=131899 By the late '60s six-transistor sets were selling in their hundreds of thousands at a little under £2, and lesser radios had almost disappeared. Paul

5th Aug 2021, 4:42 pm	#3
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Unusual pocket radio I remember a "Take 20" PW project from when I was a kid. "A one transistor loudspeaker radio", the starting line was "Until there is a law against cruelty to transistors", must have been the '70's.

5th Aug 2021, 4:43 pm	#4
lightning Heptode Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 712	Re: Unusual pocket radio The link to various one and two transistor radios is really interesting

5th Aug 2021, 4:51 pm	#5
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,256	Re: Unusual pocket radio Going back a little further, here's another of our past visits to the topic. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=29635