fada: Ch= RN; 107 Super Fadalette and 351a in Italy ma

Has any member or guest more photos for this FADA model 107 Super Fadalette with chassis = RN? Or has anybody a photo of the same looking Fada radio without the third knob for changing the waveband bradcast / short waves? 

In Italy S.I.A.R.E. made practically the same model without short waves. The Model FADA 351a shows also a schematic with broadcast only. The sticker names it FADA Radio Supereterodiny tipo 351a.

I wonder if there is also a similar model with short waves in Italy or why it was made with broadcast only. But when looking at the models from 1933 it is clear that only few models feature short waves - like G30 and ??? from Geloso, 55M from Allocchio Bacchini, Argeste and Fonargeste from Marelli, 581, 591, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 612, 620, 621, 622 and 623 from Phonola, Oltremare from SAFAR, some Telefunken models,   

Striking is the fact that practically all models use US tubes, except for one Geloso, for Philips, Pope Radio, SAFAR (2 models only), Telefunken and 1 Unda Radio. Even at least two models with the Wunderlich tube are present like the Olimpionico from Irradio and one finds the Flash-O-Graph for a FADA.

This is quite different to Switzerland or France etc. where at that time you have a mixture of US or European tubes or Germany or the United Kingdom (GB) where they strictly use their own tubes.

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Just few notes about the latest two questions.

Italy has a relatively small extension and its broadcast network well covered its territory. In those years 12 BC transmitters were operating from North Italy to Sicily, including Turin, Monte Ceneri, Milan, Trieste, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari and Palermo. SW transmitters were also active, but only dedicated to foreign countries, because of the skip distance in their propagation.

Short waves were useful to receive foreign stations but in those years of illiteracy how many people would have spent money to listen to English, Russian or Japanese stations? Government had well evaluated the tremendous capabilities of radio to reach people for its propaganda. Around 1934, 1935 it promoted the introduction of low-cost models of standard design, such as Balilla or Radio Rurale, to be installed in the schools or in small villages. The listening of foreign stations was not encouraged, if not forbidden at all. Also the use of foreign words had to be avoided.

Most of the major manufacturers produced at least one radio capable of SW reception, some were also in kit form. But these productions were intended for an elite, wealthy eccentric people, which had nothing to fear from the Government.

About the use of U.S. type tubes by independent manufacturers, it should be pinponted the different presence in Italy of several tube manufacturers. Philips and Siemens-Telefunken were in Italy with relevant manufacturing plants. But in Italy, first of all, they manufactured radio sets and were seen as dangerous competitors by other radio manufacturers. More, most of their tubes were actually produced in other countries and had to pay custom fees.

Fivre, the most relevant tube manufacturer in Italy, had a wide RCA Radiotron license. With the exception of the metal types, Fivre built almost any RCA receiving tube. Its production was entirely Italian, strongly encouraged in a Nation that would have faced a heavy embargo in 1935. And, what was more attractive for independent radio makers, Fivre was not a competitor, but just a tube supplier, a strategic partner in the design of new radio sets.

British tube manufacturers were also present in Italy with Marconi, which owned in Genova a large plant, ‘Officine Marconi’. But Marconi was more interested in direct sales of industrial tubes, just controlling the receiving tube market. As co-owners of RCA, they pushed U.S. types, earning money both on their own productions and on the royalties paid by Fivre.
 

Best regards,

Emilio

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