I have a Motorola railroad radio that I was looking for more info on its a "Dispatcher" maybe HT220 vintage series radio mod# Z33BAT1102
it sits upright has handle on top, has a Train-Cab toggle switch and the large vol- squelch knobs remind me of Consollete Mocom 70 type knobs the unit has a So239 on the side at the top but it also has a plug in on bottom that looks like it was some kind of porta-mobile unit and that this interfaced with a radio drawer for higher output
Just wondering if anybody knew what vintage this is and how it worked, was it a porta-mobile take it with you thing for train folks?
Joe
Motorola Railroad radio ID question
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Re: Motorola Railroad radio ID question
I beleive that is a "SP" version of a P33BAT packset designed to be used as a caboose radio and
plug into a power supply and mounting bracket in the caboose. I think early 1960s or older. I believe the BAT series was earlier than the HT200.
Does it have a solid state receiver and miniature tubes in the transmitter?
plug into a power supply and mounting bracket in the caboose. I think early 1960s or older. I believe the BAT series was earlier than the HT200.
Does it have a solid state receiver and miniature tubes in the transmitter?
Re: Motorola Railroad radio ID question
The basic chassis in this is a Transistorized Dispatcher, which in its first generation (hybrid receiver) was introduced in 1958 (AAT suffix) and was rather quickly updated to the second generation, which used a fully solid state receiver (BAT suffix) This radio was produced through about 1967. There should be a date code inked on the side of some of the board frames in the chassis itself, along with the frequencies as supplied by the factory.
The "Z" prefix indicates a special order for a particular customer, and in this case is rare. Motorola had several methods of identifying special production equipment; some have a regular model number followed by SP--, some have weird model numbers such as P1182 or T1773 etc., and in the 1960's, it was usual to assign an "X" or a "Z" as the model prefix for special sets. I am unaware of any published scheme for why they did this. The Z prefix seems to have been used a lot on portable and industrial radios, and railroad and logging radios will often have a "Z" or an "R" prefix.
Your radio in standard form would be a D33BAT. The set is built in three modules - - top panel, center section (receiver/transmitter) and bottom section (power supply.) The power supply connects with a "Blue Ribbon" connector to the center section. It sounds like your radio is missing the power supply. The standard D33BAT does not have a handle on top. I believe the "Train-Caboose" switch is just a F1-F2 selector.
There were no other components used with this radio. It runs 8 Watts max..
The "Z" prefix indicates a special order for a particular customer, and in this case is rare. Motorola had several methods of identifying special production equipment; some have a regular model number followed by SP--, some have weird model numbers such as P1182 or T1773 etc., and in the 1960's, it was usual to assign an "X" or a "Z" as the model prefix for special sets. I am unaware of any published scheme for why they did this. The Z prefix seems to have been used a lot on portable and industrial radios, and railroad and logging radios will often have a "Z" or an "R" prefix.
Your radio in standard form would be a D33BAT. The set is built in three modules - - top panel, center section (receiver/transmitter) and bottom section (power supply.) The power supply connects with a "Blue Ribbon" connector to the center section. It sounds like your radio is missing the power supply. The standard D33BAT does not have a handle on top. I believe the "Train-Caboose" switch is just a F1-F2 selector.
There were no other components used with this radio. It runs 8 Watts max..
Re: Motorola Railroad radio ID question
I was looking for more info and I could only find the earlier AAT version. The info from WB6NVH pretty well covers the later model.
I believe the railroad "Z" versions were designed to work with separate power supplies which could be either a caboose mounting, a 120VAC supply for signal tower use or a monster battery pack to use as a (very heavy) packset.
I believe the railroad "Z" versions were designed to work with separate power supplies which could be either a caboose mounting, a 120VAC supply for signal tower use or a monster battery pack to use as a (very heavy) packset.
Re: Motorola Railroad radio ID question
Thanks guys, BTW its for sale if anybody needs it
Re: Motorola Railroad radio ID question
Can you post a photo?
The 120V supply would make the radio a Z33BAB, and it fits on the bottom of the set in place of the transistorized DC supply. In order to make it fit, the sleeve of the center section had to be changed to one a couple of inches longer. Some trains had 120V AC power available, apparently mainly the caboose.
I seem to recall there were also power supplies for 72V DC, although I think these used the external converter K2HZ mentions.
None of the railroad radios seem to have ever made it into the Buyer's Guides back then, making them somewhat of a mystery now. I wonder if there was a separate Buyer's Guide for railroads... I am sure there were sales brochures, but I haven't run across any.
The 120V supply would make the radio a Z33BAB, and it fits on the bottom of the set in place of the transistorized DC supply. In order to make it fit, the sleeve of the center section had to be changed to one a couple of inches longer. Some trains had 120V AC power available, apparently mainly the caboose.
I seem to recall there were also power supplies for 72V DC, although I think these used the external converter K2HZ mentions.
None of the railroad radios seem to have ever made it into the Buyer's Guides back then, making them somewhat of a mystery now. I wonder if there was a separate Buyer's Guide for railroads... I am sure there were sales brochures, but I haven't run across any.