DustyTrooper
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Posts posted by DustyTrooper
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I have decided to create a comparison complete with all three radio variants; Sonix, North Star, & Solar, and a brief history to go along with it. This post has been made possible thanks to the help of @bigwam, between him and myself we own all three variations of this radio. He helped supply some of the photos to make this comparison possible, Also thanks to @GodOfLibra, @1970s, & @Sithlord337 for sharing some additional photos used in this post. Please Enjoy.
Here's a Logo Badge comparison to start with.
Front Side Comparison
Back Side Comparison
Sticker Comparison
Left Side Comparison
Right Side Comparison
You'll notice the 5-Pin DIN Plug is missing from the North Star and Solar brand variants, though @bigwam and myself have confirmed the wires and opening are inside the case ready for it to be installed!
In fact, it turns out the @RS Prop Masters radio was mistakenly misidentified as a Sonix, but it's actually a Solar brand variant complete with the 5-Pin DIN Plug as you can see; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhZyVsecGTM&t=468s
So obviously there were versions of the Solar radio both with and without the 5-Pin DIN Plug, but the great thing about this difference is that it helps us to narrow down which variant was used onscreen!
Considering the movie was filmed in the U.K. and the radio has a 5-Pin DIN Plug present, combined with the fact that the rest of parts on the pack are from England such as the Shires Toilet Siphon, Brexton Food Box, & Karrimor Tote’em pack frame, ect. it was most most likely the Sonix Victory 75 used onscreen.
Sonix Power Sources
You'll notice the Sonix variant came in two different voltages; 117 Volts with North American style plug & 220 Volts with European style plug depending on which region of the U.K. the user was located.
North Star Power Source
117 Volts with North American style plug.
Solar Power Source
117 Volts with North American style plug.
Patent Number Comparison
Matching Patent No. 967536 on all three brand variants, you may also notice the matching mold marks around the injection point on the right. Which brings me to the next part of this post.
On my journey to find one of these radios I gathered a good amount of information in my research. Since there is so little known about the history and origin of this radio I have decided to share everything I’ve found in one convenient place for all. My hope is that this might lead to more radios being found in the community since there are still so few of these known to exist today.
A Brief History
All of these radios were produced by the same OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer);
“M.T.L. Electronics Corp.” in Hong Kong (Active May.1975 – Aug.1984)
305 Princess Theater Bldg. 130 Nathan Road, Kowloonhttps://www.hkgbusiness.com/en/company/Mtl-Electronics-Hk-Limited
Circuit Design: Star Light 1809c
The Sonix company used two different style logos
Type A
Type B
Examples:
Sonix Victory 75 (Model: JM-1809)
Imported into the U.K. by; “Minachi Electronics Ltd.”
Unfortunately I don’t have any more information on the company such as dates active or address, but if anyone can find anything on this company please do not hesitate to let me know so I can update this post. I was lucky enough to even find the legal name of the Sonix company; “Minachi Electronics Ltd.” It was literally the last piece of information I found, which came from papers included with this Sonix model 'Chieftain' radio.
The North Star company used two different style logos
Type A
Type B
Examples:
North Star (Model: MT-1809)
Imported into Canada by; “All Nations Trading Corp., Ltd.”
(Active Aug.1974-Dec.1999) Changed name to “Eversonic Inc.” in Dec.1999 and Inactivated Jan.2006
850 Supertest Road. Downsview, Ontario Canada. M3J2M5
https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/viewTrademark.html?id=377647&lang=eng
The Solar company used two different style logos
Type A
Type B
Examples:
Solar (Model: MT-1809)Imported into U.S.A. by; “Solar Sound Systems, Inc.”
Established approximately 1973
330 or 339, Fifth Avenue, New York NY
Solar Sound Systems Inc. was actually taken to U.S. District Court for misrepresentation by Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Corporation). Not over the model MT-1809, but a different radio.
Essentially one of their advertised "prototypes" at a consumer electronics show in Chicago during May of 1974 was actually just a Panasonic radio bought from Hong Kong, Re-Labelled, Photographed and then Advertised directly to distributors like that at the trade show. This turned out to be illegal.
