Post by jimradioman39 on Jun 12, 2020 5:10:24 GMT 12
Hi, I am a member of the British Vintage Wireless soc and v happy to be in touch with you all. 🙂.
I purchased this HMV 484P personal radio at auction and on opening the lid, my first thought was, ‘this is an RCA BP-10’ , a set I once owned and restored. The metal body of the case, chrome plated/slatted top panel with edge wise tuning/volume knobs, looked identical. Overall dimensions were identical. The chassis inside with its round IFT’s was also very similar. My set differed from the black RCA, having cream plastic top and bottom lids and brown leather cloth around the metal middle. It is a very handsome looking set and I wondered whether it was a special edition from a black norm.? It also came with a very substantial leather case which was probably a (costly) optional extra.
Web research told me it was made in NZ for HMV NZ in 1948 by a company called ’Various’. I have not been able to discover whether they did just assembly or design work as well like Plessey, or indeed anything much about them at all. I have speculated that postwar, HMV NZ decided to have a personal portable set in their portfolio, so refreshed their prewar contacts with RCA and bought kits of key BP-10 parts at a favourable price, as RCA did not resume production of the BP-10 post war.
I have downloaded the very useful HMV one page service sheet with circuit diagram etc and used it to restore my set which had one tricky mechanical problem (seized gang condenser), and the usual issues with a couple of cap replacements. Somebody had scrawled ‘Plessey’ ?, on the sheet, but I do not believe they had anything to do with this set, although they did make the HMV (Marconiphone) P17BX for export down under.
I made up an HT battery, deliberately using an RCA outer and the set gives a very good performance and I listen to it a lot.
Any information or comments members can make throwing further light on this grand little set would be much appreciated!
I purchased this HMV 484P personal radio at auction and on opening the lid, my first thought was, ‘this is an RCA BP-10’ , a set I once owned and restored. The metal body of the case, chrome plated/slatted top panel with edge wise tuning/volume knobs, looked identical. Overall dimensions were identical. The chassis inside with its round IFT’s was also very similar. My set differed from the black RCA, having cream plastic top and bottom lids and brown leather cloth around the metal middle. It is a very handsome looking set and I wondered whether it was a special edition from a black norm.? It also came with a very substantial leather case which was probably a (costly) optional extra.
Web research told me it was made in NZ for HMV NZ in 1948 by a company called ’Various’. I have not been able to discover whether they did just assembly or design work as well like Plessey, or indeed anything much about them at all. I have speculated that postwar, HMV NZ decided to have a personal portable set in their portfolio, so refreshed their prewar contacts with RCA and bought kits of key BP-10 parts at a favourable price, as RCA did not resume production of the BP-10 post war.
I have downloaded the very useful HMV one page service sheet with circuit diagram etc and used it to restore my set which had one tricky mechanical problem (seized gang condenser), and the usual issues with a couple of cap replacements. Somebody had scrawled ‘Plessey’ ?, on the sheet, but I do not believe they had anything to do with this set, although they did make the HMV (Marconiphone) P17BX for export down under.
I made up an HT battery, deliberately using an RCA outer and the set gives a very good performance and I listen to it a lot.
Any information or comments members can make throwing further light on this grand little set would be much appreciated!
