My Odd Frog

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APSN556

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I just acquired an FRG-7 off of ebay and it arrived today. Its in near mint condition and sounds great, aside from the volume knob needing a bit of dexoit.

However... it appears the unit I have is a VERY early model. It has no fine tuning knob! Serial number 6i-0602330. Are these rare? I would rather have one WITH the fine tuning knob, but I never realized until now, that some of the early runs did not include it. Do these "no fine tuning knob" variants carry any more value to collectors than the later ones do? I'd much rather have a newer version with the fine tuning and better filters that came on the late runs.

Thanks!
Chad KG7PTZ
 

ka3jjz

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If memory serves, the original FRG7s didn't have the fine tuning, and was added later. In fact, two outfits, now long gone - Radio West (where I got mine modified) and Gilfer - added this along with other improvements.

I had a Radio West modified FRG7 for many years until it finally gave up the ghost due to damage from a move. Although it had a tendency to overload (I had a gain control installed which helped), it was still a pretty good rx from a time long gone...Mike
 

Boombox

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I think the fine tuning was added some time during the second year of production.

There are probably modification instructions online for you to add a fine tuner if you need to. Probably would be of value to an FRG-7 collector only.

There is a fine Yahoo FRG-7 group you can get a lot of info from. I never go there because Yahoo made their eGroups so clunky during the change last year, but I would suggest that group to anyone who is interested in modifying their FRG-7.

FRG-7's are great MWDX machines.
 

poikaa

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Dec 24, 2008
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Ishpeming,Michigan... A Yooper! "In Da U.P.&q
The 'frog' 7 is a great receiver with it's Wadley loop system! Fine tuning can be done with the pre select helping out quite a bit. A very stable receiver! An old fashion was of tuning a radio receiver.... this is one where you become one with the radio!

73 Rod KB8DNS
 

TassieJay

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Perhaps another option is to sell it, and buy another with the fine tune.

FRG-7s are fetching insane prices, at least in this corner of the world they are. In pristine condition, $500 seems to be the *lower* limit! Many justify this price because it's "rare".

Hype up your ebay listing, saying that it is the "ultra-ultra-rare" early version with no fine tuning, mention the perfect condition - and you could be looking at $600-750. No joke! (Not around here, anyway)

BTW, I'm totally immune to advertising spin. Most I've ever paid for a FRG-7 was $50.
 

riverrat373

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I had one with the fine tuning knob but rarely found it necessary to use it even when listening to SSB. After a while you can get very good tuning the radio with just the main tuning knob!
 

Boombox

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^^^^^^^ ditto on what Riverrat373 said. I didn't find the fine tuner that useful, except on rare cases with SSB, but even then, the main tuning dial has more than enough precision. And my FRG-7 came with the fine tuner installed. I think I used the fine tuner maybe twice the entire time I've had the radio.

So don't get rid of the radio because you don't have it. You've just heard from two FRG-7 owners who just told you you're not missing that much. :)
 
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