COLUMBUS MODEL 84 'CHALLENGER' (1938)

The Columbus model 84 was manufactured for Columbus Radio Centre Ltd by Radio Corporation of New Zealand Ltd in 1938.

Other radios based on the same chassis:

5-valve broadcast-band radio.

At least two different cabinet designs as seen below, one using an atypical (for Radio Corp.) woven metal grill.  Its worth noting that the advert below refers to the Skipper as a dual-wave, however the dual wave version (the model 85) has 4 knobs..  It might be that they originally intended the more elaborate Skipper cabinet to house the dual wave version - but there are more surviving examples showing up of broadcast band only sets in the Skipper cabinet than dual wave models - so its likely both cabinets had both chassis' depending on customer preferences.

1938 Columbus model 84

Technical Information

Valves (5 + eye): 6A8, 6K7, 6B7, 42, 80 (and 6E5 magic eye on some models)

Intermediate Frequency: 456kc/s

Frequency Bands: 1

Chassis Notes(most schematics can be clicked to download a full size version)

5-valve chassis, a similar (reasonably basic) design to the model 24. A magic eye is included in the schematic, however it is not always fitted

Columbus and Courtenay model 84 schematic

General Construction Notes for Radio Corporation of New Zealand Ltd:

The first digit of the serial number typically indicates the year of manufacture of RCNZ chassis' (although not the decade - that requires a little knowledge of the valves, construction, etc). Sets from around 1934 onwards were often (but not always) constructed in a distinctive pressed 'baking pan' style chassis, seemingly unique to RCNZ.

Model codes beginning with a 0, for example the model 051, are Osram valve versions of the model without the leading 0. Technically the 0 should be an O (for Osram), however the digit 0 was used throughout the site before this fact was discovered.

The E suffix indicates a magic eye option is fitted (in models which were available with or without, such as the model 25).

A and B suffixes appear to be simply updates to the current model, R also appears to be simply an updated model ('R'edesign, perhaps?)

P indicates either a permanent magnet speaker version of a model which also came with an electromagnet speaker (the model 26 for example), or a portable model (like the model 694P).  This suffix was used in the mid 50's when Radio Corp was changing over.

N and M indicated miniature valve versions of a model which started with all (or a mix, ie: model 5) of larger valves. One of these two codes may indicate a transitional mixture of octal and miniature - clarification is required.

S often indicates a stereo model.  It can also indicate 'self-biased' in the transition period between back-biased and self biased sets where there were models with both methods employed (53S for example)

Finally, other suffixes and prefixes make occasional appearances in the RCNZ lineup - like the 66W (a variant of the long-running model 66) and the 75XA (a 10-valve version of the model 75 with a separate amplifier chassis).

Model nicknames are often sourced from either newspaper advertising, company literature or the NZ Radio Traders Federation official trade-in price books (Particularly Courtenay models from this publication)

In 1954, model numbering changed, to begin with the number of valves (ie: 501 - 5 valves, 1006 - 10 valves, etc) although the final 2 digits don't appear to have much significance.  Middle digits of 5 (portable) or 6 (mantle, including clock radio) are used on the AWA-designed plastic-cased sets.

Other documented models using this chassis (3 in total)

YEARMODEL NAME
1938 Columbus model 84 'Skipper'
1938 Courtenay model 84 'Popular'