Royal 500RD Ch= 8AT40Z2

Zenith Radio Corp.; Chicago, IL

  • Year
  • 1958
  • Category
  • Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner
  • Radiomuseum.org ID
  • 172191
    • alternative name: Chicago Radio Lab

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

 Technical Specifications

  • Number of Transistors
  • 8
  • Main principle
  • Superhet with RF-stage; ZF/IF 455 kHz; 2 AF stage(s)
  • Tuned circuits
  • 5 AM circuit(s)
  • Wave bands
  • Broadcast only (MW).
  • Power type and voltage
  • Dry Batteries / AA: 4 x 1.5 Volt
  • Loudspeaker
  • Permanent Magnet Dynamic (PDyn) Loudspeaker (moving coil) / Ø 2.75 inch = 7 cm
  • Material
  • Plastics (no bakelite or catalin)
  • from Radiomuseum.org
  • Model: Royal 500RD Ch= 8AT40Z2 - Zenith Radio Corp.; Chicago,
  • Shape
  • Very small Portable or Pocket-Set (Handheld) < 8 inch.
  • Notes
  • The Zenith Royal 500D family has two chassis, four transistor label colors, and two cabinet styles. The four chassis, in chronological order, are summarized in the following table. Note that only about 2,000 Type 1 chassis were made.

    Type Chassis

    Dot/
    Label
    Color

    RF Mix Osc 1st
    IF
    2nd
    IF
    Det Drvr Out
    x2
    Man
    1 8AT40Z2 Black

    121-63
    2N544

    121-62
    2N411
    121-65
    2N409
    121-66
    2N409
    121-66
    2N409
    103-19 1N87G 121-64
    2N407
    121-61
    2N407
    RCA
    2 8AT40Z2 Red "" "" "" 121-73 121-74 "" "" "" ""
    3 8AT40Z2 Green or -78 '' '' '' '' '' '' '' ''
    4 8AT40 Blue 121-101 2N544 121-103 2N411 121-102 2N409 121-104 2N409 121-105 2N409 "" 121-106 2N407 121-107 2N407 Syl

    The earlier first cabinet style had "LONG DISTANCE" stamped below the engraved "ZENITH" brand on the front. Initially, the colors were black and maroon. Later colors added were pink, tan, and white.

    The later second cabinet style added a black "500D" under the Zenith emblem (smaller than the first emblem) on the metal faceplate. A new inverted cone speaker was introduced, with the speaker grill also pushed out to accommodate the inverted cone. Not all 500D radios used the new speaker. The colors were black, maroon, and white.

    The earlier cabinet was used with Types 1, 2, and 3 chassis. The later cabinet was used with Types 2, 3, and 4 chassis.

    The five Royal 500D models are 500RD, 500WD, 500YD, 500D Ch= 8AT40Z2, and 500D Ch= 8AT40.

    Umfassende Beschreibung in Deutsch.

  • Literature/Schematics (2)
  • -- Original-techn. papers. (Antique Radio Magazine n.61, June-July 2004, page 53 (Ita/Eng). Free at Aldo Andreani's website.)
  • Literature/Schematics (3)
  • -- Original-techn. papers. (Zenith Royal 500 Transistor Radios "Owl Eyes" booklet, Eldon A. Horton, pages 1-20.)
  Radio a transistor tascabili americane: Zenith Royal 500 “Owl Eyes” (Per cortesia di L.Salvatore/ARM) 3327 KB
  • Documents regarding this model
  • Author
  • Model page created by Egon Penker. See "Data change" for further contributors.

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