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  "Bananas"

The first real handy portables were built resembling the shape of a big handset, most probably imitating a telephone handset.

The term "banana" was born for this kind of handy portables.

The first radio of this shape was the American one-channel tube radio BC-611 . The shape existed long into the transistor age. Since these radios appear on my website in different categories, I combined all the "bananas" of my collection in this page.

"Bananas" in my collection:


  "Tube- bananas" :

BC-611 E (USA)
It was developed in the USA at the end of WWII, and with the time was built in Variants BC-611 A to BC-611 F.
[click] for the description of BC-611

BC-611 F (USA)
The collection has the US variants BC-611 E und BC-611 F.
[click] for the drescription of BC-611

BC-611 (F)
The BC-611 also was licenced an built abroad. Most of the BC-611 that can be got here in Germany, are BC-611 F from France..
[click] for thr description of BC-611

Fox
" Kleinfunkgerät Fox" ("small radio Fox") is the Swiss Version of the BC-611. Partly it was imported, partly it was built in Switzerland. All these radios were called "Fox".
[click] for the description of Kleinfunkgerät Fox.

BC-721
BC-721 is the glider version of the BC-611. It came in two variants: BC-721 A and BC-721 B. The radio in the collection is a BC-721 B, unfortunately without mounting.
[click] for the description of BC-721



PRC-6 (USA)
The next radio generation, too, was developed and built in the USA; and used in many countries. This is the rounded shape that is commonly known everywhere. It also uses tubes, and has only one channel, like its predecessor.
[click] zur for description of PRC-6

PRC-6 (F)
Many countries built the licensed version, here the French Variant.

PRC-6 (Israel)
Das Israel Variant has a Hebrew lettering on the outside, and an English lettering on the inside. Most probably it was imported and renamed.

RT-201 by Ducati (I)
In Italy they built a "Short Banana", with the battery in a different housing, connected by a cable.
[click] for description of the Ducati


The next developments in the USA had different housings; in many countries the proven banana- shape furthermore was used also for multichannel and transistorized versions.


PRC-6/6 (D)
The German Army developed the six- channel PRC-6/6. It still used tubes.
[click] for description of PRC-6/6

TR-PP-8-A (F)
The 6- channel French Variant was the TR-PP-8-A
[click] for description of TR-PP-8-A


  "Solid state bananas" :

PRC-6E (GR)
Greece built a one-channel solid state version: PRC-6-E
[click] for description of PRC-6-E

PRC-6T (D)
The German version PRC-6T (1 channel) was built only for export.
[click] for description of PRC-6T

PRC-6TA (OE)
Das Austrian PRC-6TA is structurally identical to the PRC-6T.

PRC-6T / 180 (D)
There also was a 180- channel German version, the PRC-6T/180. This radio, too, was exported only.
[click] for description of PRC-6T/180

TR-PP 11 (F)
AVP-1 (Portug)
RV-2 (I)
France built a slightly different banana shaped radio, the TR-PP-11
(6 channels). It also was used in adjacent countries using different terms.
[click] for description of TR-PP-11

PRC-6AK (Korea)
Korea combined the two-part American radio PRT-4 und PRR-9 to a one-part banana with two channels: KPRC-6.
[click] for description of KPRC-6


  German "BOS- Bananas" :

FuG 6 (D)
Also German BOS- radios (for authorities) were built using the popular banana shape. An example is the well- known tube radio FuG 6 with three channels.
[click] for description of FuG 6

FuG 6B (D)
The successor of the FuG 6, the solid state FuG 6B with 40 channels, still had this shape.
[click] for description of FuG 6B


  "Civilian" Bananas :

CB- banana by Sony
Even for hobby use portable radios were built using the banana shape, here a CB- radio by Sony.

BC-611- CB- Banane
Also the world famous BC-611 was built downsized as a CB radio.