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/381/64/2006012/
https://cite.case.law/f-supp/381/64/
Solar and North Star also offered other matching products, such as this Solar Model: "K-8" for example.
Which is the exact same radio as the North Star Model No. "M8"
After M.T.L. Electronics Corp. closed in August of 1984 North Star had the model MT-1809 reproduced by another manufacturer in Hong Kong named ‘Swing Interelectronic Ltd.’ At the time it was quite common for these types of transistor radios to basically be copied by other competing manufacturers in Hong Kong. However it appears the model 1809 design may have been legally licensed in this case, along with many other models the manufacturer reproduced.
https://www.hkcorporationsearch.com/companies/0067848/
Swing Interelectronic Ltd. produced radios for several different distributors including North Star such as this Model: 1898 for example
This reproduction made by Swing Interelectronic (right) is not an exact copy, it has noticeable differences from the original version made by M.T.L. Electronics (left).
Notice the logo badge is on the lower right side instead of the lower left side, and it shows the Type B logo instead of Type A. The holes surrounding the speaker grill don't start at twelve o’clock like the original version. The various sections are slightly different size and spaced out further from one another than the original version. The switches aren’t the same and also appear to be in slightly different locations. The tuning knob is different as well as the frequency display window.
The vent on the back is also different.
The text “FILE NO. LL 26592” may very well refer to the legal license to reproduce the Model No. 1809 design.
The reproduction only has a headphone plug-in, where as the original version has both microphone and headphone plug-ins.
Another major difference is the strap mounting brackets, The reproduction is quite unique from the original North Star, Sonix, or Solar brand variants.
Notice the feet on the bottom are rounded on the reproduction unlike the flat feet on the original version.
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53 minutes ago, Hausi said:
Hey, that's a great find!
All the effort you have put into your search has finally paid off.
Interestingly, it is missing this socket:
Yes that is correct, though the wires and opening are inside the case for it. I will be posting a comprehensive comparison that shows all these details and differences between the three variants soon.
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I’ve been a big Stormtrooper fan ever since I’d seen Star Wars as a young boy. Even back then I can remember obsessing over the armor, blasters, and other accessories the Stormtroopers carried. I remember really wanting that grappling hook Luke used during his escape from the Death Star, and dreaming of the day I could collect all the parts to build a E-11 Blaster replica.
Of course one of the more mysterious items I wanted to know more about was the Sandtrooper Pack! I actually recognized some parts on it myself such as the Tupperware Lid, and the Canteen, but the rest of the pack was a complete mystery to me growing up. Then one youthful day while surfing the early internet(on dial-up 56k modem connection I might add) I came across the old ‘Parts of Star Wars’ website, which is still active to this day! This was a wealth of valuable information to me back then, it actually identified all the parts I needed to build the E-11 Blaster I’d been dreaming of. This also began my search of trying to find out what parts were used on the Sandtrooper Pack. I came across the 501st Sandtrooper Detachment Forums at MEPD.net and found that many of the parts had been identified, but not all of them. In particular one of the mystery parts appeared to be an obscure AM/FM Radio of some kind. I scoured the internet for information endlessly for years until someone eventually discovered and identified the radio used on screen. This was huge news!; It was a “Sonix Victory 75” radio, unfortunately the Sonix company turned out to be an obscure one indeed! Very little information is known about the company to this day.
