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Comprehensive Radio Comparison & Brief History


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.

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Front Side Comparison

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Back Side Comparison

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Sticker Comparison

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Left Side Comparison

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Right Side Comparison

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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117 Volts with North American style plug.

Solar Power Source

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117 Volts with North American style plug.

Patent Number Comparison

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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, Kowloon                                       

https://www.hkgbusiness.com/en/company/Mtl-Electronics-Hk-Limited


Circuit Design: Star Light 1809c

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The Sonix company used two different style logos

Type A

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Type B

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Examples:

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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.

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The North Star company used two different style logos

Type A

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Type B

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Examples:

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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

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Type B

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Examples:

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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.

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Which is the exact same radio as the North Star Model No. "M8"

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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).

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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.

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The vent on the back is also different.

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The text “FILE NO. LL 26592” may very well refer to the legal license to reproduce the Model No. 1809 design.

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The reproduction only has a headphone plug-in, where as the original version has both microphone and headphone plug-ins.

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Another major difference is the strap mounting brackets, The reproduction is quite unique from the original North Star, Sonix, or Solar brand variants.

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Notice the feet on the bottom are rounded on the reproduction unlike the flat feet on the original version.

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  • 2 weeks later...

MAN!!!

This is what I was talking about in the other thread about a slow forum.
THX for sharing Henry.

This is just awesome!!!
I didnt even know that the Solar radio (or brand) existed.
And I actually own a K-8 Radio... mine is green but it is just the same.

I had only knowledge of 3 Sonix and 1 North Star in existence within the community, and one in the possession of a Radio Aficionado who just got tired of us geeks reaching out to him so he put down his website.

Thanks for sharing.

My prop life dream is to own a Sonix, or now a Northstar or Solar radio... So far I have a Replica made by Woodman.
Maybe someday, Even today I cant help but check up every single store, house, office, restaurant or any place I can see old things stored or displayed. Someday.

Saludos


 

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