# pye seamasters radio



## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

In the 60's to 70's going to sea with BP and no central aerial or radio cable to each cabin: One travelled with a radio, in a hand made canvas holdall, that had to be taken to and from the ship with ones personal belongings in a tin cabin trunk for that 6-8 moth voyage as a company man.
Many bought the new fangled short wave and vhf transistor radio's in Aden or Singapore, if one was lucky enough to trade there.(Thumb)(EEK)


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Benkson was the favourite with its genuine leather look case, aka cardboard.


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## mikeharrison (Aug 8, 2008)

david freeman said:


> In the 60's to 70's going to sea with BP and no central aerial or radio cable to each cabin: One travelled with a radio, in a hand made canvas holdall, that had to be taken to and from the ship with ones personal belongings in a tin cabin trunk for that 6-8 moth voyage as a company man.
> Many bought the new fangled short wave and vhf transistor radio's in Aden or Singapore, if one was lucky enough to trade there.(Thumb)(EEK)


I still have my Grundig Satellit 2100 portable radio, as purchased in the duty free store in Europoort, the Netherlands. The Grundig is large and weighs a ton when compared to lightweight modern radio receivers but it is a lovely radio with a lovely tone to it. Regards, Mike


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

mikeharrison said:


> I still have my Grundig Satellit 2100 portable radio, as purchased in the duty free store in Europoort, the Netherlands. The Grundig is large and weighs a ton when compared to lightweight modern radio receivers but it is a lovely radio with a lovely tone to it. Regards, Mike


Loved those, also the Nordmende Globetraveler. On US ships, the Zenith Transoceanic was king.


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## tiachapman (Mar 25, 2008)

had a pye for years got it nicked in liverpool bought a eddystone there that week still have it.


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

I got a Hallicrafters and it was fantastic.


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## David K (Feb 28, 2007)

.... I've still got a Zenith "Transoceanic". While it works, the switch/knob to change frequencies is very temperamental, requiring a delicate touch! ... David K


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Zenith !!! that's the name I've been trying to think of. A sort of Rolls Royce of short wavers (or so it seemed to me at the time.) 

.... and David, mechanical switches are the weak point in just about any kind of equipment you can think of. Sooner or later they are trouble. 

Thanks for reminding of that name, it's been bugging me for weeks. (My apologies Tuna, I should have read your post first.)

(Wave)


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

BobClay said:


> Zenith !!! that's the name I've been trying to think of. A sort of Rolls Royce of short wavers (or so it seemed to me at the time.)
> 
> .... and David, mechanical switches are the weak point in just about any kind of equipment you can think of. Sooner or later they are trouble.
> 
> ...


All good.
As for the switch, it might just need a cleaning.


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## David K (Feb 28, 2007)

*Worth trying again*



tunatownshipwreck said:


> All good.
> As for the switch, it might just need a cleaning.


... 'Tried that once before, but worth trying again, this time though my local radio repair shop. ( they seem to cater mainly to the local logging industry, and that's hard on equipment! ) ..... David K


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

bought a Grundig Satellite 2100 in Botlek,and carried it around in the same hand made canvas holdall.
What a plonker, it had the same dimensions and weight as a breeze block and as much use. Never picked up the World Service any better than those with a small SW radio that cost a tenth of the price. When the rotating SW barrel jammed and broke gave it the Panni Medaro.


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

My Hallicrafters was an S-38E and had totally brilliant reception. I bought it in Philadelphia and seem to recall it was $70/80 though could be wrong. The c/o told me I'd paid too much but never regretted it.


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

duquesa said:


> My Hallicrafters was an S-38E and had totally brilliant reception. I bought it in Philadelphia and seem to recall it was $70/80 though could be wrong. The c/o told me I'd paid too much but never regretted it.


My first SW radio was a similar model, I tried tuning in to all the dots on the face that promised cities around the world, all I got was a giant airplane sound or Morse code. It had not yet dawned on me (or Hallicrafters, inc) that SW stations often changed frequency.


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

tunatownshipwreck said:


> My first SW radio was a similar model, I tried tuning in to all the dots on the face that promised cities around the world, all I got was a giant airplane sound or Morse code. It had not yet dawned on me (or Hallicrafters, inc) that SW stations often changed frequency.


Like I said, never regretted the purchase and kept that little baby for many years. I stitched up a canvas shoulder bag to carry it in.


