Other radios based on the same chassis:
4-transistor battery or mains portable record player (mono).
Laminated hard-shell case
The battery powered units were designed to be fitted with a (now obsolete) 9V Eveready #739 and while a modern 9V battery could be used to replace it, it would not last very long as they are tiny by comparison - a 6-cell AA battery holder would be better and would probably fit neatly in the available space - although you should use 6 of the biggest 1.5V cells that will fit for the best battery life. The red wire is PROBABLY positive, but assumption is the mother of all F*ups - so check that before hooking it up wrong and blowing the germanium transistors (which are now mostly unobtainium).
This model is not listed on the service info below, but it looks to be identical to the Pye model 717 Vagabond.
Valves (4 Transistors):
P715 early: 2SB54 or 2SB77, 40264 or 2SC514 or 2SC515
P715/3 and other models: 2SK30/R FET, CS9013, 2SD96, 2SB370
Chassis Notes(most schematics can be clicked to download a full size version)
Probably the original P715 circuit - note the high voltages in-circuit!
P715/2 circuit not held, if you have it please get in touch
The following is the P715/3 schematic - the last of the Fanfare circuits, and is a more conventional transistor circuit design used in several other models
General Construction Notes for Radio (1936) Ltd:
Early Radio Ltd. schematics did not show the models, just the year, valves and bands, so some sleuthing is required to find the right one.
Early 30's Ultimate models with three digit model numbers indicated both the number of valves in the set, and the price it retailed for - for example, the model 856 was an 8-valve radio which retailed for $56 pounds. The equivalent Courier models were reversed, so an Ultimate 856 was a Courier 568 (theoretically, at least). This was the Auckland price though, and often the sets would retail for 1 or 2 pounds more in other centres, presumably to cover the freight cost of moving them around the country from the Auckland factory.
Note the use of old resistance terminology on older schematics: ω means ohms and Ω means megohms.
Some 1936-onward 3-letter chassis codes vary the last letter between brands, for example:
BBU - Ultimate model BB
BBR - Rolls (and Golden Knight) model BB
BBC - Courier model BB
All use the same chassis.
Golden Knight, Courier and Rolls appear to use the same copper-painted chassis while Ultimate chassis' are painted silver
After the war a new model code system was introduced, whereby radio models all began with R - the first model being the RA, a dual-wave 5-valve set commonly released in a pressed tin cabinet.
| YEAR | MODEL NAME |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Pye model 721 'Porta Player' |
| 1972 | Pye model 719 'Party Time' |
| 1972 | Pye model 717 'Vagabond' |
| 1967 | Pye model 715/3 'Fanfare' |
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