Posted on 01/11/2013 3:10:42 PM PST by virgil283
"In 1967, Radio Shack introduced the DX-150 general coverage ...Over the next few years, this line underwent several improvements.. . In 1975 the DX-160 was introduced with the most noticeable change being the addition of a LW band (150-400 kHz). This family of radios was made for Radio Shack by General Research of Electronics, Inc. of Japan....My impressions? This is as solid a radio as I could ask for given its age and simplicity of design. It has reasonably good selectivity and you have to be careful to tune it slowly or you'll miss the station you're looking for. The external speaker gives good quality audio. And--well, what else can I say--it just looks like a radio is supposed to look.
It's big --and add another 3" for the external speaker), solid (weighing in at about 15 pounds), seven knobs, four switches, and a pleasant glowing face. I can't imagine the shack without one of these types of radio in it. Until I got the DX-160 I had my Heathkit SW-717 on the bench. There is no comparison in their performance
(Excerpt) Read more at hamuniverse.com ...
I had a 61 Olds which had a big AM radio. It didn’t work when I bought the car used around 1970. I bought it from one of the football players at Troy. I was a student at the time and took it to the local electronics repair place and he fixed it for just a few dollars.
I have no idea why but it was the best sounding radio I have ever owned. I still remember driving in the North Carolina mountains with a strikingly pretty girl and the clear beautiful voice of a lady, I think named Collins, singing “Amazing Grace”.
I bought a Zenith Transoceanic 600 (I think) at an antique shop some yrs. ago. Paid $35 for it.
Best I can tell it dates back to late 40s.
I didn’t know Transoceanic’s were produced back that far and farther..
Plugged it in one time and it worked. But I’m afraid to try iti now as tubes, esp. one of them are next to impossible to find.
So it sits above my desk on a self.
Sold my Collins KWM-2A last month. Mint condition with manuals and in the original factory boxes. Buyer is having it powered up and tested by an expert and it should be ready by tomorrow. I hope I hear from him.
Bought mine in 78 with my highschool graduation money. Still have it too.
I was listening to the BBC the night Saddam invaded Kuwait in 91 using it,
Thanks for posting.
My older Brother who was an electrical engineer, had a Zenith Transoceanic. I don’t remember the model but it only had a few tubes and also had an antenna which could be placed on a bus window with I guess suction cups.
I remember him playing it for me and being amazed that a radio with only something like 5 or 6 tubes could pick up so well.
It’s been years since I did any DX’ing. I still have my Kenwood receiver but the aerial isn’t hooked up. Since the ‘net, I haven’t paid much attention. Are the pirates and other entertainments still out there? I remember ‘number’ stations being run by foreign powers for espionage and even Radio Moscow. Anybody still airing Kurt Saxon radio shows? That guy was truly out there back then - pretty tame by today’s standards. Maybe I should go hook up a dipole . . .
*radio ping*
and even rarer, the R-520A/URR
I have a Panasonic which looks almost just like that one except it has digital dials. It came with a long, maybe 40 feet long plug-in antenna. I have misplaced the antenna but still have it somewhere.
That Grundig looks very cool! I bought a Sangean CC Radio plus, which has served me very well for the past 10 years or so.
For those interested the URL for the Amateur Radio Relay League is ARRL.org. Something in it for everyone. Especially need more folks for Amateur Radio Emergency Service AND Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. We do the last mile to the front door. Age and attrition are taking a toll in em com operators. Plenty of free training. Look around for any Incident Command courses given in your area. Can do ICS-100 and ICS-200 in line at FEMA.gov. Check with your local county Emergency peratins Center for the local “Ham radio” support group. ARES and/or RACES are supported by county emergency management. Our page is AA3E.org
I have a Kenwood TS 820 setup. Radio, ant tuner, ext VFO and speaker. Mail me if you are interrested.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.