Batyphone

The Batyphone wireless

The Batyphone was manufactured and sold by C.S. Baty & Co. Perth. The proprietor of the company was Charles Stanley Baty.

Batyphones were manufactured from as far back as 1924 through to the early 1950's. They were sold direct to the public. Agencies were not used.

The early Batyphones from the mid 1920's used horn speakers. There were several models of this type. Later models (after about 1930) had cardboard cone speakers built into large cabinets. The cabinets were usually quality pieces of furniture. There were many models and designs manufactured.

Batyphones were aimed at a niche market - the farming community. Most farms did not have A.C. electricity. Thus most Batyphones made were battery sets or AC/DC sets. Only a few AC sets were manufactured.

At one stage the firm was making 15 - 25 sets per week and had 12 salesmen on road travelling around country. It is estimated that about 7000 battery Batyphones and about 1000 AC & AC-DC Batyphones were manufactured in Western Australia.

Catalogue
Following is a list of Batyphone wirelesses. There were many variations in the cabinet designs which were probably made in batches. There may be gaps where the records are incomplete. Further information is required - phone 9330 1636.

1924/5    5 valve table set for horn speaker, made for C.S. Baty by the Wireless Supplies Company, Perth. Requires 90 volt and 45 volt H.T. Grid bias battery required, usually 4.5 volt. Valves 201A with 5 volt 0.25 amp filaments. Batyphone 1924
4 valve Batyphone c 1926

1926     4 valve table set for horn speaker, made in C.S. Baty's own workshops. Requires 60 volt and 30 volt H.T. No grid bias terminals. Internal R.F. coil - honeycomb wound. Aerial coil - pile wound style.

1927 4 valve set. Batyphone 1927

1927 Batyphone V, five valve set.

1933 and prior   Model 231,   4 valve TRF Broadcast receiver - Cone (Lissen) speaker and metal chassis. Half moon 180° dial, console cabinet. 3 controls - volume, tuning control, and reaction control. On-off switch on cabinet side. Cost £23/10/-
Model 231 Batyphone c1932

1933 - 1934    Model 211,   4 valve Broadcast receiver. Similar to Model 231. Aluminium chassis with wooden ends, Semicircular dial, console cabinet, 3 control knobs, etc.

1934 Model Pentagrid 4, Four valve Broadcast receiver - Superheterodyne. Chassis and cabinet and controls similar to Model 211.

1934 - 38 Model BC, 5 & 6 valve Broadcast receiver - superheterodynes. Amplion Q speaker. Small oblong dial or small octagonal dial. Probably a variation in cabinet design. Later models had A.V.C.

1936 - 37   Model DW,   5 valve Dual Wave receiver - superheterodyne. Large rounded oblong type dial and probably variation in cabinet design. Mounted on-switch on chassis.

1937 - 50   Model DW, 5 & 6 valve Dual Wave receiver - superheterodynes. Over years these sets became most of the production and used Rola speakers. Large & better cabinets, and mantle cabinets were used. Several dial types - large round, large square, large curved oblong and large oblong.

1938 - 50   Model TW, 5 & 6 valve Triple Wave receiver Similar to Dual Wave sets. S.W. bands 13 - 42 metres & 49 - 85 metres.

1940   Model DW Portable,   5 valve Dual Wave Portable receiver - Using miniature valves with 2 x 45 volt and 1 x 1.5 volt dry cell batteries in a small leather bound cabinet. Few made; discontinued, probably due to war.

1947 on Model BC Portable, 5 valve Broadcast Portable receiver - Using miniature valves with 2 x 45 volt and 1 x 1.4 volt dry cell batteries enclosed in cabinet. Small square dial with controls mounted horizontally on top of cabinet. Set designed after war when miniature components mostly available.

1938 - 49 6 volt vibrator model,   5 & 6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Using a 6 volt Ferrocart Vibrator and components enclosed in a cadmium metal box, which supplied the high tension voltage instead of dry cell batteries. Circuit and cabinet design same as the above battery models. The vibrator box was mounted next to the chassis.

1949   32 volt model,   5 & 6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - For use with 32 volt lighting plant systems. Good sensitivity was achieved with 32 volt for high tension on 6.3 V valves Audio output unsatisfactory but adequate. