Gerard's Salofe

204
Item nr.

Salofe Mini Radio

Extremely small tube radio

**Data for Salofe**
Production	Japan, 1963.
Bands	BC (540-160kHz).
Tubes	12BE6 (HK90, converter), 12BA6 (HF93, IF), 12AV6 (HBC91, detector and audio), 50C5 (HL92, output), 35W4 (HY90, rectifier).
Cabinet	Plastic. Size 18x10x10 cm. Weight 650 gr.
Power	AC 220V.

The Design

The set was sold to me as quote smallest tube radio unquote. Now I have a Highness tube portable that has a few cubic centimeters less, but otherwise the radio is indeed very small. It was very nicely built, as well, and I note two technical peculiarities here. The 110V heater chain is supplied through a capacitor, rather than the more usual dropping resistor. This saves energy and the capacitor produces no heat, which is of course a lot better in this extremely small cabinet. Then, the metal chassis is not equal to the circuit ground, but separated from it by a capacitor.

This makes the radio a bit safer, because there is no electrocution risk when the radio is touched. The tubes are the same as those in the RCA Victor 5-X-560. The inside picture shows how the tubes are cramped inside the small cabinet and makes it understandible that the designers wanted to reduce heat as much as possible.

Obtained	3/2002 from T. Jansingh.
Condition	6.
Disposed	Sold 7/2006.
Sound sample	PLAY SOUND Julien Clerc sings Ce n'est rien in 1973.

This Object

The radio plays, and quite well actually, but misses some parts: the speaker and the knobs and the back. Also the speaker grille of my set is fully damaged, and beyond repair, I'm afraid.

I placed another speaker and closed the hole in the grill by mounting some cloth behind it, to make the damage of the front less obvious. Also I put replacement knobs on it. The left picture (sent to me by Achim Raisch) shows a Salofe as it is supposed to look.

Part of Gerard's Radio Corner.
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