1953 Philco Model B-650 Personal Portable Radio

I've had this one for awhile--not the most attractive color, but it's in better condition than most of them today. Its design shows how the personal set evolved--from a clunky "brick" to a more elegant handbag design.

Runs on two 964 1.5 volt A batteries and a 437 75 volt B battery--also called the "balanced battery" kit. The idea was that all three batteries would wear out at the same time. Before they were introduced, you had to replace the A battery three or four times before the B battery finally quit.

One of the early ferrite-rod antenna radios. Philco called theirs the "Magnecore."

This one's in original condition, unrestored. Only big glitch it has is with the tuning cap. One of the vanes is touching another one, and as the thumbwheel is turned, it produces a large amount of static. Like Pa Kettle, "I'll hafta fix that one of these here days...." :-)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 1950s
• antique
• radio
• electronics
• Philco
• battery
• tubes

[ObiTrev]

0:07 The music coming out of it's speakers is causing the paint to fade.