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

duquesa said:


> Like I said, never regretted the purchase and kept that little baby for many years. I stitched up a canvas shoulder bag to carry it in.


I had a lot of fun with mine, once I learned my way around it, I think it was Hallicrafters model WR-600. There was a Bollywood program from Radio Ceylon/SLBC, Arabic music from Radio Cairo, all the politics you could ever "dream" of, and even horse racing from the ABC station in Perth.


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Small Philips radios were popular 40s/50s as they were dual voltage , much later had a Philips multiband transistor, also during time at sea had Eddystone and Halicaftor Yesterday bought this Tecsun, don't need short wave but habits die hard. Nice and small for the hospital hurry up bag. Does everything it says on the label. Here's what a Ham says

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10283

My only gripe the buttons are rather small for shaky hands. Non technical opinion "Guid gear comes in sma bulk". Many Short wave stations are no more, including this one

https://clyp.it/mrhw3nc0


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## EimbTrader (Aug 25, 2007)

Bought in late 1970ies a portable Sony ICF-2001 in S'pore, a highlight that time. Have used it regularly in PG during Iran-Iraq war for receiving blind A1-transmissions from GKA. Frequency not very stable have to adjust sometimes, for CW not so critical but USB hellish... anyway better then nothing, and, yes, it fits in any kit bag!


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Yes also had one of those. The beauty of it was its size, they managed to pack quite a lot into a small volume.


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## tiachapman (Mar 25, 2008)

THE MERCHANT navy programe cabin full of beer swilling A B s


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

Old man on a Jebsens boat had a Sony ICF and kept asking me if it was a good night for a phone call through Portishead. Couldn't hear anything on the Kelvin Hughes Elektro mekano main receiver! Think it was Fort Yale that had a temporary FRG7 receiver while the REdifon R551 was sent back to the UK for resurrection. The sparkie I relieved fought tooth and nail to keep the FRG7 as it beat the R551 by miles.
Always carried some kind of Grundig with me.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I remember the old R551. A strange combination of synthesised receiver and mechanical gubbins to display the digits.


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## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

All,
Eddystone EB - 39 powered by 6 XU2 batteries, suitable for use in a Lancaster Bomber, however a good radio.
I went on to the Sony ICF (?) packed a punch for its size, now in my Garden House and in regular use.
Yours aye,

slick


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## 5TT (May 3, 2008)

> I remember the old R551. A strange combination of synthesised receiver and mechanical gubbins to display the digits.


I have one here and still use it on the ham station from time to time, paired with a home brew TX or sometimes an old Viking Ranger. I've got the optional synth too and can switch between that or the VFO (with the mechanical gubbins) for the bottom 99 khz.

I sailed with the R408 a few times but never the R551, however I'm sure I could have lived with it, rock stable, very sensitive on H/F at least and good filters.

= Adrian +


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I sailed with the R551 quite a few times as CP Ships favoured it for a while. Can't say I had any complaints about its performance. Before CP I sailed with the R408, and did my 2nd Class PMG on it at Leith in 1969. Again no complaints.

Mention the Redifon R50M to me though and I start to foam at the mouth. [=P]


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## tunatownshipwreck (Nov 9, 2005)

Bill.B said:


> Old man on a Jebsens boat had a Sony ICF and kept asking me if it was a good night for a phone call through Portishead. Couldn't hear anything on the Kelvin Hughes Elektro mekano main receiver! Think it was Fort Yale that had a temporary FRG7 receiver while the REdifon R551 was sent back to the UK for resurrection. The sparkie I relieved fought tooth and nail to keep the FRG7 as it beat the R551 by miles.
> Always carried some kind of Grundig with me.


I loved my Yaesu FRG-7 (also called the "frog") and wore it out.


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

I had a little Ferguson SW radio which did me for years.
One of the Border boats had a speaker in the R/O's cabin plugged into the Main Rx.
Oh what a good idea !!


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

posted by Sparks69:


> _One of the Border boats had a speaker in the R/O's cabin plugged into the Main Rx._


I though everybody did that, essential for long QRYs, or listening to the ball-by-ball.


