CONTENTS

Japanese Hi-end Radio
　Introduction
　Radio and Broadcasting in Japan
　Production of Hi-end Radio
　5 Tubes TRF: Unique Japanese High Grade Radio
　Hi-end Radios of Early 1940's

Radio Museum　(UPDATED)

We difined the word "Hi-end Radio" is super heterodyne and TRF with 2 stage RF amplifiers.

NOTICE:
Gothic is latest updates.
When not mentioned specially, all prices are original retail price.
Japanese terms or company names that is untranslatable are shown in Italics.

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Japanese Hi-end Radio

Introduction

　Many commercial broadcasting station existed in U.S.A.
In Europe, listener could receive many stations from neighboring countries.
Then, many super heterodyne receiver put on the US and European market in 1930s.
However, Japanese market was deferent from US and European market.

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Radio and Broadcasting in Japan

　In 1935, Japanese broadcasting celebrate 10th anniversary.
Listeners increased over 2.5 million.
Production of radio sets increased 150,000 a year and established as industry.
Only one broadcasting company existed in Japan.
This is "Nippon Housou Kyoukai (The Broadcasting Corporation of Japan)".
Now It was called "NHK". This abbreviation "NHK" was used from 1946.
Until 1945, It was called "Housou Kyoukai". We will use "NHK" in this article.
In the city 2 wave existed. In other areas only 1 wave was presented.

　The greater part of program was sent through the transit network in nationwide.
Then radio set did not need selectivity and sensitivity.
Foreign broadcasting station using same language did not exist around Japan.
Short wave listening was prohibited by government.
Japanese market did not need super heterodyne receiver.
Main stream of Japanese radio was poor regenerative straight receiver with 3 or 4 tubes.
Super heterodyne receiver was minority.

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Production of Hi-end Radio

　From 1931 to 45, in wartime, hi-end radios still existed in Japan.
From 1938, Japanese production of hi-end radios increased rapidly.
At late 1930’s, Japanese business trend was a war boom.

　From 1931 to 45, in wartime, hi-end radios still existed in Japan.
From 1937, production of hi-end radios increased rapidly.
At late 1930’s, Japanese business trend was a war boom.
And the importation of foreign high-grade radio and radio phonograph was prohibited.
Then the rich people became getting Japanese hi-end radio and radio phonograph .
In 1938, The peak of production was celebrated.
The number of production in 1938 was as follows.
Super heterodyne Receivers: 72,330
Radio Phonograph: 7,347
(from statistics by METI)
It’s a 13% of total production of radio.

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5 Tubes TRF: Unique Japanese High Grade Radio

　In Japan, Many TRF 5 tubes (with 2 RF stage) put on the market as hi-end set.
Typical line up was 58-58-57-2A5-80. Speaker was electro-dynamic type.
Cost and price similar to super heterodyne set.
The reason for prevailing these expensive TRF set was low engineering level.
If the local oscillator was stopped, super heterodyne receiver became out of use.
If the tracking adjustment of TRF set was imperfect, receiver did not stop receiving.
To realize and maintaining the super heterodyne set, high quality parts and test equipment needed.
The quality of radio parts was poor and small factory and radio shop did not have enough test equipment.
Many hi-end receivers used in the country far away from radio station.
In this area, maintaining the super heterodyne set was difficult.
The number of stations was limited.
High selectivity was not needed.

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Hi-end Radios of Early 1940's

　After the 08/12/1941, The produce of hi-end radio continued.
However user of such high performance radio changed from rich people to government office.
The condition of communication systems such as telephone, telegraph and postal service grew worse.
From 1943, The notification from government to prefecture transferred via radio broadcasting.
The government in prefecture needed high performance radio.
The condition of electricity also grew worse.
Battery operated super heterodyne receiver for emergency use supplied to government.
However, number of production was limited.

