Sonora Inc., a small radio manufacturer, introduced their “Candid” miniature tube radio in April 1940.6 Sonora also supplied an identical radio to Allied Radio, which sold it under their Knight brand as the B10506.
#BATTERY OPERATED RCA VICTOR RADIO PORTABLE#
In 19 other radio manufacturers produced portable radios using RCA’s new miniature tubes. The BP-10 radio was introduced nationally in the summer of 1940 and was produced continuously until civilian radio production ceased for the duration of WWII (April 1942).4 The radio was a runaway sensation with over 200,000 sold.5 Few radio models were as well received by the public and as well documented by the manufacturer.įigure 1. In 1938 the RCA began the development of low power miniature tubes with the specific intention of producing a truly personal portable radio.3 The result was the RCA BP-10. One missing technological item to make a hand held portable radio practical was a set of compact low power vacuum tubes. Consequently, by 1937 not a single major radio manufacturer offered a battery powered portable radio. Most attempts failed in the market place because the necessary technology simply didn’t exist. Although there was obviously a demand for portable entertainment, the early “portable radios” didn’t satisfy it. Since the 1920s many attempts had been made to produce and sell a truly portable radio.
#BATTERY OPERATED RCA VICTOR RADIO HOW TO#
No one had figured out how to reliably spin a record while walking along.1
But, they were only designed to be carried from place to place. But, most were as large as a suitcase, heavy, and only nominally portable. Yes, there were “portable radios” as far back as the early 1920s. That was the year the Radio Corporation of America, better known as RCA, introduced the first mass produced personal portable radio. Before there were iPods, Game Boys, or even transistor radios the dream of personal portable entertainment was just that, a dream, until 1940.