The red Zenith is cool, a classic; thanks for featuring it; I very much appreciate and enjoy your videos, thanks for all the time you put into them! Subscribed!
You are lucky to have AM stations in your area that actually broadcast music. Where I am (Baltimore metro area), it's nothing but talk radio, endless commercials, and non-stop sports, interspersed with colon-cleansing info-mercials.
The ITC set: "...a hodgepodge of floor-sweeping parts." Does this explain the use of separate tuning capacitors for AM and FM? Was a combined Polyvaricon so much more expensive? On saving battery power: I once read in a Reader's Digest article the advice not to listen to distant radio stations, because the receiver would have to 'work harder' to pull them in, thus draining the batteries!
@Shango066 Stop for a moment, and consider that "center tapping" an AC adaptor for a handheld transistor radio such as these would literally be as simple as two resistors in a voltage divider for the utter pittance of mA these draw... Granted that I have it on good authority that math is hard for kids these days, but you and I were both born in the 80s and thus taught math in school.
I've gotta love the lithium AAs for their life and lack of leaking, but they maeasure about 1.9V when new - do you think this is a problem, especially for sets with germanium transistors? Thanks for your effort and dedication!
Good morning Shango! I really like the color and style of that Zenith. It sound’s excellent. I’m really liking the internal tuning capacitor, it’s beefy. 😊 Happy holidays - From Central Florida 🌴🇺🇸
The size of the case and central tuning dial reminds me of my Orion 8 transistor that my grandfather gave me for my birthday in 1965. The tuning accuracy is also reminiscent. Mine was 9 volt, however, and the guts didn't look at all like that Zenith. I listened to many a night Met game (announcers: Bob Murphy, Lindsay Nelson, and Ralph Kiner), and my father in the bathroom getting ready to go to work listening to Don Imus. That Orion was a great radio until it started eating batteries and couldn't be used any more 😢
Those Energizer Lithiums are good. Their capacity isn't much higher than regular alkaline, but they will work down to -50 degrees C. Ran a high altitude balloon radio tx on them once.
Can't you cut the white heat shrink off the transistor to see if it has a number on it ? I also thought, looking at the crappy way it's made, you can probebly chuck any random PNP transistor in it. LOL
About the AC adapter, I managed to do it with a Motoradio from the 80's or 90's. It's a brazilian company that originally built their products, but after the 70's they just imported it from asian companies. Inside it looked pretty hongkoideal, but I just connected the battery wires to a terminal from an old internet router (drilled the case and attached it with glue) and used the old 7V adapter that came with it. My brother uses that radio in his kitchen now. Little scratchy sometimes, but works fine.
Back in time, when power was supplied from iron core transformers, most of states made, Hong Kong, Taiwan etc. made adapters used two diodes center tapped transformer arrangement, unlike european ones, both western and eastern that were more into full bridge single secondary winding, so to make an adapter for bipolar supplied radios, finding a center tapped old transformer adapter from junk bin (the older the better the chance) is not that hard of a start in the west and far east.
It's strange to see you install batteries instead of using a separate power supply battery. I understand why, though. Great presentation! Edit: I noticed it had 2 separate tuning dials. I don't recall seeing or having a radio with 2 separate dials independent of each other. I like that.
And besides, you can get rechargeable batteries. You need or use the old passionate nickel metal hydrate, or you can get the new style where they have the USB input on them. And they're like a lithium. I don't know much about the new style of rechargeable AA. I'm still kind of testing a few out...
5:44 "That big thing" The tiny transistor radios were far too small to be useful. The sound is absolutely awful. Though, to be fair, that big case is housing a typical tiny transistor radio.
The red Zenith is cool, a classic; thanks for featuring it; I very much appreciate and enjoy your videos, thanks for all the time you put into them! Subscribed!
Shango time !!
just like Jennings, there is always hope for these old creations~
You are lucky to have AM stations in your area that actually broadcast music. Where I am (Baltimore metro area), it's nothing but talk radio, endless commercials, and non-stop sports, interspersed with colon-cleansing info-mercials.
Excelent work Shango.
The ITC set: "...a hodgepodge of floor-sweeping parts." Does this explain the use of separate tuning capacitors for AM and FM? Was a combined Polyvaricon so much more expensive?
