Can you help me identify this?

[Swarbee79]

I have this really cool GE combination radio. I think the part number is HN31N6 and appears to have been modified to work on bands 76 & 94. The only documentation I'm found for this portable radio is this (it has nothing to do with the radio itself) https://lfsrv2.cityofsavage.com/WebLinkExternal/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=9002&page=1&cr=1

Any chance anyone has any information they could provide? A link to a description of the radio or who used it and how etc. would be appreciated.

 

[Swarbee79]

Found the details

https://www.repeater-builder.com/ge/pdfs/ge-2way-radio-1962.pdf

GE MOBILE RADIO HISTORY

Anyone ever own or use one, seems like they're very rare.

 

[SuperLid]

I have this really cool GE combination radio. I think the part number is HN31N6 and appears to have been modified to work on bands 76 & 94. The only documentation I'm found for this portable radio is this (it has nothing to do with the radio itself) https://lfsrv2.cityofsavage.com/WebLinkExternal/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=9002&page=1&cr=1

Any chance anyone has any information they could provide? A link to a description of the radio or who used it and how etc. would be appreciated.

It is not rare. It is an obviously old portable "lunchbox" radio by GE. There was also a Motorola radio like this also. The two channels are crystal controlled, most likely on 146.12/146.72 and 146.34/146.94 MHz repeater pairs. It is on the 2 meter band.

 

[BJ radionut]

146.76/146.16 repeater...NO PLL tones on those relics...so open access repeaters only

 

[SuperLid]

146.76/146.16 repeater...NO PLL tones on those relics...so open access repeaters only

GE Channel Guard was available in the Prog Line. Also, Comm Spec add on boards were common.

 

[Swarbee79]

It is not rare. It is an obviously old portable "lunchbox" radio by GE. There was also a Motorola radio like this also. The two channels are crystal controlled, most likely on 146.12/146.72 and 146.34/146.94 MHz repeater pairs. It is on the 2 meter band.

Guess you can argue with the host of the website.

GE MOBILE RADIO HISTORY

PROGRESS PACK SETS (1958-1962)

Progress Line pack sets were introduced in April, 1958, and used GE's first fully transistorized receiver. This receiver in a modified form would be the basis for the new Transistorized Progress Line described below. They were not common and are rare today. They were made only in VHF low and high bands, and there were two versions of them as well, early and late. The later versions made use of the Transistorized Progress Line receiver chassis almost in its entirety. The transmitters were unique, making use of wire-lead subminiature tubes. The usual power supply was a dry battery box containing "B" and "A" batteries, although late models featured a nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery supply with a DC-DC converter, Typical model numbers were HN-11 and HN-13. The styling of these pack sets was rather attractive and it is not known why more were not sold, nor why the design was not incorporated into a motorcycle radio. Progress pack set production presumably ended by late 1964 with the introduction of the Porta Mobil radio.

 

[nomadradio]

50 years ago the 146.16 up and 146.76 down was the 'alternate' nationwide calling frequency. If a town had two repeaters, this was frequently the 'other' repeater's frequency pair.

The 146.34 up and 146.94 down was and probably still is the nationwide repeater calling frequency. The idea was that if your town had only one repeater, this was the recommended frequency for it to use.

And 50 years ago that radio wouldn't have been more than 10 or 15 years old. Now it's close to qualifying for socialist security. Never mind how many parts should be replaced for age alone after 60 or more years.

Cool artifact, no doubt!

73

 

[SuperLid]

Guess you can argue with the host of the website.

GE MOBILE RADIO HISTORY

PROGRESS PACK SETS (1958-1962)

Progress Line pack sets were introduced in April, 1958, and used GE's first fully transistorized receiver. This receiver in a modified form would be the basis for the new Transistorized Progress Line described below. They were not common and are rare today. They were made only in VHF low and high bands, and there were two versions of them as well, early and late. The later versions made use of the Transistorized Progress Line receiver chassis almost in its entirety. The transmitters were unique, making use of wire-lead subminiature tubes. The usual power supply was a dry battery box containing "B" and "A" batteries, although late models featured a nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery supply with a DC-DC converter, Typical model numbers were HN-11 and HN-13. The styling of these pack sets was rather attractive and it is not known why more were not sold, nor why the design was not incorporated into a motorcycle radio. Progress pack set production presumably ended by late 1964 with the introduction of the Porta Mobil radio.

I worked as a two way tech in the early 80's. I saw them every day, so to me they are not rare. Maybe today, because they have been rotting in a landfill, but that is not what I consider rare. Almost every fire vehicle around here back then, had one of these on board into the 90's. There was a lot of GE around here, as well as Motorola. The hams seemed to prefer the GE variant.

Rare to me, is something that few were produced, not dumped due to obsolescence.