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Radio Museum　INDEX

Super Heterodyne Reciever　　　

　ELMAN Model unknown　　　　　　　7 tubes　　　　　　Taiyo Radio Manufacturing Co., Ltd.　　　　　1937 ?　
　Victor　R-122(JR-122)型　　　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1937　　　JPY 97.50 (Link to other file)
　Nanaora Model　250　　　　　　　　　7 tubes　　　　　　Nanao Radio Co.,Ltd.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1938 ?　
　National Model 6S-10(Early type)　6 tubes　　　　　　Matsuahita Radio MFG. Co., Ltd.　　　　　　　1939　　　JPY 165.00
　National　6S-10(Later type)　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Matsuahita Radio MFG. Co., Ltd.　　　　　　　1942　　
　Victor Model R-106　5 tubes　(Modified Portable)　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1939　　　　JPY 120.00
　Victor Model 5R-70 　　　　　　　5 tubes　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1939　　　JPY 155.00　(Link to other file)　(NEW)
　Victor Model 6R-70　　　　　　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1939　　　JPY 185.00　(Link to other file)　　
　Victor Model 6R-75　　　　　　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1940-42　JPY 207.00　(Link to other file)
　Victor Model 6R-80　　　　　　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1942-44　JPY 171.80　(Link to other file)
　Columbia Model CR-130-B　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　Nippon CHikuonki Shokai K.K.　　　　　　　　　1941　　　JPY 207.00　
　Wave "Aikoku"　　　　　　　　　　　　5 tubes　　　　　　Ishikawa Musen Denki K.K.　　　　　　　　　　1941　　　JPY 84.20 (official price)　
　Mikasa Model SD-7　　　　　　　　　7 tubes　　　　　　Ogawa Musen Kogyo K.K.　　　　　　　　　　　1942
　Hermes Model KS-6　　　　　　　　6 tubes　　　　　　The Osaka Musen Co., Ltd.　　　　　　　　　　1943　(Link to other file)　

TRF (with 2 stage RF amp.) Reciever　　

　Victor Model R-103　　　　　　　　　　5 tubes 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1938
　Victor Model 　5R-20　　　　　　　　5 tubes with Time Switch　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　　1938　
　Victor Model 5R-15　　　　　　　　　　5 tubes 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1940　JPY 125.00　
　Columbia Model CR-100　　　　　　　5 tubes 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nippon CHikuonki Shokai K.K.　　　　　　　　　1940 ?　
　Columbia Model CR-102　　　　　　5 tubes 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nippon CHikuonki Shokai K.K.　　　　　　　　1941　　
　Seikwa Radio koshuha 2dan-shiki　5 tubes 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yaou Radio Manufacturing Co.,./Koa Musen Denki Kougyosho　1942 ?
　Victor Model 5R-25　　　　　　　　　　5 tubes 　　　　　　　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1941-43　JPY 112.43 (official price / 08/1942)　
　Victor Model 5A-10　　　　　　　　　　5 tubes Semi-transformer less　Victor Talking Machine Co. of Japan, Ltd.　1941-42、JPY 90.60 (official price)

Imported Reciever　　　　

　　RCA Victor Q-33型　8 tubes 5 band all wave　RCA Manufacturing Co.(U.S.A.)　1940　

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Super Heterodyne Reciever

ELMAN Model unknown　7 tubes　Taiyo Radio Manufacturing Co., Ltd.　1937 ?

TUBES: 58-2A7-58-58-2B7-2A5-80 Electro-dynamic Speaker (Nanaola)

　1935年創業の新興勢力である「エルマン」ブランドの大洋無線電機の最高級受信機。普通の高一受信機より2周りは大きい高級機である。
58-2A7-58-58-2B7-2A5-80 の高一中二の7 tubesで、七欧製ダイナミックを駆動する。
このセット、エルマンのダイヤルを付けてはいるが、トランスはシーク、スピーカはナナオラ、コンデンサは日本無線など、一流メーカの部品が使われている。
銘板は無く、シャーシにエルマン製のセットを示す証拠は無い。また、当時の資料では、同社製品にこのような構成のスーパーは確認されていない。
一部にエルマンの部品を使用してラジオ商もしくは中小メーカが組み立てたものと思われる。キャビネットは市販品を使ったものだろう。

　この時代、各社がスーパー受信機をカタログにラインナップしているが、生産台数は非常に少ない。
国産のスーパー受信機の流行が始まった頃のセットである。

(Collection No.11790)