8-valve + magic eye tuning all-wave radio with round dial.
The model 43 is normally seen as a spiral dial radio.
This model has a standard dial, which is unusual, but could be either a replacement due to the difficulty in repairing non-functional spiral dial assemblies or it could even have been a factory variant for the model 43. No other all-wave models have been sighted with this dial glass shape, so its possible it was factory-made for this set.
Its also possible that standard dials were used to get the all-wave sets to market in the 1937 season, as the spiral dial engineering caused headache after headache in the factory, with production running behind that year because of it . This meant the sales season was well underway when the final bugs were ironed out of the overly complex and failure-prone (but very cool) spiral dial assembly. So Turnbull & Jones who sold the Courtenay brand may have demanded an interim solution so they had sets to sell.
Note the Opera cabinet, typically seen in Courtenay model 38 spiral dial sets.
Intermediate Frequency: 456kc/s
Frequency Bands: 3
Chassis Notes(most schematics can be clicked to download a full size version)
Service information RCNZ_-_model_43_-_8V_AW_AC_-_1937.pdf
Originally spec'd from the factory with all-metal valves.
General Construction Notes for Radio Corporation of New Zealand Ltd:
The first digit of the serial number typically indicates the year of manufacture of RCNZ chassis' (although not the decade - that requires a little knowledge of the valves, construction, etc). Sets from around 1934 onwards were often (but not always) constructed in a distinctive pressed 'baking pan' style chassis, seemingly unique to RCNZ.
Model codes beginning with a 0, for example the model 051, are Osram valve versions of the model without the leading 0. Technically the 0 should be an O (for Osram), however the digit 0 was used throughout the site before this fact was discovered.
The E suffix indicates a magic eye option is fitted (in models which were available with or without, such as the model 25).
A and B suffixes appear to be simply updates to the current model, R also appears to be simply an updated model ('R'edesign, perhaps?)
P indicates either a permanent magnet speaker version of a model which also came with an electromagnet speaker (the model 26 for example), or a portable model (like the model 694P). This suffix was used in the mid 50's when Radio Corp was changing over.
N and M indicated miniature valve versions of a model which started with all (or a mix, ie: model 5) of larger valves. One of these two codes may indicate a transitional mixture of octal and miniature - clarification is required.
S often indicates a stereo model. It can also indicate 'self-biased' in the transition period between back-biased and self biased sets where there were models with both methods employed (53S for example)
Finally, other suffixes and prefixes make occasional appearances in the RCNZ lineup - like the 66W (a variant of the long-running model 66) and the 75XA (a 10-valve version of the model 75 with a separate amplifier chassis).
Model nicknames are often sourced from either newspaper advertising, company literature or the NZ Radio Traders Federation official trade-in price books (Particularly Courtenay models from this publication)
In 1954, model numbering changed, to begin with the number of valves (ie: 501 - 5 valves, 1006 - 10 valves, etc) although the final 2 digits don't appear to have much significance. Middle digits of 5 (portable) or 6 (mantle, including clock radio) are used on the AWA-designed plastic-cased sets.
MENU
