Vintage: Tempo S1 2M Amateur Handheld Radio

[PACNWDude]

Recently acquired this old Tempo S1, 2 meter amateur radio at a thrift store. Looked like it was in great shape, but the battery pack is dead. Going to hook it up to a power supply and see if it still works. Worn leather holster/case had the previous owners call sign, address and name written inside. 1970's vintage radio.

Anyone cut their amateur teeth on this unit? Looks to be built almost like the old 1960's Motorola HT220 handheld radios, blue plastic and silver sheet metal, with similar Push To Talk button.

 

[dcr_inc]

There were a million of them in use back then.. The PIPO keypad was the boom !! and synthesized frequency control.. The predecessor of the Icom IC2AT portable.

 

[dcr_inc]

Then the Heathkit 2036 mobile came out on the market.. Lots of them were built.. Or the GLB synthesizer.. Any "Rock Bound" radio could be synthesized.. Oh the good old days when Hams were Hams and not appliance operators !!

 

[PACNWDude]

Thank you for the replies. I started my handheld radio work with the Standard HX320 series handhelds.....but recently found piles of Motorola HT220's with my current employer and then this Tempo 2 meter radio that had a similar look and build. But it has been decades since using anything like this. Adding them to my personal "radio museum" but I also like them to be functional. As you mentioned, it was better when amateur radio enthusiasts were more than appliance operators.

 

[fineshot1]

In the 70's I started with a Standard SRC-146A just before the S1 was introduced - yes i came out of the crystal era.
Later on I moved to a Yaesu FT-207R synthesized HT when they came out. I modified it and installed a comspec
ctcss board with a window in the rear to change the dip switches for variable tones.

 

[Cognomen]

Wow, that radio looks mint! Nice find.

My first amateur radio was an 2AT. I had an HW-2036 as well.