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Author Topic: When was my GE Superadio III made?  (Read 4145 times)

Nella F.

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When was my GE Superadio III made?
« on: June 12, 2014, 1917 UTC »
Inside the battery compartment is "Date Code: 4229 RA" with "Serial Number: 0203969".
Can anybody translate or provide website?
thanks.

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: When was my GE Superadio III made?
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2014, 1009 UTC »
Probably 2002, because they weren't making SRIII's in 1992, I think they were still making SR2's until 1993.

The second number in a GE date code is the last digit of the year it was made.

I don't know what the letters at the end stand for; my guess is it would be the location or factory where the SRIII was made.

Mine has a '5' as the second number, and a 'C' at the end, so it was made in 1995. I know it was made in China, so whether the 'C' on mine designates China, or a specific factory in China, I don't know.

Mine works very well. Some SRIII's apparently were lemons, mine is as good or better than an SR2. A lot of it is alignment at the factory, but also the value of the resistor that goes from the IF amp to the antenna coil (and RF amp transistor) can make a difference in performance, not only in sensitivity, but selectivity also.

GE changed the value of these resistors now and then, even within models.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 2038 UTC by BoomboxDX »
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Offline redhat

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Re: When was my GE Superadio III made?
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2014, 2329 UTC »
Quote
GE changed the value of these resistors now and then, even within models.

That's pretty common.  In good schematics for commercial gear, you'll see "FSP" or factory select.  Some circuits, because of their tolerance (or lack thereof in the components it's made from) will depend on factory selected values.

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Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: When was my GE Superadio III made?
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 1506 UTC »
With the Superadio series, I know the SR3's came with 100 K resistors at first (that is the value you will see on most of the schematics); soon then they lowered them to 47 K, where I think they may have stayed until the end of the run.

On the SR3's the resistor was R7. On the other two models it was R13.

The guy on the Earmark Superadio website said he tried lowering the resistor on an SR3 lower than 47 K. He said below 33 K the tuning of the radio was a bit too finicky.

The SR2's had 56 K (on the Earmark site's schematic) or 47 K (as marked on a GE schematic).

The SR1's had anywhere from 56K to 47K (I think) and even 26 K early on. Made quite a bit of difference.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2014, 1838 UTC by BoomboxDX »
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Nella F.

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Re: When was my GE Superadio III made?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2014, 2302 UTC »
Probably 2002, because they weren't making SRIII's in 1992, I think they were still making SR2's until 1993.
The second number in a GE date code is the last digit of the year it was made.
I don't know what the letters at the end stand for; my guess is it would be the location or factory where the SRIII was made. Mine has a '5' as the second number, and a 'C' at the end, so it was made in 1995. I know it was made in China, so whether the 'C' on mine designates China, or a specific factory in China, I don't know.

Thanks... the rest of the discussions are interesting but way above my pay grade.
                                                                                  8)

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: When was my GE Superadio III made?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2014, 1840 UTC »
I threw some of the other info in there just in case SR owners out there wanted to know at least one reason why two SR's of the same model would have different performance.

Glad I was able to help.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).