On Nov 20, 11:43*am, RHF wrote:
*If* you are looking for a 'classic' old Transistor Radio
that was made with Discrete Components {No ICs}
take a look at these . . . some are just AM/MW only.

Looks like most are AM/FM only, some have VHF/UHF public service bands
on them. I only noticed two with SW bands.

Biggest minus is that these simple, old single-conversion circuits are
not very selective. They're also not terribly sensitive, though that
can be compensated for by connecting them to a good antenna and ground
system. Tuning will also be a touchy matter (no bandspread, and
backlash *will* probably be an issue). Biggest plus is that these
simple analog circuits take very little current compared to modern
digital communications receivers; batteries last *much* longer,
particularly if the set takes C or D cells. Another plus is that
they're great for listening to major broadcasters if there's no nearby
signals, because that wide selectivity makes for good audio quality.

I will say that the "Grand Prix" looks real tempting with its cool
retro-60s styling. Might need to have a few capacitors replaced (45-
year-old electrolytics sometimes are all dried out), but that's not a
terribly big deal.

If you really want a classic old transistor SW receiver, the best are
the Zenith Transoceanic Royal series (good luck finding an NOS one,
however). They used extra tuned sections for better selectivity, and
allocated a separate tuning range for each broadcast band (much less
touchy to tune stations that way). Hallicrafters and Heathkit also
made some respectable battery-operated transistor SW radios in the
60s.

--
David Barts
Portland, OR