This is a page of TransOceanic tragedies- heinous crimes committed against Zenith's TransOceanic line of portable shortwave radios. These misfits were discovered by members of the now-defunct TransOceanic Mailing List, as well as observant viewers of my site. If you've found any more in eBay auctions, web sites or antique shops, please email me using the email address at the bottom of the page.
Tradgedy #1: T-O In A Tabletop Cabinet?
This appears to be a 7G605 (the first and rarest of the civilian Trans-Oceanic models) chassis pulled out of its original cabinet and crudely fitted into a wooden tabletop case. Although the chassis would make a good replacement for a basketcase 7G605 with a good case, this still seems horrifying to me.
Tragedy #2: Good Lord...
This is a 8G005 (the second civilian model) whose case was covered with white contact paper. While the original case is still there, they could've at least made the contact paper black. To me, a T-O in a white case looks unnatural, but others may have different opinions.
Tragedy #3: R-520A/URR in a leather T-600 case
This tragedy was discovered long before the other two. To the non-TransOceanic fanatic, this looks like a normal 600-series TransOceanic in a brown cowhide leather case. The letters USA stamped on the chassis and dial, along with the shields over the tubes, suggest that this is actually a military R-520A/URR (which is the rarest of all the tube Trans-Oceanic models [only around 2,700 produced]) chassis installed in a leather T-600 (according to the model number stamped on the inside) case. A true R-520A/URR has a green "oilskin" case with the letters USA stamped on the front, and (usually) a Signal Corps. tag underneath the bottom latch strike-plate. (Thanks to Jerry Franks, who owns this monstrosity [but didn't do the dirty deed of switching the cases] and supplied the pictures.)
Tragedy #4: One mixed-up beast...
At first glance, this looks like a standard A600 whose faceplate and logbook door had been replaced with that of a leather 600. If you look more closely, however, you can see that the gold ring normally around the dial is also brown, and the back of the logbook door is gray, not brown as a normal leather T-O logbook door would be. It appears that someone painted the faceplate and logbook cover brown, and added gold accents as well. Could someone have planned to paint the rest of this T-O brown and pass it off as a leather 600?
Tragedy #5: When you think you've seen it all...
Here is some info on this monstrocity from the kind person who discovered it and sent me these pictures: "...a 'gem' I found in a local antique store here in Bisbee, AZ. Note the genuine lavender corderouy. This basket-case TO is missing most of its buttons, knobs, tubes, the case falls apart when opened and can be yours for the low low price of $129.00. I questioned the dealer about this radio and was informed that it is an extremely rare, highly desirable radio." To say that these pictures are disturbing is quite an understatement. All I can hope is that there are no other radios which have been "beautified" by the individual who modified this once-proud H500. Thanks to Brian Hope for supplying me with the pictures and info.
Site Navigation
Back to the TransOceanic page!
Back to the old radio page!
Back to the main page!
