• Country
• Australia

• Manufacturer / Brand
• Ferris Bros. Pty Ltd.; Sydney

• Year
• 1959/1960

• Category
• Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner

• Radiomuseum.org ID
• 262011

Click on the schematic thumbnail to request the schematic as a free document.

• Number of Transistors
• 8

• Semiconductors
• 2N370 2N371 2N372 2N309 OC71 OC71 OC72 OC72 OA80 OA80

• Main principle
• Superhet with RF-stage; ZF/IF 455 kHz; 3 AF stage(s)

• Tuned circuits
• 7 AM circuit(s)

• Wave bands
• Broadcast only (MW).

• Power type and voltage
• Storage and/or dry batteries / 12 / 1 x 9 Volt

• Loudspeaker
• Permanent Magnet Dynamic (PDyn) Loudspeaker (moving coil) / Ø 4 inch = 10.2 cm

• Power out
• 0.4 W (unknown quality)

• Material
• Metal case

• from Radiomuseum.org
• Model: Portable Car Radio M134 - Ferris Bros. Pty Ltd.; Sydney

• Shape
• Portable set > 8 inch (also usable without mains)

• Dimensions (WHD)
• 9.5 x 7.5 x 2.75 inch / 241 x 191 x 70 mm

• Notes

• This is claimed to be the world’s first transistor/portable car radio. Certainly it is the first of it’s type on the Australian market. The cradle was sold as a separate item and is now scarce as many were left in the vehicle when it was sold, particularly if the new vehicle had a car radio and the Ferris was kept as a portable only.

  The cradle was mentioned in the Mingay's New Products Index on 8th July 1960 but the price is not advertised.

  As a portable, it is extremely heavy at almost 2½ kilograms plus the battery.

  The correct battery is a Eveready Type 2364

  The ferrite antenna is located in the plastic case extension, immediately behind the dial scale whilst the balance of the circuitry is located inside the full metal case. The power input, when the radio is used as a car radio, is filtered to suppress ignition noise. The ferrite rod antenna can be switched out of use when the radio is used as a car radio.

  A common fault with this radio, and also the MKII and MKIII versions, is that the output transistors can fail as it is easy, as a car radio, to overdrive them. 12 Volt supply, dual OC71 as audio drivers and the use of multiple speakers are an invitation to use high volume and thus high loads on these germanium transistors.

  This first version lacks of a reverse polarity protection when operated from a car battery which both 134 MkII and 134 MkIII have.

  The Mark III model also has a different front panel. The 134 and the 134 Mk II are labelled "EIGHT TRANSISTOR". The Mk III version is labelled "ALL TRANSISTOR". No doubt this reflects the change in the design from an eight transistor circuit to that of a seven transistor circuit.

• Net weight (2.2 lb = 1 kg)
• 2.4 kg / 5 lb 4.6 oz (5.286 lb)

• Price in first year of sale
• 51.48 AUS £

• Literature/Schematics (1)
• J.R. Publications Transistor Radio Service Handbook (Vol. 1, 1960, Page A1.)

• Literature/Schematics (2)
• J.R. Publications Car Radio Service Handbook (Page A1.)

• Literature/Schematics (3)
• Mingay's Price Service (Feb 1960 & Aug 1960.)

• Author
• Model page created by Brian Wilson. See "Data change" for further contributors.

• Other Models

• Here you find 143 models, 86 with images and 49 with schematics for wireless sets etc. In French: TSF for Télégraphie sans fil.
  All listed radios etc. from Ferris Bros. Pty Ltd.; Sydney