# Redifon



## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Are there any ex Redifon R/O's here?
I was with Redifon as R/O for a short while from October 1966. A very friendly company but on the downside the pay wasn't anything special. One oddity in Redifon, you had to complete your own paysheet - yes really...
(==D) 

Mike


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I did the same with AEI 1963-68. I think they even trusted you to put the correct number of Sundays at Sea down !

David
+


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Hi David,

Yes, its pay paysheets, Sundays at Sea and East of Suez bonus. What did they do in head office, spend their time correcting them 

Mike


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## bert thompson (Nov 28, 2005)

Joined Redifon in 1977. Was delighted to get full 21 years service credited after being ashore for eighteen years. Previous sea time was eight years. Was always on Panocean ships and joined them when they started to employ their own R/O's. Great times.


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Bert,

It's good to meet another Radifon R/O as we seem a bit thin on the ground here 
My memories of Redifon are a bit hazy now but I recall a Dave Wardley in personnel, though looking through previous threads he is mentioned in IMR employ..do you remember? I do recall a tour of the factory and also attending a course of their station equipment. I found that 'all Redifon' equipped ships were very good compared to what was available at that time.

Runs for cover as ex Mimco R/O's launch volleys towards me....(A)


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

mikeg said:


> Bert,
> 
> It's good to meet another Radifon R/O as we seem a bit thin on the ground here
> My memories of Redifon are a bit hazy now but I recall a Dave Wardley in personnel, though looking through previous threads he is mentioned in IMR employ..do you remember? I do recall a tour of the factory and also attending a course of their station equipment. I found that 'all Redifon' equipped ships were very good compared to what was available at that time.
> ...



Only one thing to say. "R50M"

(Also runs for cover..)


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Ah, but R408 - best analogue receiver ever placed on a merchant ship!


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## 5TT (May 3, 2008)

> Ah, but R408 - best analogue receiver ever placed on a merchant ship!


Yes they were pretty good, used to use the back of my 3rd finger to press the cal button, zero beat with same hand, and slide the cursor along with the other hand, all done in a heartbeat, crank the dial to where the station should be and there he was, nice filters and good s/n ratio. 
I loved the way the cw note would rise and fall slightly as the ship rolled, used to get quite musical in a storm 
I came across these and the Marconi Apollo in about equal numbers while I was at sea and was happy to sail with either.

= Adrian +


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

R408 great receiver until you hit the end stop!! then all hell breaks loose
till you manage to get the scale reset again---all good fun. Happy days!
cheers ftf


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Mimcoman said:


> Only one thing to say. "R50M"
> 
> (Also runs for cover..)


You can peek out from under the RR desk now - I didn't sail with the old R50M luckily but I'd heard a lot about it (EEK) It was more modern Redifon equipment for its day.


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

freddythefrog said:


> R408 great receiver until you hit the end stop!! then all hell breaks loose
> till you manage to get the scale reset again---all good fun. Happy days!
> cheers ftf


Had the scale film break away once (on a later v/l) - a joyous job to repair and an exercise in frustration. I did like the receiver otherwise though.


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

MIKE G.
Yes it indeed was very frustrating while quickly tuning ready for the traffic list and B_A_N_G, hit the end stop!! panic sets in as tuning all over the place looking for GKA list----missed it again amid curses and damnations and threatening to throw it over the wall!!
Moral of the story is get in RR early and tune slowly! cheers ftf


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