On saving battery power: I once read in a Reader's Digest article the advice not to listen to distant radio stations, because the receiver would have to 'work harder' to pull them in, thus draining the batteries!
@Shango066 Stop for a moment, and consider that "center tapping" an AC adaptor for a handheld transistor radio such as these would literally be as simple as two resistors in a voltage divider for the utter pittance of mA these draw... Granted that I have it on good authority that math is hard for kids these days, but you and I were both born in the 80s and thus taught math in school.
20:00 Is this a Jason JJ Cruz special?
The BC range of transistors are popular in England, (and probably Europe)
Those Zenith radios take a lickin and keep on tickin
I've gotta love the lithium AAs for their life and lack of leaking, but they maeasure about 1.9V when new - do you think this is a problem, especially for sets with germanium transistors? Thanks for your effort and dedication!
Yeah, you gotta put a diode in series with them.
Good morning Shango! I really like the color and style of that Zenith. It sound’s excellent. I’m really liking the internal tuning capacitor, it’s beefy. 😊 Happy holidays - From Central Florida 🌴🇺🇸
The size of the case and central tuning dial reminds me of my Orion 8 transistor that my grandfather gave me for my birthday in 1965. The tuning accuracy is also reminiscent. Mine was 9 volt, however, and the guts didn't look at all like that Zenith. I listened to many a night Met game (announcers: Bob Murphy, Lindsay Nelson, and Ralph Kiner), and my father in the bathroom getting ready to go to work listening to Don Imus. That Orion was a great radio until it started eating batteries and couldn't be used any more 😢
Those Energizer Lithiums are good. Their capacity isn't much higher than regular alkaline, but they will work down to -50 degrees C. Ran a high altitude balloon radio tx on them once.
Pure Honkoidial goodness!
45:45 That really made me think. All my exes really do live in Texas. Even the one from Minnesota. 😆
Zenith! Sucker just WORKS! No squeal or distortion, really. The ITC radio was likely sold at White Front, LOL.
Can't you cut the white heat shrink off the transistor to see if it has a number on it ?
I also thought, looking at the crappy way it's made, you can probebly chuck any random PNP transistor in it. LOL
About the AC adapter, I managed to do it with a Motoradio from the 80's or 90's. It's a brazilian company that originally built their products, but after the 70's they just imported it from asian companies. Inside it looked pretty hongkoideal, but I just connected the battery wires to a terminal from an old internet router (drilled the case and attached it with glue) and used the old 7V adapter that came with it. My brother uses that radio in his kitchen now. Little scratchy sometimes, but works fine.
Awwwww Hills Yussss! Relaxing lowkey transistor radio video. =3
Back in time, when power was supplied from iron core transformers, most of states made, Hong Kong, Taiwan etc. made adapters used two diodes center tapped transformer arrangement, unlike european ones, both western and eastern that were more into full bridge single secondary winding, so to make an adapter for bipolar supplied radios, finding a center tapped old transformer adapter from junk bin (the older the better the chance) is not that hard of a start in the west and far east.
Amazing I love it ❤
It's strange to see you install batteries instead of using a separate power supply battery. I understand why, though. Great presentation!
Edit: I noticed it had 2 separate tuning dials. I don't recall seeing or having a radio with 2 separate dials independent of each other. I like that.
This needs 2x 1.5V, his external battery provides 3V per cell, so he can't use it for this.
And besides, you can get rechargeable batteries. You need or use the old passionate nickel metal hydrate, or you can get the new style where they have the USB input on them. And they're like a lithium. I don't know much about the new style of rechargeable AA. I'm still kind of testing a few out...
Shango TIme!
I have one of the little Royal 50 Zeniths like that first one. It's just kind of a putty color. My granddad bought it new, and it's been passed to me.
14:19... someone was high-ly mota-vated 😵💫💨
hey shango , you're a smart guy ... what's your take on the drone thing ... I live in the affected area and it's getting crazy
You don't see made in USA on much these days.
Just missiles, bombs, and fighter jets
Roberta Waits
5:44 "That big thing" The tiny transistor radios were far too small to be useful. The sound is absolutely awful. Though, to be fair, that big case is housing a typical tiny transistor radio.
Lo-key transistor Saturday munchieness. Hope we get at least a little crustitine
Nope clean as hell 😂
Number 4 . And weeks after the election, California still counting the votes.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
👏👍❤❤❤❤❤👌
Shangri-La