1936 Four Tube Portable

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The picnickers shown here in the September 1936 issue of Popular Science are enjoying a radio program, thanks to the compact portable broadcast set shown here. It was light enough to take in a car or canoe, worked indoors or out, and could provide loudspeaker volume. The four-tube battery superheterodyne design was said to rival the performance of any all-electric set, but the article promised that anyone could build it.

The tube lineup of the set was 1A6, 1A4, 1B4, and 1F4, and was powered by five batteries: Two 45-volt B batteries provided 90 volts to some parts of the circuit, and 45 to others. Filaments were powered by two 1.5 volt dry cells, and a 4.5 volt C battery was also used. The batteries were packed snugly in the bottom of the case, behind the 6-1/2 inch permanent magnet speaker. The cabinet, covered in luggage canvas, was both attractive and durable.

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