Transistor Radios Around the World

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Before '54 --- North America --- Western Europe --- Japan and Pacific --- East Bloc and USSR


1955/56 Raytheon T-100

Micro-table / small portable radio, thermoplastic cabinet
6 1/4 x 3 7/16 x 1 7/8 inches / 178 x 87 x 47.6 mm
Four transistors (Raytheon, 2x 2N112/CK760, 2N132/RAY602, 2N138; + 1N295 diode)
Superheterodyne circuit
One 9-volt battery
Manufactured by Raytheon Mfg. Co., Waltham, MA

All four transistors (two ovals, two cans) are Raytheon-blue — the 2N138 can is shielded. Very similar to the Raytheon T-150 produced around the same time.

Raytheon T-100

Raytheon T-100


Raytheon T-100

chassis — click on the photo for a larger image

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from my 1999 M31 site's Raytheon T-100 page:

Raytheon Corporation was in the transistor radio business for one single year, knowing that the real money is where the missiles are.

During that one-year period covering 1955-1956, Raytheon produced five transistor radio models: the 8TP, described in detail on another page here; the T-100 above; the T-101; the T-150, a slight variation on the T-100 in cabinet & chassis design; and a gross looking, leather covered thing the size of a small suitcase called the T-2500.

The T-100 is notable for being Raytheon's first plastic transistor, and it's a very popular set among transistor collectors. In terms of marketing, it's interesting to note that this radio employs a total of 4 transistors. Raytheon's earlier and first transistor radio, the lunchbox-sized 8TP series by contrast, used eight transistors in its chassis to make it the first good-performing transistor radio and blowing the pants off the Regency TR-1, a four-transistor radio...



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