VOLUME 14            MAY 1997                NUMBER  5

RADIO MISCELLANEA -- May 1997

From Antique Radio Classified for May 1997
(Copyright 1996-7 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

"Antique Radio Classified" invites its readers to contribute letters and information for inclusion in "Radio Miscellanea" and elsewhere in the magazine. "In The Marketplace" is based on information submitted by the businesses themselves. All topics should be of general interest and sent to A.R.C., P.O. Box 2, Carlisle, MA 01741. All material submitted should be verified for accuracy and may be edited for publication, which is not guaranteed. See the masthead for more details.

Ken-Rad Tube Code Info
Dear Editor:

Regarding Bryan Cowan's inquiry (March A.R.C., page 22) about the code "93-03" on the glass of a Ken-Rad 6550A beam pentode, I believe that it means the third week of 1993, not the third month of the year.

--Jim Farago, Minneapolis, MN

Round Radio ID
Robert W. Schaumleffel of Olean, N. Y., reported by telephone about Dave Vaughn's "unknown" round radio, pictured on page 13 of the February issue. Robert said that his similar set has RCA on the chassis and is marked Serial #25-132691. (Editor)

On a Rely-O-Dyne Model 5
Dear Editor:

I have a unit similar to Harry and Toni Blesy's "unknown" Rely-O-Dyne on page 15 of the March issue. Mine is a Model 5, manufactured by Better Radio, Inc., Chicago, Ill. It also has an original inspection tag inside from Electrical Research Labs, Chicago, Ill. My front panel is slightly different in that the tag is mounted above the three tuning dials. The plug jacks are also located further towards the edges of the cabinet. The cabinet style looks identical to the one pictured.

Inside, the five 01-As are located in a row near the back of the chassis. I cannot tell what brand audios are used since I did not take the time to remove the chassis. It also appears that some minor modifications were made to my unit. The on/off switch is located in the middle below the center large tuning dial. The set also has a hookup diagram inside the cabinet labeled "Print C." I would also appreciate any information on these units and hope what I have included here is of help to the Blesys.

--John Fritz, Lancaster, PA

Shipping Cost Increase
Dear Editor:

Buyers need an update on shipping costs. As of March 15, 1997, UPS has raised its residential ground rates by 4.3%. I get orders from buyers who expect to ship a 20-pound box from coast to coast for $2.50. It's the first pound that costs the most, while additional pounds cost about 50c per pound.

--Frank Krantz, Somerdale, NJ

On A.R.C.'s Rates and Services
Dear Editor:

Don't you think A.R.C. is getting a bit pricey for what it is? I have friends who are letting it go because of the cost.

--Dennis Branch, Willits, CA

Unfortunately, the cost of publishing A.R.C. each month continues to rise just like nearly everything else we all buy! We do our best to minimize the increases we have to pass along. Thanks to all for your understanding! (Editor)

Photo Review ID
Dear Editor:

Regarding Carl Kalmbacker's white mystery radio pictured on page 12 of the February A.R.C., I think that the cabinet looks as if it is from a Fada model, but I've been unable to find a photo of a matching Fada set.

On the other hand, "RPC" was used by Continental Radio & Television Corp. on some Spiegel, Inc. sets and some Clinton Mfg. Co. sets. If the ballast tube is L55BG, the set could be either a Continental Model 5C found in Rider's Vol. 9 or a Model 5CU found in Rider's Vol. 10. If the ballast is L49C, it could be a Spiegel Model 2006 or 2007 found in Rider's Vol. 11.

If the set really is a Fada, Model 450 in Rider's Vol. 9 uses a 115.23 ballast, while Models P50, PL50, and PUL50 in Rider's Vol. 11 use ballast 115.53.

A look at the ballast identification on the tube may help determine if this set is one of the above. There are about 45 other sets in Rider's using the same tube lineup and various other ballast tubes.

--Gerald Larsen, Elmwood Park, IL

In The Marketplace
Sinclair Archeology, written by Enrico Tedeschi, documents the achievements of Sir Clive Sinclair and his obsession with the miniaturization of electronic devices. His products in the form of components, kits, and complete units ranged from digital watches to electric bicycles.

Of particular interest to A.R.C. readers are the Sinclair's radios and radio-related products described in this book. Four chapters, consisting of over 60 pages, describe miniature, solid-state radios and TV sets, component parts, hi-fi equipment, and test equipment, all of which were sold by Sinclair from about 1962 through 1985. Four other chapters cover such Sinclair products as calculators, early computers, and electrically powered vehicles.

Sinclair Archeology consists of 130 plastic-bound pages in an 81/2" x 12" format, with over 300 illustrations. It sells for $17 in the U. S. (plus $8 packing and postage air mail) and is available from Enrico Tedeschi, 54 Easthill Dr., Portslade, Brighton, BN41 2FD, U. K. For more information, call : 011-44-1237-410749, or e-mail: enrico@brighton-uk.com

Windows 95 and Radio
Dear Editor:

It occurred to me that some folks might not have encountered this Windows 95 screen saver. I mean it's far from sliced bread and a few years old by now, but a nice retro piece of work. On the screen, a guy taps his foot slowly, presumably listening to the old console. An old telephone and two or three other objects float about, making occasional nondescript noises. It's one of the themes that came with the Windows 95 "Plus" package, and it's called something like "The Golden Era."

--J.G. Owen, South Huntington, NY