Serial number 5568
Portable nine Transistor radio A long/medium waveband radio
Made by Hacker Radio Ltd, Maidenhead UK. The radio which was kindly
given to me by John Smith
is housed in a red and cream leatherette covered wooden case with gold
trim to loudspeaker and dial plate. The knobs are replacements the
originals would have bee cream with gold trim.
This radio
which was first produced in 1962 is normally powered by two 9 volt
batteries as is common for most of the Hacker range but unlike the
later models this one uses the PP7. The very slightly larger RP17A model of 1964 uses PP9 batteries.
Both are smaller than the RP18
but similar except that FM circuits are omitted. It was available in
black, blue or red. The blue versions may have grey or white knobs,
pushbuttons and rear grille.
John Smith relates something of the history of this little
radio:
"The
red hacker was the first radio I purchased for myself having saved my
pocket money and was purchased from Wilkingson and son tv shop in Ware
High Street, Herts. When I was a teenager I needed to borrow a small
amount of money from my father and the condition of the loan was that I
had to give up my radio to my father until the loan was repaid. I
repaid the loan the following week but dad kept the radio as interest
charged on the loan to teach me about borrowing money in the future and
I have always remembered that lesson as I have gone through life.
He would sit in the front room and listen to the radio after coming
home from work rather than watch the tv and it was still in use up to
his death approx 12 years ago."
View of dial and controls
View of interior
Click here for an interesting light upon the manufacture of some Hacker radios.