Then in 2011 a Canadian version of this radio was found in Nova Scotia under the brand name “North Star”. This got me very excited being a Canadian and my mind wandered with dreams of finding one of these vintage radios in the back of some pawn shop, or under a pile of old audio equipment in some thrift store. Well it’s been another eleven years since then, several more radios have been found both under the Sonix and the North Star brand names. But unfortunately, none of those radios were found by me. Alas, I never gave up my search and eventually I did end up finding one of these radios for myself. Not only that, but I also discovered a third previously unknown brand variant! This was only made possible due to the discovery of the Canadian variant 11 years prior. When that North Star radio was found, another was found not too long after that. One of these Canadian radios had a sticker with a model number on the back which read “Model: MT-1809”, this is what ultimately led to my discovery of the Solar brand variant. One day while searching eBay for the query “Vintage Radio MT-1809” this Solar radio just popped up for sale. $45.99 plus shipping, and the best part; it still works! I don’t think I’ve ever clicked Buy Now so fast in my life. My hands were literally shaking as I was checking out, as I’ve had hot ticket items like this sell out from under my nose before I had a chance to finish checking out. Thankfully this purchase went smoothly and it showed up at my door fairly quick. It was found on October 20th, 2022 in Bath Township, Michigan which is about a two and a half hour drive from where I live in Sarnia, Ontario Canada. The seller informed me it was from an estate sale. The reason I want to share my find is that these kinds of discoveries tend to have a cascade effect, and I’m hoping more of these radios will be found yet in the future. I can tell you this version is from an American company that produced radios in the 60’s and 70’s (more of that later) which was a great time for the electronics industry so I’m hoping there was a higher number of units imported for this American version of the radio, though all the companies that offered this model seem to be obscure.
And so without further adieu I give you the Solar model: MT-1809
I have also created a comprehensive comparison & brief history of all three brand variants here: http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?/topic/17687-comprehensive-radio-comparison-brief-history/
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On 2/27/2016 at 4:07 PM, Fraulein said:
I had always understood that "Solid State" meant that the item was constructed of materials that kept the electron charges inside the material. The use of transistors instead of old technology that utilized vacuum tubes.
It was a way of marketing electronics, when that was on them, you knew it was "high tech".
I did not think Solid State was a brand.
On 2/27/2016 at 4:29 PM, Strider said:Just looked it up and you are absolutely correct of course. Always sounded like a brand to me so I didn't give it that much thought
Cheers
Solid State absolutely refers to the lack of Vaccum Tubes, Solid State signal amplifiers utilize much more modern Diodes instead. Unlike Vaccum Tubes they last forever, are much more durable, and far less subsceptible to damage from physical shock than Vaccum Tubes. So Solid State Technology is certainly more rugged!
However that being said: ask any guitarist and they will explain it to you. Vintage guitar Tube Amps are very valuable and highly sought after, because they sound much more "pure" than your average conventional Solid State guitar amp with clipping diodes. The sound of Guitar Overdrive/Distortion was born inside the vaccum tube after all. So while Solid State is newer technology and definitely more "High Tech" than old vaccum tube technology, it's not always considered "better". Especially to guitarists!
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On 11/28/2018 at 1:40 PM, bigwam said:
@bigwam Can I ask what size batteries this North Star radio takes? Two C type Batteries?
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I also wanted to share another discovery I made that further supports my theory on the Fender Amp Capacitors.
In a recent issue of Star Wars Insider Magazine I discovered a behind-the-scenes set photograph that shows a stack of some audio gear just out of frame during Luke’s training remote scene on the Millennium Falcon. So it's not visible onscreen in the movie, which is why this was the first time I seen it! Though being a guitarist all my life; I immediately recognized what was on top of the stack, and I can assure you that is the unmistakable sight of a Fender Amplifier with its iconic “Witch Hat” knobs. I’m certain of it.
As I said this stack of audio equipment is just out of frame so it's not visible in the movie itself. But as you can see in this set photo it's definitely there!
This may not be the exact model but it is likely a combo amp close to this. As you can see above; the amplifier chassis has been removed from the speaker cabinet exposing all the internal electronic components including the capacitors.
So now we know for a fact the prop department & set decorators definitely had at least one Fender Amplifier they used for parts and greeblies.
This means it’s possible that the part on the side of the Sandtrooper Pack could very well be a set of Capacitors taken from a vintage Fender Amplifier.
You can even make out the two little resistors on the lower right of the baseplate! That pretty much does all but confirm it for me.
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Most of the official material refers to the Crystal Patrol (or Jedha Patrol) as “Stormtroopers” including this recent Black Series action figure. That’s one shiny clean TK!
However we do finally have something official referring to the Crystal Patrol / Jedha Patrol as a “Sandtrooper” with this Topps trading card;
Jedha was a sandy place after all, although these packs are seen on other planets as well. I guess this supports the old saying that Sandtroopers are just Stormtroopers too. Coincidentally the Sandtroopers on this trading card were also referred to as “Stormtroopers”.
