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Motorola Model 52R-16U Plastic Table Radio (1952)
This eye catching ac/dc powered single band radio uses the miniature tube set 12BE6, 12BA6, 12AT6,
50C5 and 35W4. It came in several different colored plastics, including ivory, walnut, maroon, gray,
green, red and yellow. The electronics uses an early printed circuit board. These were unreliable as a
result of broken or lifted traces, caused no doubt when tubes were removed and inserted and also
because of the relatively high internal temperatures attributable to the miniature tube types used
(especially the 50C5 and 35W4). However, it yielded lower manufaturing costs. Some manufacturers,
notably Zenith, resisted the move to printed circuits for a number of years and in fact capitalized on this
in their advertizing literature of the day, claiming better reliability through hand-wiring.
50C5 and 35W4. It came in several different colored plastics, including ivory, walnut, maroon, gray,
green, red and yellow. The electronics uses an early printed circuit board. These were unreliable as a
result of broken or lifted traces, caused no doubt when tubes were removed and inserted and also
because of the relatively high internal temperatures attributable to the miniature tube types used
(especially the 50C5 and 35W4). However, it yielded lower manufaturing costs. Some manufacturers,
notably Zenith, resisted the move to printed circuits for a number of years and in fact capitalized on this
in their advertizing literature of the day, claiming better reliability through hand-wiring.
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