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Ripmax Pathfinder RC


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Hello . A friend of mine recently bought some Old but as new in box radio gear round to show me for some idea of value as he has been asked to dispose of it for an elderly flyer. He has a as new boxed with all papers etc a Tx and 3 Rx's of Ripmax Pathfinder radio . Its 27 Meg pre crystal .I think its a carrier wave set as there is a socket for inserting a milli-amper meter for tuning prior to each flight .I had never seen or heard of this gear as my days of carrier wave radio were enjoyed with a Tri-ang Tx converted to pulsed wave and a home made Rx from the RCM&E priced at 1 shilling and 3d pence .

Its in mint condition even the boxes are near mint. Any ideas on value or if collectible ?

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I think the Pathfinder name was perhaps used more than once by Ripmax for different sets at different times. I bought one as my first radio in the early sixties. It was single channel and as I remember it had a case which was hinged longitudinally and opened and closed against a spring. In my head is the thought it cost something like £13 with the receiver. It was the cheapest radio you could buy, even though that was a lot of money for me at the time, a lot more than a week's wages. It might have been one of the first compact radio sets, the transmitter was easy to hold in one hand.

I know that I put it into a KeilKraft Gyron, powered with a Cox Golden Bee. The plane flew ok but was let down by the unreliability of the Fred Rising escapement, which consistently skipped. ( Did that come with the radio? Can't remember). It never caused a crash, just a loss of directional control but the tank duration wasn't long enough for it to get very far away when it happened ( in Sutton Park), so I never lost it. About that,time girls and motorbikes got in the way for a while and I gave the gear away. If I'd persevered and replaced the escapement with an Elmic Conquest it might have been ok, because the radio always worked ok. I have no idea what it would be worth now or if it's the same as the one I had. Do you have a photograph?

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 07/05/2015 11:48:59

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Hello Colin. No I don't have a photo but will try and get some. The Tx sounds more primitive than the one you describe. It is basically two"U" shaped pieces of steel sheet that slide together to make a box / cube approx 6inches finished in the hampered silver enamel of the period . Internally its very basic with a single valve and very few other components .It has an on off switch and two push buttons. There is also an aeriel socket in the top r/h top corner. The RX's are a sort of maroon colour with the" Pathfinder" logo across the front. And all is ninmint condition.

Like you motorbikes and girls put modelling on the back burner for many years.

Thanks for the interest.

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