Repairing 2 Retro AM Transistor Pocket Radios

[@Boggedy]

Two radio repair videos in as many days? We are not worthy.

[@vhfgamer]

I love these little transistor radio repairs. Sure the radios themselves aren't all that useful today with the state of AM radio, but the diagnosis and repair process is very useful. For example, I just recently diagnosed a problem with a vintage camcorder using tactics I learned here on one of Shango's transistor radio repair videos. So THANKS Shango!

[@Suddenlyits1960]

I can remember when seemingly everyone had a transistor radio.They were a part of the fabric of life. Kids would hang them from the handlebars of the bikes, folks who had cars without radios would hang them from the rearview mirrors to listen to while driving. People had one to take with to work to listen to on their lunch breaks,or when they went camping. They were as omipresent as smartphones back in those days,back when AM radio was still packed with channels playing music. Now its all poltical talk,sports talk,spanish speaking and religious stations. Very few play music.

[@Desert-edDave]

Shango is spoiling us with two radio repair vids in one weekend. :D

[@NickNorton]

With these AM Radios the Ambassador is spoiling us 🙂

[@perrymckinney6146]

I started out in electronics by playing with these kind of am pocket radios. I wanted one as a kid, people gave me radios that was going in the trash, I felt so lucky when I fixed one. Long before I discovered what fm radio was all about.

[@jeffshaw4039]

I had one of these cheap radios back in the 60s AM radio. Was the king back then.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

I see pocket radios are making a comeback. There are ones from Panasonic, Sony, and others in the stores. I've had different ones, over the years. Some were bad, and some were very good, in relation to their sensitivity, and overall quality. It's awesome to listen to distant radio stations at night. I remember when AM stations weren't all talk radio, and sports. There was great music on the stations. It was much better. Those were unique looking capacitors on that organ circuit board. Cheers!

[@111000100101001]

“All Transistor”…so many they can’t count! Excellent teaching of simple to do diagnostics.

[@leetucker9938]

omg , Xmas has come early with new shango066 video

[@blazertracer1]

2 vids this weekend. We are spoiled. Love it.

[@yanfishtwig2356]

there's something so evocative about listening so someone on the other side of the word cruising through the stations in there area..

[@MyChannel-rf8ic]

The last couple minutes of the video is hilarious. Good job.

[@oceanicfeeling3135]

Really enjoy the transistor radio resurrection videos. Thanks.

[@ZtownTrain]

This is such a cool youtube channel, i love watching you repair radios. I have a little GE transistor readio that was my Grandfathers and its still going strong. Thank you for the videos.

Superbe video!!! I was born when transistores were invented so I serviced many valvular radios and earlier transistors. I appreciate that youth like you love these electronics. Cheers from Patagonia Argentina

[@PapiDoesIt]

I think all of us who are 45+ years old had a radio like that.

[@FieldMarshalFeels]

I watch these more for the rants than the actual repairs

[@mariofilippi3539]

Thanks again for another instructional and entertaining video. I remember these as a kid growing up in the '60s. I had a 2 transistor unit and envied those with 6 transistor radios :). Most came with a cheap plastic case cover and an earphone. These radios were our version of the SmartPhone.

[@randyvance9048]

As a kid with their bargain city ge transistor radio listening under the covers at night to cklw I approve of this video.

[@geralderdek282]

That current limiting bulbs a great idea. I once had the output transistors burn up from thermal runaway before i knew it was happening.

[@One-Crazy-Cat]

This weekend has been awesome. 2 Shango videos. Im truly blessed.

[@DavenHiskey]

My friend Tony Montana loves transistor radios, helped to keep his sanity while in freedom town.

[@nickb.8876]

Awesome to see a video today. The testing station is back on the air! Heard it going through LAX the other week

[@douggrisack5916]

Sunday shango! Ive got a Japanese amfm pocket radio working well has civil defense marks. Also a 3volt calgary stampeders pocket radio marked with 770 am new in box. Love those old radios.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

I've also seen an AM/FM radio kit advertised at a auto supply store (which also sells different items). It's got a cardboard case, and it comes with a 9 volt battery. No soldering is required. It sells for around $14 Canadian. I've been thinking of purchasing it to see how well it works.

[@randyab9go188]

One of the reasons tantalums failed is the thought of the day was you could run them right up to the design voltage on the capacitor. Something you would never do with an electrolytic if you wanted a longer life. I got this from a capacitor engineer and he said if you would derate them let's say in a five volt circuit you used a 10 volt tantalum instead of a six they wouldn't short as much.

[@waltschannel7465]

Cracks me up that the Fiesta radio has a Pioneer speaker.

[@taj1460]

Plastics solvents and heavy metals is that keeps me going in this day and age.

