Aircastle Model 162F51H 8-band

[Shortwave2200]

Just like now-a-days these radios have different production runs, the one I have is a early production run. Indicated in the battery area where you put the ac power cord the compartment is cardboard, the Allied version is plastic and there are differences between the 2.

In the Aircastle the band selector for the selector light uses strings to move the light from band to band, the allied does not use the string.

Even the band selector on the Aircastle uses more parts the selector is longer where as the Allied is smaller and less parts.

Even the DX/Local switch: the aircastle has 4 resistors, the Allied version has none.

So for the exact same radio there are differences internally.

The picture attached is an Allied Radio

Actually I did a "buy it now" on an Allied version of the radio as well, I paid 30.00 for it and it seems like it is in better shape than the Aircastle, yes I do like these radio's......

 

[Shortwave2200]

This is my Aircastle insides

This is my Aircastle insides

The Allied had probably updated the design...

 

[Shortwave2200]

if interested subscribe to my yahoo group about this radio

Aircastle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

 

[ratboy]

The old stuff is a lot of fun, but I guess I'm the opposite, as I listen to pretty much only SSB stuff, mil being a lot of it and aircraft on SSB. Hams are like a sleeping pill most of the time. Broadcasters on SW used to be a lot more interesting before the fall of the USSR, the made up news was pretty funny sometimes. These radios seem to hold up very well over time, unlike a lot of "better" radios.

 

[Shortwave2200]

I have a yahoo group about this and the allied radio..

Aircastle : Vintage Shortwave Radio

 

[Shortwave2200]

Update

It's been awhile since I bought this one and the Allied.

The Aircastle was deaf , really deaf.

The Allied is not, the AM section I fixed with new ceramic capacitor (2), the AM is extremely sensitive surprisingly but since it has a 8 inch ferrite core in it. The AM seems more sensitive than my Panasonic RF2200.

The Allied is really sensitive on all the other bands as well and all are functional.

The Aircastle case specifically the black speaker cover is perfect the allied was not.

So I designated the Aircastle a parts radio.

I changed the Allied's long flimsy antenna's with the Aircastle's (The Aircastle's are shorter but made very well not flimsy)

After that I took both radio's completely apart swapped parts from the Aircastle including the speaker grill to the Allied.

cleaned everything on the Allied reassembled it, looks like new, so the Allied has the Aircastle logo on it.

The Aircastle in pieces, I parted them out on ebay but kept the guts in case I need any parts including the tuning mechanism and cord.

So the Allied is designated Aircastle and works great.

Before disassembly I weighed both, The original Aircastle weighed 11 lbs with out batteries; The Allied: 13 LBS- 15 LBS WITH Batteries. I thought the SAT 800M was heavy....

BUT the difference is the Allied/Aircastle radio is built like a TANK.

I was going to add a BFO to it but with the extra parts I might use the parts and build my own and adding it to the inside of the radio like I was thinking of doing with the TEN TEC BFO kit.