National (Panasonic)

The set cost about $99 in 1970, which was quite expensive for the time, and was Matsushita's, National Panasonic, second from top model, the top being the R-100, of which it shares many of the parts. It is a battery only set with no provision for external power.

It's described in Mingay's Price Service as a:

12 transistor, 4 diode, 3-band portable radio. Powered by three Type UM-1 ("D") cells. Featuring: twin 3½" dynamic speakers; 700 mW output. Dial light; fine tuning: battery check and tuning meter; tone control. jacks for external speaker, antenna and earth.

Frequency range: MW, 525 - 1605 kHz; SW1, 2.3 - 7 MHz; SW2, 7 - 22 MHz.

Comes with a brown leather case.

The example below didn't have the carry strap and accessory pouch. However, it does have the brown "leather" case. The case is in fact a high gloss plastic coated onto a type of pressed cardboard. The plastic coating has shrunk and irreversably curled as it was stored in a hot place for many years. (This has damaged a number of other items as well.)

The radio needed little work with cleaning of the main radio and "leather" case. A quick squirt of DeOxit F5 in the volume control, tone switch, and band switch brought it back to full working condition. I didn't bother with the capacitors as it was being sold.

Overall, it is very sensititive, but the realitivly flat speakers make it sound quite thin and tiny, which is typical for most transistor sets of this era.