[@SignalSmoker]

i really dig the way you take a cap and just bridge one on the board, i saw you do this before and i want to try this tactic. i've a stack of 2-way radios to repair... also to say that you are going against the naysayers by using an esr meter. ive always wanted to get one but i hear too many arguements against them. thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@markanderson350]

I had the GE radio in the 70s. It was 5 bucks at Kmart. It worked quite well

[@aluminumfence]

On the first day of Christmas The Shango gave to me, A Japanese Transistor Radio.

[@mikefinn2101]

Another great morning with my coffee with my favorite video Shano. Thanks

[@BruisersBeaters]

I've been using your videos as vocal reference of the on air staff of KNX. Long time DX'er, with winter setting in here, the DX has been great. I've been getting KNX at night clear enough I can understand them, here in Milwaukee. Always learn something from you regardless, every video.

[@LyonsArcade]

I think you enjoy working on these, or you wouldn't keep doing it, and the only thing restraining you is you think we don't want to see a boring video with a simple repair. YES WE DO WE WANT IT EVEN IF IT'S BORING KEEP DOING IT WE WANNA WATCH

[@moisesalexandrewielckensci3237]

I like watching these radio repair videos, they helped me with the repairs I made myself. Radios with germanium transistors perform better. Thanks for the great content.

[@LakeNipissing]

The Fiesta gets the Pioneer speaker for that super loud sound!!

[@WC0125]

Great Sunday video from Shango. Thank you!. BTW - it looks like neither are from Hong Kong - Both say Taiwan. Fiesta has a rocking Pioneer speaker from Japan.

[@pcno2832]

Seems that the Taiwanese versions of these designs tended to be sold in the USA, while the British-sold versions were more likely to be made in Hong Kong. This was probably driven by tariff rates.

[@turle8645]

I like how that tube isn’t even a 6LQ6

[@jeffking4176]

I like using these cheap little radios, even if they aren’t great performers. 📻🙂

[@michaelturner4457]

The Fiesta is from around 1968. Date code on the Pioneer speaker is 6811.

[@HappyDiscoDeath]

14:15 the snake river! Idaho represent!

[@bobbyk6585]

Hold on just a dog gone minute... two Shango videos in as many days. Yahoo! I could get used to this...

[@defaultuserid1559]

The Fiesta looks upscale with that square of wood grain surrounding the tuning dial.

[@W1RMD]

What!? You don't like BS? ("Brother Stair") Great video! I always enjoy your humor and knowledge.

[@gretalaube91]

When I was a wide-eyed, penniless kid in the late 60's, my Elmer showed me how to use these crappy AMs as IF's. A switch on the AVC cap was the BFO. Some of the converter transistors would reach 80m. I am trying to be that Elmer now, but few care. Sad. W3IHM

[@55benchguy]

Nice Video . Great Detail. I use to collect these old radios. Have a big box full somewhere. I guess I should try to find them and get them working again. My only fear is that the batteries might still be in a few of them.

[@nyki7fykxtjxyi]

This video reminds me I've got a pile of organ circuit boards somewhere.

[@audubon5425]

I believe Fiesta was the same as Juliette, both distributed by Topp in Miami

[@jsciarri]

Hrach Agajanian is Jason JJ Cruz in disguise.

[@WECB640]

"And the HITS, just keep on comin !" - Bill Drake

[@randynelson2265]

You use to take them to church so you could listen to the ball game using the earphone. 😁

[@josephmagedanz4070]

You would take it to Dodger Stadium to hear Vin Scully call the game. That's having your cake and eating it, too!

[@OldSkoolF]

Woo Hoo Da Bills on Shango AM @8:00! Another great video... Thanks.

[@LeonardoX86]

Shango is the QAnon Shaman of vintage electronics 😂

[@Columba_Kos]

Some fan of yours (and a bunch of other radio-tv guys) has made a FB page to echo your content: "Radio and TV Repair Universe." ;-)

[@_Ramen-Vac_]

Cool font on that ~ALL fancisistor, we says!

[@richardbrobeck2384]

funny the no name radio worked better I bet the Pioneer branded speaker did help some too !

[@lox_501]

Yo shango wango....mechanics that deals with the mathematical description of the motion and interaction of subatomic particles, incorporating the concepts of quantization of energy, wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, and the correspondence principle.

[@Kevin-bp9wj]

Like the myth busters Adam and Jamie.

[@craigs3183]

On the inside cover of the GE radio, I noticed on the label that the unit could be sent to GE in new Hartford NY for service. I know where that factory was since one of my uncles worked there.

[@mydlenski]

You are now part of the public lexicon. Time to court campaign donors

[@erikburman530]

FYI: Puff is picofarad. Mumford is microfarad.

[@mechtrician1]

Anytime I see a for-sale post with “PM if interested”, I automatically know it’s a scam post. They avoid using marketplace. Also turning off comments keeps people from flagging it as spam publicly. We see it all the time on another group I’m an admin on.

[@AiOinc1]

Another video so soon? Christmas is here early!

