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GE Clock radios, redux

R

radiocph

There is an old (2007) thread about the GE "Great Awakening" digital clock radios, model #'s 7-4880 and 7-4885 - https://www.radiodiscussions.com/threads/ge-clock-radios-of-the-80s.513123/

(The 7-4880 features a red LED display, while the 7-4885 has a blue fluorescent display, a tone control, and the ability to use either 9 kHz or 10kHz channelization. Otherwise the two radios are identical.)

A Youtube video showing how to repair the keypads on these radios:

Now, the reason I bring this up is that I am assuming that, if someone inputs a frequency outside of the normal AM-FM range, an error message of some sort is sent, rather than the radio being tuned out of band. Has anyone "reprogrammed" one of these radios to tune in frequencies such as shortwave, etc?

Just wondering....
 
Lol, radiocph ......

Felt compelled here to try and post this picture, of my first-ever DX radio. In fact, I hadn't even heard of the term 'DX'. Took it all over the place as a kid, to relatives' houses, vacations, church, etc. Despite those ridiculously corpulent dial numbers, it got so that I could tell the frequency it was tuned to even when it wasn't turned on.
Pretty good cooker it was. A few tubes. First catch was WBBM Chicago 780. The addiction began then.
The same radio (maybe it WAS the one I owned) was on top of the fridge in the Happy Days TV show kitchen.GE clock radio !.jpg
 
I had a little pocket transistor in the 1970s, as a child we moved from Indianapolis to Columbia SC. One night to my surprise WOWO from Fort Wayne came roaring in.. how could I not be hooked?

Far as the shortwave mod, I got a GE portable AM FM, and after a drop off the table, could pick up shortwave in the 11 mhz band on the bottom of AM.
Funny how those happenings cultivated a lifelong interest..
 
Steve Green NEPA said:
Lol, radiocph ......

Felt compelled here to try and post this picture, of my first-ever DX radio. In fact, I hadn't even heard of the term 'DX'. Took it all over the place as a kid, to relatives' houses, vacations, church, etc. Despite those ridiculously corpulent dial numbers, it got so that I could tell the frequency it was tuned to even when it wasn't turned on.
Pretty good cooker it was. A few tubes. First catch was WBBM Chicago 780. The addiction began then.
The same radio (maybe it WAS the one I owned) was on top of the fridge in the Happy Days TV show kitchen.View attachment 7019
Click to expand...
I've got one of those, and the solid state version, too. I guess I'd best switch them on and make sure they still work. If I remember, the main PCB is slanted inside and replacing parts is a challenge. The solid state one worked well when I last turned it on a few years back. It would pull in 1500 KSTP, not a bad haul for a clock radio here in Seattle.
 
Steve Green NEPA said:
Lol, radiocph ......

Felt compelled here to try and post this picture, of my first-ever DX radio. In fact, I hadn't even heard of the term 'DX'. Took it all over the place as a kid, to relatives' houses, vacations, church, etc. Despite those ridiculously corpulent dial numbers, it got so that I could tell the frequency it was tuned to even when it wasn't turned on.
Pretty good cooker it was. A few tubes. First catch was WBBM Chicago 780. The addiction began then.
The same radio (maybe it WAS the one I owned) was on top of the fridge in the Happy Days TV show kitchen.View attachment 7019
Click to expand...
I had that one. As I recall it had tubes
 
Those were the days, eh?
On-off and volume -- one knob. One tonality range. One band.
And we LIKED it that way !!!!!

Today kids and even adults have devices the size of a kazoo that can give you the hour in six different time zones plus their military time, the temperature, barometer and 10-day forecast, your entire family's blood pressure, the Wall Street ticker scroll, etc. (not including the available optionals and apps). Or the price.
Just give me any old $20 bomb to get my A out of B. Any DX is a bonus.
 
Steve Green NEPA said:
Lol, radiocph ......

Felt compelled here to try and post this picture, of my first-ever DX radio. In fact, I hadn't even heard of the term 'DX'. Took it all over the place as a kid, to relatives' houses, vacations, church, etc. Despite those ridiculously corpulent dial numbers, it got so that I could tell the frequency it was tuned to even when it wasn't turned on.
View attachment 7019
Click to expand...
I had a clock radio like this one, back in the 70s. I remember rewiring the clock-actutated switch to my Radio Shack 150-in-1 project kit to use as a timer.....
 
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