Inhaltsverzeichnis
Trans Oceanic Royal 7000
Manufactured by Zenith Radio Corp., Chicago, IL.
In 1969 Zenith launched the Royal 7000, this receiver not only covered the FM broadcast band but also had a BFO to receive CW/SSB transmissions.
Technical data
- Frequency range: VHF (160 MHz weather band), FM broadcast band, LW, MW, 7 x SW (1.6-3.5 MHz; 3.5-9 MHz; 31, 25, 19, 16, 13 m).
- Frequency display Analogue dial, digital display 5 kHz
- Frequency memory: none
Power supply
- Mains operation: 115, 220 V
Dimensions
- 335 x 212 x 142 mm, weight 6 kg
Accessories
Operation
As the last representative of the solid state „Trans Oceanic“ radios, the Royal 7000 is equipped with an FM broadcast band tuner and additionally covers the VHF weather band. The 33.5 x 21 x 14 cm set has a weight of about 2 kg.
The receiver is powered by eight 1.5 V batteries, a ninth battery is needed to operate the dial illumination. Alternatively, the receiver can be powered from 115 (switchable to 230) volts AC from the mains.
The receiver has a carrying handle on the upper edge, the telescopic antenna is not connected to the carrying handle but can be folded out slightly behind it by lifting a flap.
The frequency dial with the dial window of the horizontal turret tuner is located in the uppermost area of the front panel, this is operated with a rotary switch from the right narrow side of the set, a very similar configuration can be found on some Grundig sets as well as on the Sony Earth Orbiter or the T1000 from Braun.
The tuning knob is embedded in the large loudspeaker cover, and in a square field to the left of it, in a row from top to bottom, are the signal strength instrument, the earphone jack, the AM/FM switch, the NORM (wide) / SHARP (narrow) bandwidth switch and the switch for the display instrument. To the right, from the top, are rotary controls for the BFO for CW/single sideband reception, the RF gain control for manual control of the RF gain, the tone and the volume control.
The front panel cover is hinged up and down, the upper cover revealing the frequency dial and the lower cover revealing the lower half of the front panel with the controls and speaker. Under a compartment with a compass rose, there is a ring-bound shortwave reception manual in coated paper with a frequency table - going through the station names from the sixties immediately brings up nostalgic feelings. The world time conversion chart is specially designed, with two knurled wheels the time dial can be moved back and forth like a film dial.
The main switch is combined with the volume control, and the turret tuner - band switch is used to set the desired frequency band. The Royal 7000 covers long and mediumwaves (here called BC); the tropical bands and the 49 and 41 m broadcast bands, which are not so important in the USA, are marked in the 2-4 and 4-9 MHz ranges. Only the 31, 25, 19 and 16m shortwave bands have a rudimentary but usable dial calibration, the radio lacks the luxury of a digital frequency display - this fact, apart from the high catalogue price in Europe, may also have been the reason for the moderate success of the late Zenith sets.
Due to the single conversion principle, mirror frequencies of very strong transmitters must be expected, the sensitivity is comparable to that of the Grundig - sets from the same period. In contrast to the previous models, two switchable IF bandwidths are available. The dial calibration can be considered as satisfactory only in the spread 31 - 13 m bands. In the tropical bands and in the 49 m broadcast band, which are covered by the 4-9 MHz range, the frequency reading accuracy is insufficient. The D7000 has a switchable BFO and also an RF gain control, so it allows rudimentary reception of CW and single sideband transmissions in the amateur radio bands. However, the popular 80 and 40 m amateur radio bands are located in the poorly spread parts of the dial, and the ham bands are partially not covered in the band spread dials, which considerably reduces the value of the BFO.
Another speciality of the Royal 7000 is the coverage of the „Weather Band“ around 160 MHz in the VHF range. In this band in the USA weather alerts are broadcast, in Europe this range is useless; the fact that it was illegal to listen to VHF frequencies in Germany did not increase the popularity of the set in Germany.
In summary, the Trans Oceanic Royal 7000 is a nice collector's set, which as a travel radio is still able to satisfy modest demands in shortwave reception and offers good mediumwave and FM broadcast band reception, the goodies like the BFO and the coverage of the VHF weather band are unfortunately largely useless.
Technical principle
Single conversion with a uniform IF of 10.7 MHz, turret tuner with spread shortwave bands.
Components
The set is solid state.
