Sommerkamp ts 788

[Zman]

Sommerkamp CB radio TS-788 DX | eBay

Anyone ever seen one before?

 

[Henry HPSD]

Hello,

Yes, they are quite frequently sold here in "western Europa".
They are very popular with the "collectors".
And in all honesty..they are fun to operate...not that they are that good...but just imagine a 27Mhz rig with VFO pushing 100 watts and allread 30 years old great fun !

And thats also the reason they are expensive over here, it was the first high output power vfo rig for 11 meter ...

Second hand the prices here are 200-300 euro's depending on condition (box etc).

Ah almost forgot, they are also known as "coffee warmer" cause of the looks of course.

If its a good one..buy it, just because of the "atmosphere" around it.

Regards,

Henry

 

[AudioShockwav]

Ah almost forgot, they are also known as "coffee warmer" cause of the looks of course.

The Little brick amp on the back of the radio will keep your coffee cup warm while you are talking on the radio, lol.

Sommerkamp, Yaesu and the early Palomar Electronics have a history together, I have a Sommerkamp Amp built by Palomar, and many of the Sommerkamp radio sold overseas were made by Yaesu.

Coffeewarmer 1

http://www.cbtricks.com/pub/secret_cb/vol_13/graphics/secret_cb_vol_13_pg04_09.pdf


Sommerkamp


( Click on the HAM-HF link scroll down and look at the little Sommerkamp solid state amp, that is the one I have, it is a model PA-100, 4 settings, 25/50/75/100 watts)


TS-788DX Amateur Sommerkamp, build 1980 ?, 13 pictures, 16 s


73
Jeff

 

[AudioShockwav]

Also, have a read at this page.
It tells the story of the Clear Channel Ranger AR-3000 and AR 3500 radio, Palomar Electronics, Yaesu Munsen, Sommerkamp, Swan,Siltronix,Herb Lewis (Sam Lewis`s Dad) , RF limited, CPI ( Communications Power Inc), DigiMax,The Sommerkamp 788 and some early history about CB/Ham radio in the early day`s in Calif.
This is a really good read, and has a lot of history in it.

http://cbworldinformer.com/200202/ccc_history.htm


73
Jeff

 

[Atlasta]

As I understand it Sommerkamp was the go-to name for a lot of radios that were branded for sale in Europe. I once saw a Sommerkamp FT-101 and a couple of Ranger radios also branded this way. Does anyone have any idea why? Was it a trademark issue?

Been watching this particular radio and wouldn't mind having it. Any thoughts on who actually made the thing? I've never seen anything like it.

 

[IMD262]

As I understand it Sommerkamp was the go-to name for a lot of radios that were branded for sale in Europe. I once saw a Sommerkamp FT-101 and a couple of Ranger radios also branded this way. Does anyone have any idea why? Was it a trademark issue?

Been watching this particular radio and wouldn't mind having it. Any thoughts on who actually made the thing? I've never seen anything like it.

If you had the $$$, Ranger and Yaesu would build radios with Atlasta on the front.

 

[jazzsinger]

If you had the $$$, Ranger and Yaesu would build radios with Atlasta on the front.

if i'm not mistaken much of yaesu's stuff was subcontracted to nissei, not sure if that is still the case. funnily enough they also manufacture all the s meters used in export and uniden/ranger style cb's, amongst many swr meters/psu's etc they will make for anyone

as for sommerkamp, it was a brand popular mainly in Germany, hence the spelling, i doubt it was a trademark issue, more likely an import company selling somewhat iffy gear under a pseudonym to make life difficult for the authorities, a bit like "palomar or superstar", pseudonym's that have been used by several makers/importers.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Any thoughts on who actually made the thing?