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Finally after all the official material referring to the Crystal Patrol (or Jedha Patrol) as “Stormtroopers” including this recent Black Series action figure. That’s one shiny clean TK!
We finally have something official referring to the Crystal Patrol / Jedha Patrol as a “Sandtrooper!” This Topps trading card.
I guess this supports the same concept discussed earlier in this thread; that Sandtroopers are just Stormtroopers too. I think I’m finally starting to come around, maybe this pack does belong with MEPD. Coincidentally the Sandtroopers on this trading card were also referred to as “Stormtroopers” as henselmonster pointed out.
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6 hours ago, Marv said:
Brilliant bit of work in this agree this could be the likely source.
I had brought some aircraft capacitors for my build (when I get back to it) but this feels more likely
What model Fender is pictured above?
Thank you, I believe that particular model is a Deluxe Reverb, but many of the vintage Fender amps had these same parts such as the Vibrolux Reverb, and Twin Reverb.
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On 6/12/2022 at 3:41 AM, bigwam said:
You're right, it must be capacitors.
You can actually see the rolled edge lips and center caps with wires coming out. Also the fact that the vintage Fender guitar amps have exactly 5 of the correct size in the correct orientation with what appears to be those small resistors and wires on a base pad is what does it for me. And most importantly it makes sense in terms of the year as these Paper style capacitors are from the correct time frame.
Not to mention Chewbacca’s Bowcaster had the exact same Knobs that came on all these vintage Fender guitar amplifiers so there’s a good chance the prop makers had one they used for greeblies. That little knob is actually another clue that led me to look into Fender tube amp Capacitors which I had immediately recognized because I used to play fender amps and I’ve been playing guitar for over 30 years.
These came on most of the vintage Fender amps back in the 60’s and 70’s. Such as the Deluxe, Vibrolux, and Twin Reverb series, or even the Fender Bassman. The issue is all of these vintage amps usually go for big bucks and are sought after by many musicians and studios. It really would be a shame to destroy a perfectly good vintage Fender amp! Though the capacitors do eventually leak and need replacement from time to time, so perhaps old spent capacitors from a repair shop could be appropriate for pack parts. 
As you can see they are the right size. About the same depth as the seed tray.
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I’m fairly certain those are large Axial Paper Electrolytic Capacitors from a Tube Amplifier on the side of the pack, I’ve seen them on guitar amps many times before in my years. Definitely NOT “Shotgun Shells”!
This is exactly what it appears to be from my perception. 
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I never did upload these shots of the pack in the Rogue One Blu-Ray bonus feature videos, in “The Stories” section from the segment titled “Visions Of Hope: The Look Of Rogue One”
As previously noted by iReachy These deployed patrol Troopers with packs appear to be carrying the prisoner X-Wing pilot’s helmets. More specifically hanging from the back left ALICE Pack cargo pocket strap.
I also caught the two Troopers on Crystal Patrol Duty in the background of this shot from the same segment of the bonus features.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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1 hour ago, LoveMonkey said:
That's not a bad point and shoring up the name is something we could do before the CRL gets submitted. I've been thinking about it, and we could go with something like "Jedha Sandtrooper" and "Kyber Sandtrooper". Not sure what everyone thinks.
Again Sandtroopers are deployed in more than one place, and the packs and accessories are designed for a certain type of environment not a specific place. So I don't think its right to name them after a location, we don't call the current sandtroopers "Tatooine Sandroopers". Just like your classic costume "TD - Sandtrooper - ANH", this one should simply be called "TD - Sandtrooper - R1".
For the Crystal Patrol Pack we should just call it "TD - Crystal Patrol Trooper - R1" which is much closer to official reference than "Kyber Sandtrooper". These packs are not necessarily all worn sandtroopers as the movie and all the official reference material would suggest, the other "Sandtrooper Type 4 Field Pack" is specifically meant for Sandtroopers.
I believe these names are much more appropriate and will coincide better with the existing costume titles.
