"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello.

I always had a "soft spot" in my heart for the rectangular 9-volt
batteries as these were the norm when I got my first transistor radio -
a Realtone 6-transistor - which I thought was the absolute "cat's meow"
at the time. I used to go riding on my bicycle all over the place and I
always took this radio with me. I just couldn't imagine anything better
than to have a radio on my bike!*

The 9-volt batteries were very inexpensive. The Pep Boys, a local auto
parts store, sold them for 5 cents apiece! Later on, Radio Shack would
GIVE them away - you brought your "Radio Shack Battery Card" into the
store once a month and you could have one free battery of any of the
common sizes - AA, C, D, or 9-volt. As it took TWO months to get two
free AA's but only ONE month to get a free 9-volt, I always favored
9-volt-powered radios.

Today, I have two pocket AM-FM portables still in use - a Panasonic
Model RF-521, purchased sometime in the 1990s, which uses two AA
batteries, and a General Electric Model 7-2582D, purchased in the
1980s, and which uses the 9-volt battery. Both radios perform equally
regarding sensitivity, selectivity, and so forth, but the GE, being
slightly larger, has noticeably better sound quality.

Nowadays of course the 9-volt batteries are far more costly than two AA
batteries, though, in these radios, they seem to give equal length of
service.

I do not know if any radios are still being manufactured using 9-volt
batteries as their power supply.

I just still have my (irrational) "soft spot" for that battery!

Best,

Joe

Joe, your fond reminsinces make me realize that I may have been too harsh in
my stated opinions of the 9V battery. I don't want to give the impression
that I dislike 'em as much as I dislike -- say -- IBOC.

The lowest price I remember for the things was about 19 cents. The ones
wrapped in cellophane like a pack of cigarettes seemed to cost a few cents
more. But this was well after the fifties, when everything connected with
shirt pocket portables was still new and expensive. I've seen old Zenith
ads in which they claim that the difference in cost of replacing the
batteries in their AA penlite powered radios was enough to make up a
significant part of the increased price of their radios.

I do know that flashlight battery powered radios were cheaper to run than
transistor radio battery powered radios. We had a Silvertone radio which
would go a year between changing it's six D cells. I know that's not a fair
comparison with the 9V transistor radio battery, but the 9 volters seemed to
have a lifespan best measured in hours.

And it's not like I think the 9V battery is completely useless. I was
considering putting some LED illumination behind the dial of my
Hallicrafters TW 1000. I was concerned about the visibility of the dial
markings under the monochromatic illumination of the LEDs. So, I figured I
could take three different 9V battery snaps and LED up some red, yellow and
green flashlights. I didn't actually do it, but I did think of it. And I
also figured I could glue an opamp, deadbug style, and a tiny watch crystal
sized 100 kHz crystal, on a snap and make crystal calibrator. It works fine
on perfboard! That's not to mention the Zener diode noise generator and the
650/1300 kHz LC signal generator for peaking antenna/RF circuits. Yep, I
could have done it all on 9V snaps, but I didn't.

It's starting to look like 9V transistor radio batteries are more useful
than I am. Damn.


*Today I use a Sony ICF-SW35, normally kept in my car, when I go bike
riding. I STILL can't imagine anything better than having a radio on my
bike!

I'll take it you mean there's nothing better -- on a bike.

Frank Dresser