Everynow and then I stumble upon something I can't resist. Such is the case with the "Saranade" Doll. Made by Westinghouse in 1962. Saranade is the name of the doll, a typical 21" plastic girls toy doll. With a receiver in her tummy! She comes with her own record player and record. A real, kids 4 speed electric record player. It plays records through a speaker or you can turn the knob to "doll" and it shuts off the speaker and sends the audio to an AM transmitter within the record player and transmits the record being played to the radio in the doll! This appealed to all my interests: record players, low power transmitters, oddball records, and creepy dolls.
I assumed it would transmit in the AM broadcast band, but it appears not to. The receiver in the doll seems to work fine, no repairs needed there, except she takes a round 9V battery that they don't make any more. She runs on a typical square 9V but the battery doesn't fit in the battery holder molded into her stomach. The radio in the doll has no controls except an on/off switch. No tuner, no volume.
The record player needs work. Motor bearing, spindle bearing, cartridge is weak. But the transmitter seems to work fine. Checking it out on my spectrum analyzer it transmits from about 158 KHz to 220 KHz. Theres a tuning adjustment knob that moves a slug up and down inside a small coil. Best signal is at about 171 KHz. It's pretty rich in harmonics, too. I'm not familiar with the Part 15 rules from 1962, or even if this qualified, LOL. Uses a 25C5 tube. The short antenna inside the case actually connects to one of the hinges for the lid!
The receiving antennas for the radio in the doll are wires in her legs!
Weird, anyway, and barely any Part 15 content. The doll came with her own record, a 7" 33 with her introducing herself, and doing activities that the girl playing with the doll can do along with her. The voice sounds just a tad creey to me. I uploaded an mp3 of the introduction from the doll:
http://www.ironrangecountry.com/saranade.mp3
Clearly the only possible Part 15 content is that the record player has a built in transmitter.
After I'm done with repairs I'll have to post a video, etc.
TIB
That is a mixture of both equally fascinating and horrifying. May her Serenade haunt the echos of my mind for the next few hours.
Wow a LW transmitter probably supposed to be between 160-190 Khz as I was told by N8DEF a while back that one can transmit any mode up to a watt and with a 50 Ft antenna.
My question has to be why did they choose LW because I'm sure the receiver can't receive the signal beyond a few inches with those short wires for the receive not the mention what the transmitter is using for an antenna.
Interesting stuff however.
Tim,
That doll doesn't resemble a cold war era soviet made toy does it?
For some reason i think soviet toy...odd and creepy lol
Yup. That's her.
The big difference is I have the original Saranade record AND the instructions, warranty card, etc all the paperwork.
It says it will transmit up to 12 feet. If reception gets weak supposedly it will help if you hold the doll by her legs! LOL.
Of course his worked (that video is quite a few years old now). MIne will once I get the motor repaired. I'll have to salvage a motor bearing from my record player graveyard in the basement.
TIB
How about some pictures of yours?
I think that could be arranged. LOL.
I shoujld really figure out how to put an image in these posts. I think I've done it before but it's usually easier for me to post 'em and link. Ha!
TIB
So I whipped up a quick pdf of the doll and her phono. Go here, and be sure to scroll thgouth all 7 pages!
http://www.ironrangecountry.com/saranade.pdf
tib
That's so cool, part 15 doll at the mic of a part 15 station!
I want to post this part15 novelty in my blog as well, if you don't mind your "creepy doll" being famous.. You could make millions, all I want is 5% of the cut.
You're welcome to make Saranade as famous as she deserves to be, LOL.
And I DO mean to get that other info to you soon, too. Been busier than a one legged mosquito in a nudist camp.
TIB
Ummm... I do need my 5% cut in advance though.
Are you using the Doll for your shows LOL??
Saranade is now famous..
http://part15lab.blogspot.com/2017/01/this-years-news-in-toys-is-mainly-noise.html
Good bit of research there, Rich.
I'm telling you, best Part 15 blog on the internet -- even without Saranade!
TIB