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If both of the backpacks from Rogue One will be going to MEPD I feel the official names of these CRL character titles need to be discussed because "Kyber Trooper" and "Jedha Trooper" just don't seem right at all! I'm sure Sandtroopers are deployed on more planets in the galaxy than just Jedha or Tatooine for that matter, The Sandtrooper packs, armor & accessories weren't designed for one specific location, but rather certain type of environment conditions. We don't currently call TDs "Tatooine Troopers" so I don't know where the term "Jedha Trooper" came from, it just seems wrong to me on more than one level. Although there was one action figure with "Jedha Patrol" written on the packaging but the term 'Jedha Patrol' makes sense in this case as it was a multiple figure set based on the troopers in that scene.
Just like your classic costume "TD - Sandtrooper - ANH", this one should simply be called "TD - Sandtrooper - R1". In my humble opinion. It's fits in nicely and coincides with the other costume titles.And instead of "Kyber Trooper" I think we should also stick to the classic name in official reference material with the addition of the word 'trooper' instead of "duty". I suggest "TD - Crystal Patrol Trooper - R1", again this will coincide with the other costume titles as well as official reference material.
Here are comparison images of the two different packs I've put together. Crystal Patrol Duty Pack on the left, Sandtrooper Type 4 Field Pack on the right.
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I still think that the first Stormtrooper in the movie wearing the pack while using the ‘TK’ designation ON SCREEN is a pretty big issue that we need to address.
Allowing it as an optional accessory with the new R1 TK might be the simple solution to this issue. After all the visual guide does say this "field-specific kit can expand a standard Stormtrooper's versatility."
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Yes I see your point and I agree with you, I guess this has always been the case with Lucasfilm.
I also don't understand why both detachments can't have the pack though, I feel based on all this evidence it should at least be an optional accessory with FISD but that's not my call to make.
I too look forward to FISD and MEPD working together as well as the possibility of getting approved in another detachment with my pack if that ends up being the case.
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I just want to point out that even though the MEPD detachment is getting this pack, it is actually worn by standard Stormtroopers in the movie, not Sandtroopers. In fact even the troopers stationed on Jedha are officially Stormtroopers according to Lucasfilm/Disney, but that's not even the first place we see the pack being worn. The pack is first shown in one of the opening scenes of the movie at the Ring of Kafrene, it's not a sandy place at all it's a trading outpost. So it would make perfect sense that stormtroopers deployed there would be issued these packs to confiscate any kyber crystals attempted to be illegally traded or sold on the market. The only trooper in this scene can actually be heard identifying himself as "TK-62" using the standard stormtrooper designation TK prefix ON SCREEN! And if you turn on the subtitles the character's official name in the script is "STORMTROOPER 1", the first stormtrooper in the movie. This is also supported by the official Rogue One visual guide, a Lucasfilm licensed publication, as well as other official products and media. Disney/Lucasfilm is clearly presenting this character to the public as a Standard Stormtrooper and so far the 501st is not doing a very good job maintaining that continuity by calling it a Sandtrooper.
This is the scene from the Ring of Kafrene trading outpost.
This image is from the official Rogue One visual guide. Disney/Lucasfilm licensed publication.
More images from the visual guide. Disney/Lucasfilm licensed publication.
These images are from the book "Star Wars Stormtroopers Beyond the Armor". A Disney/Lucasfilm licensed publication.
The TOPPS Star Wars Rogue One Stromtrooper Trading Card. Disney/Lucasfilm licensed product.
The Hot Toys STORMTROOPER figure set includes Crystal Patrol Duty Pack. Another Lucasfilm licensed product.
The Hot Toys STORMTROOPER figure set is called “TK-14057” we all know the 'TK' prefix is a standard Stormtrooper designation.
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I would also be interested in buying a 3D printed kit for the electrobinoculars!
They are used in Rogue One as well, and will be most likely an optional accessory for the new CRL. Here's a photo from the Rogue One Visual Guide.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -
1 hour ago, Strider said:
While we're still in discussions with the FISD, I thought I leave this here...
Very nice reference photo! What is the original source of that image, do you know where was it taken from? Is it a screenshot from the movie, I don't think I've seen that picture before.