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## ernhelenbarrett (Sep 7, 2006)

Thought the Hallicrafters were okay except for the speaker which was attached to the metal case and gave out a "tinny" noise. Had q bit of trouble
explaining to the crew that the Americans used a different voltage to the UK
120V or thereabouts compared to 240, quite a few Hallicrafters blew up as they would not listen to that info
Ern Barrett


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## sparks69 (Dec 18, 2005)

ernhelenbarrett said:


> Thought the Hallicrafters were okay except for the speaker which was attached to the metal case and gave out a "tinny" noise. Had q bit of trouble
> explaining to the crew that the Americans used a different voltage to the UK
> 120V or thereabouts compared to 240, quite a few Hallicrafters blew up as they would not listen to that info
> Ern Barrett



.....and on 110v DC ships too, some people never learnt........


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

I was generally suspicious of Sparky talking about anything above millivolts, Lecky was the man!


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

So, lecky fixed your cabin radio, did he?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

....A bit like letting an engineer loose with his can of WD40 and a VCR.

John T


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

I've never known a VCR or indeed a Seiko watch that wasn't improved by a good skoosh of WD 40.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Also Duck tape and thistlebond. A packet of paper clips also comes in handy. (*))


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Engine Serang said:


> I was generally suspicious of Sparky talking about anything above millivolts, Lecky was the man!


The real nightmare was a Chief plumber with a terminal screwdriver.


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## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

I had a "Grundig Concert Boy Automatic N" Had it for years. By far the best radio I ever had. Mains & Battery. It was knicked out of the back of a delivery van when it was being delivered back to the shop after a repair. The shop, whose van it was, replaced it with a Shaub? Laurenz? which had the same frequencies but wasn't mains. 
A National Panasonic was once owned by me as well. That also was pretty good.


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## john richards (Jan 11, 2008)

On one of Elders & Fyffes T Boats We had a TV in the Lounge that intermittently used to black out the screen and then came back on again. The Combined brains of the Lecky & the Sparky decided to tackle the problem. With the TV stripped down on the table mutterings about Capacitors & Diodes Residual voltage Avometers and voltage testers pocking about circuit diagrams. The 8/12 J/E was calling the watch and enquired what are you doing ? He was given a technical assessment to the problem by the Sparks, The Junior replied it`s the Plug you have to jam it in with a matchstick to stop it The plugs loose.! BOOM BOOM as Basil Brush would say .John Richards.


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

"The Combined brains of the Lecky & the Sparky decided to tackle the problem."

Time to check your lifejacket.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

How the technology has moved on. 

This little radio lives in my kitchen now. Has stunning quality sound given the speaker size, connects to the Internet and from there can pull in thousands of stations from all over the world. Remote control via the unit, or an app which guides you to listen to pretty much whatever you want.

It's digital of course. It's got a nice name too. (*))


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

Chief Plumbers do not use screwdrivers. Plumbers use them to hoke old packing out of glands. They are not to be used near electrickery, the clue's in the name.
Terminal by name and terminal by nature.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

You mean ... ? You mean ... ? you've actually seen a Chief in the Engine Room ??? [=P]


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

And as for the aerial outlet in my cabin, I've never seen any of them working, b1oody useless. Always use coat hanger out the port.

The day has long gone when the Chief or Master sat in their cabins in splendid isolation talking with Johnny Walker and John Jameson. They now have to pack a boiler suit in their luggage, bit of a bummer.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

You were probably trying to plug it in to the telephone jack.

And, come on! we all know those twisty springy things are meant to extract packing and not for for uncorking your cellar. I'll own that you might wear the little screwdriver because the little red end above the clip looks pretty on your clean white boiler suit but that does not mean that some of your tribe don't put the business end where it stops the light from shining.


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

David, there was always one of my erstwhile colleagues who offered to save the electrician time by disconnecting the evap distillate pump himself then he could overhaul it. (Close coupled device so had to be split on the workshop bench). Lacking the appropriate spanner for the terminal nuts he took a hacksaw to the conduit about 3' from the motor. Chief not impressed.


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## Engine Serang (Oct 15, 2012)

The Lecky probably didn't have a Batty Walla or a Mister Lampy and the young Plumber knew the job would therefore take an age and all hands would be on water rationing before the pump was disconnected. The terminal screwdriver couldn't turn itself.
Another example of pedantic Leckys pouring cold water on anyone showing initiative. I rest my case, and am off to open a bottle of Red Biddy with my packing extractor (Texaco circa 1971).


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

The future indeed....internet connected radio - I can listen to that failed Top gear host Chris Evans talking over the records on R2 in perfect quality from Oz.


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