Gunther "Pygmee"

Gunther

This superheterodyne receiver from 1935 with MW range is powered directly from the mains and is suitable for direct and alternating current networks of 125 Volt. Special is the 'hot tail' series resistor for the filaments of the lamps, which is designed as an extra resistance wire in the power cord. This causes the power cord to become quite warm during use of the radio.

The left rotary knob is the volume control with on/off switch, the tuning knob is on the right. The wavelength switch is located on the back of the cabinet. The technique is that of an early All-American 5ive or AA5 radio. This was the American predecessor of the European "four tube" circuit from 1941.

Brand name Gunther Radio
Model Pygmee 5
Production U.S.A. 1935
Valves RCA Radiotron 6A7, 78, 77, 43, 25Z5
IF 223KHz
Range 200-550 and 1000-2000 meters
Speaker built-in, dynamic, Magnavox (USA) model 165, 12 cm diameter, built-up 5000 ohm transformer excitation coil 3000 ohms / 80 Volts DC
Supply 125 Volt, AC or DC, 50 Watt
Dimensions  26 x 18 x 12 cm
Weight  3,2 kg

By removing the plywood back wall, the interior of the Pygmee becomes visible. Top left the wavelength switch with the antenna coil, below that the choke of the power supply. Then the mixing lamp 6A7, the band filter and the mf lamp 78. On the far right behind the shielding partition, the detector lamp 77. A gramophone can be connected via the switch entrance on the chassis. In this case, 125 V mains voltage can be applied to metal parts of the gramophone.