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Ok first off not all troopers posted on Jedha are Sandtroopers, not even close. In fact there are only a few who are and I'm not even sure if those ones made it to the final cut.
On 2016-12-22 at 7:42 AM, Airborne Trooper said:I agree that it's basically a R1 TK with a pauldron and pack but they are weathered and they are labeled Sandtrooper in the visual guide. There's actually 2 different packs to choose from as well. Most famous is the ammo box version.
There are NOT 2 different packs to choose from! One pack is specifically designed for sandtroopers while the other pack IS NOT! The "ammo box version" you're referring to is in fact a "field-specific kit" designed for "Standard Stormtroopers" according to the Rogue One visual guide, and yes this is a Lucasfilm licensed book. These packs are designed for "Crystal Patrol Duty". Read the paragraph in the image below
Looking at the Norwegian Grenade Case (or "ammo box") it does have the appearance of "Vac-Sealed Armoured Canisters". Considering the history and significance of Kyber Crystals not only in the Rogue One plot but the Star Wars universe in general I'd say this makes absolute perfect sense! They would definitely have been kept in a "well-secured backpack" once confiscated by the empire, at least temporarily until ready for "delivery to Eadu" to be refined into fuel for their super weapon.
On a side note, this also makes perfect sense as to why we first see one of these packs at the Kafrene Trading Outpost which is not on the planet Jedha. The Empire would definitely deploy "standard stormtroopers" issued with these "field specific kits" at the nearby trading outpost in order to capture and confiscate any crystals from citizens attempting to trade them on the market.
This also explains why the pack was displayed on a TK at Celebration Europe and not a TD. The pack at CE looks like it has mud splashed on it from walking/running and being set down on the ground, but the stormtrooper armor is standard shiny white like he just stepped off a star destroyer.
On 2016-12-22 at 8:48 AM, bigwam said:Is there a pic from the second backpack? I only knew the Ammobox version.
The pack designed for sandtroopers is a 'hard pack' that slightly resembles the original TD packs from ANH. I took this photograph myself from my own personal copy of the Rogue One Visual Guide. As you can see this is a "Sandtrooper Type 4 Field pack"
The paragraph below focuses on the armor itself , it doesn't actually mention the packs at all but this is what the sandtroopers in this image are wearing. Notice the base of the antenna is above their shoulders and the lack of shoulder straps or a hook greeblie.
Also seen on the Hot Toys Jedha Patrol action figure. Again, notice the antenna base and lack of shoulder straps.
On 2016-12-23 at 9:06 AM, ukswrath said:IMHO we're looking at two different troopers. There's a clear difference between the R1 TK and TD, both of which were equipped with backpacks, well at least some of the TKs were. The TK armor is generally not dirty (weathered), though his backpack is. The TD seen above in the magazine clearly has weathered armor. The backpacks are also different, well, at least the antennas are. Unfortunately without screen shots, behind the scene images, first hand knowledge provided by either the writers, Lucas or Disney, neither troopers received enough screen time to clearly differentiate their rolls.
If we indeed have a new version TD then someone should get a thread going so we can start the detail processing, similar to a CRL or SWAT spec update.
Correct, it's been confirmed and now we know for certain; There are two packs, one is a "field-specific kit" issued to "standard stormtroopers" for "crystal patrol duty". While the other "Sandtrooper Type 4 Field Pack" is obviously designed for a TD.
Neither of these packs received significant screen time but I've seen the film several times now and I've been able to spot the crystal patrol duty packs 3 or 4 times in a few different scenes. Though just like anything else seen in the films; regardless of screen time these packs are now officially part of Star Wars canon history and the visual guide itself is Lucasfilm/Disney Licensed.
NEW Sonix Victory 75 Variant Discovered!
in Field Backpack
Posted
In fact, it turns out the @RS Prop Masters radio was mistakenly misidentified as a Sonix, but it's actually a Solar brand variant complete with the 5-Pin DIN Plug as you can see; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhZyVsecGTM&t=468s
So there were versions of the Solar radio both with and without the 5-Pin DIN Plug.