[@JerryEricsson]

I had a cheap transistor radio (ALL CHANNEL) with a stuck variable cap. Same as most AM transistors. I was going to change it but for shits and giggles, I sprayed some WD-40 on the shaft. An hour later it was freed up and still works with AM/FM/SW (give away Borg Johnson brand)

[@aristocrat_000G]

olde tyme goodness~

[@johnfranklin5277]

Wow! We had both these !!

[@chrisa2735-h3z]

Some scalpers sell these type of radios for a lot of money😔 they ruin it for everyone else!

[@UDX-340]

Excellent , thnx shango .

[@walterbatman7949]

Great video

[@lolcott]

How about it let’s go let’s fix some radios

[@pcno2832]

0:13 That Fiesta on the right looks identical to the Juliette (Topp Electronics) pocket radios I had as a kid (I actually destroyed 2 of them). I wonder if the whole thing is a clone, guts and all, or if the case came from a separate vendor. At least one of the Juliettes had 2 little dots in lieu of proper CONELRAD markers, even though it was made 6 years after the end of CONELRAD.

[@kpanic23]

You should be able to read those caps like resistors: brown-black-green = 1 million pF = 1µF; blue-gray-blue = 68 million pF = 68µF

[@overbuiltautomotive1299]

the ending is the best sure would love to have you as a neighbor out here in kingston tn rather than the cally gal that moved in shes a tiger i thought she was going to eat me alive the other day wow lol i would expand on that but no not here lol

[@bro.weaver1282]

25:57 Shango Rage!

[@lambdaprog]

Therapy time !

[@shaunsiz.itsbetterbytube2858]

Puff row farads .Trans Sisters and crts

[@robertheer2708]

what is the cap and value you use to check the electrolytic caps? I wish to order one.

[@agoogleuser704]

I’m having a fiesta watching this video 1:18

[@danhubanks554]

Thank you

[@user-uz1yv2oc9v]

I've not used tantalums like that in years, isn"t the one you put in with the white dot on the side only rated at 3v though? black was 4v and red was 10v if i remember correctly.

[@jamesdavis5096]

Yes!!! Time to poke it with a screwdriver and see what happens

[@Scott.Newmaster]

Geez, this was too easy...... Geez, this zenith is too hard........ Some people's kids....... Waaaahh..... :p

[@LyonsArcade]

When the Rain comes, they run and hide their heads :)

[@andymouse]

Did you have 'Fiesta' Jonny's in the USA ?....cheers.

[@andersonmartinsdasilva8503]

What is this whistle between stations, is the AGC not working properly?

[@John-qf8ud]

What would make a radio only pick up one station on am and fm assuming the tuning capicitor is fine? Detector diode?

[@albear972]

Oooooh! The Hong Kong Phooey, Fiesta transistor raydio has a Pioneer speaker? Impressive for an ephemera radio. And so crazy to think that General Electric shilled off their name so early in the transistor age. And what do you expect from Hrach Agajaninian, I bet $100.00 that his dad sells salvage title Mercedes Benz and BMW cars in a shady AF used car lot in Glendale.

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

and, if you repair one, what do you get? the cesspool that is now AM radio.

[@servicetrucker5564]

Sports or politics so yes

[@Suddenlyits1960]

Sadly television is as bad or worse. Modern television is intolerable.

[@servicetrucker5564]

@@Suddenlyits1960 That and price is why I got rid of it

[@servicetrucker5564]

I got some old 23 channels CBs I wish you could go through

[@loubega-y5x]

Hello shango66, could you please give me the shematic of the battery pack that you ve used to power up the radios.thanks.

[@JeffreyGroves]

Needs some deoxit on that volume control.

[@cjmarsh504]

San Dimas?! That's where Bill and Ted's from. A citation for armed robbery?! What's going on 😮 The repairing the transistor radios are interesting.

[@CATech1138]

citation = calofornia the social workers paradise.....

[@LyonsArcade]

They give you a ticket for armed robbery, but they put you in prison if you change your oil in your driveway

[@Steven-re7xt]

Well missing a if can and associated parts the battery lasts a little longer. Though more noise is got.

[@batman4e]

Wow, peaking the radio on Bach...

[@7c3c72602f7054696b]

Variable micro candy corn features variable flavour. Could be blueberry, could be shi...

[@jreding132]

GAMer's Choice ®

[@randyab9go188]

Those five and six transistor sets weren't much. You'd get local stations but that's about it. And on some Hong Kong made units you didn't even get those.😮😂 Back when I was a kid and these sets were new, many times you'd get it one out of the box and you would only get two or three strong stations. The Hong Kong assembled sets were the worst about this.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

I remember Realistic pocket AM radios. The sensitivity on those weren't so great.

[@DrewskisBrews]

@17:45 telemarketer mode, engage!

[@steveedwards4868]

i would like to get in contact with you about fixing a hallicrafter shortwave radio is it possable to email you thanks

[@muhammadrafique3903]

Nice videos ❤Rafique mastoi DG Khan Pakistan 🏝🇵🇰

[@JeffreyGroves]

Hong Kong? But they both say made in Taiwan?