Inhaltsverzeichnis
Panasonic RF-788L
Manufactured by National Panasonic.
Panasonic's RF-788L dating from 1979 is an example of an early portable radio with two shortwave ranges, it says „bandspread“, but in fact, the bands are still very narrow as the complete shortwave spectrum is covered by only two bands with a dial width of around 5 cm for each band.
Technical data
- Frequency range: FM, LW, MW, 2 x SW (6 - 11 / 11 - 18 MHz)
- Frequency display: Analogue dial
- Frequency memories: none
- Signal strength indicator: Tuning LED
Power supply
Dimensions
- 176 x 113 x 32 mm, weight 0.5 kg
Accessories
Operation
The Panasonic RF-788L is an early example of a small portable travel radio, it's a single conversion superhet with the dimensions 176 x 113 x 32 mm and a weight of 500 grams. The set covers the FM broadcast band, long- and mediumwaves and the 6 - 18 m shortwave range in two bands.
Behind the speaker grill at the left side of the receiver's front panel, you find a small 8 cm diameter speaker.
At the right side, there is a red glowing LED as signal strength indicator, and just below the horizontal frequency dials. Dial markings on shortwave are very coarse, finding a station on a known frequency is nearly impossible as e.g. the 49 m shortwave band takes up only about 5 mm on the dial.
The band is selected with the sliding switch just below the dial, a mechanical green sign indicates the active band on the dial. The ON/OFF switch is next to the band selector; below, you find two sliding controls for volume and tone control.
The tuning knob is located at the right small face of the receiver.
Panasonic's RF-788L is an early example of a little travel portable. You can use it to listen to some local FM or MW broadcaster, the bandspread on the two shortwave band is only rudimentary, so you can in fact listen to shortwave stations, but it depends only from luck which station you are tuned to - if you concentrate on the strongest signals and know the voices of the speakers of Deutsche Welle or BBC World Service, you might find your way, but if you intend to hear the signal from Radio Habana somewhere in the middle of a band, you will get lost between the stations in the crowded bands.
For me, the RF-788L is a nice example how Panasonic made it's way from designing home radios to specific world band radios.
Technical principle
Single conversion superhet
Component layout
The set is solid state.