In 1980, Palomar died while the 10 Meter market faded. However, the Palomar people continued in the amplifier business, making amplifiers for their friend Im, the owner of Sommerkamp. Sommerkamp(*) had the European distribution sewn up. Im was also responsible for putting Yaesu Munsen (YM) on the map in the early 70’s. When he first visited Mr. Hasagowa in Japan, his main business mainly consisted of repairing color TVs in Tokyo. He had built a few sideband radios and was starting to build up sales outside Japan. Meanwhile, in the US a couple of guys started Spectronics East & West. They would drive around LA in a converted ambulance (circa Ghostbusters) delivering radios to anyone with the cash. Im made a deal with Mr. Hasagawa. Im put money into YM, in return, Im got total distribution rights for a specified period and all would bear the Sommerkamp brand. Im showed Mr. Hasagawa the one thing that put YM on the map, how to install the crystal for easy 11 Meter conversion.

Im had an engineer named Mr. Sakamoto in Japan. When the exclusive ran out in the late 70’s, Im had Mr. Sakamoto develop the TS788, Palomar/RF Limited supplied the MRF454 transistors and when the radio was available, RF Limited in exchange got the TS788 exclusive for the Americas. This was when I got involved with RF Limited, repairing Sommerkamp 788 radios.


The 788 was a compact 10/11 Meter transceiver with output power around 70 Watts PEP. The SSB transmission was not the cleanest on the market and there were many problems with the Circuit boards. It was a dual board radio with a wiring harness sandwiched between them. The boards were also phenolic double sided and the feed-thoughs were constantly breaking. Although this was a very innovative radio, it was a nightmare to work on. Im realized the magnitude of the problem and after a while abandoned the project

This is all from the Link : History on AR-3300 and AR-3500 plus 10 Meter Evolution.

It really is a good read, and shows how the Clear Channel radios, and the "10 Meter" market developed, the interaction of Some Ham radio companys, Some of the names, the ARRL, Palomar Electronics ( a well know grey market CB/Ham Mono band 10 meter Amp builder flying under the radar of the FCC (( bull they knew they were there)) and other small company's in southern ca) had interactions together.
Great stuff.....you could not get this kind of knowledge before the internet unless you knew some one involved in it.


73
Jeff





(*)
Yaesu is a Japanese brand of commercial and amateur radio equipment.
It was founded as Yaesu Musen Co., Ltd.
In 1959 by a Japanese radio amateur Sako Hasegawa with callsign JA1MP in the Tokyo neighborhood of Yaesu. The initial intent seemed to have been to develop and manufacture commercial and amateur radio transceivers for the Japanese market but by 1964 there were sales agreements placed in Australia and Germany.
In Europe the equipment was sold under the Yaesu brand and the Sommerkamp brand. In 1963 the Swiss firm Sommerkamp imported Yaesu equipment and sold it using their own brand.
Yaesu's line of equipment was first imported into the US by Spectronics, Inc. located in Signal Hill, CA, in 1965. Yaesu became an important presence in the U.S. amateur radio market with the introduction and improvement of its very popular FT-101 line of equipment in the 1970s. In addition, transceivers were OEM'd to Henry Radio in Los Angeles. Spectronics was founded by William Turner, father of Robert Turner who went on to found EMG, Inc. manufacturer of EMG Pickups for electric guitars.
Sako Hasegawa (JA1MP) died in 1990 and Jun Hasegawa took over his job as managing director.
Yaesu Musen acquired the STANDARD radio equipment brand from Marantz Japan in 1998, and changed the company name to Vertex Standard Co., Ltd. in 2000. In 2007 Motorola announced its intention to purchase 80% of Vertex Standard and form a joint venture with Tokogiken, which would hold the other 20%. This deal was completed in January 2008.[1] The joint venture was dissolved effective January 1, 2012. The Vertex Standard land mobile division operates as a wholly owned subsidiary headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.[2] The Amateur Radio, Airband and Marine Radio business was transferred to the new company "Yaesu Musen".[3]

 

[Mudfoot]

Sold for $265.

 

[Zman]

I saw that. I wanted to bid on it but then it climbed over what i wanted to bid....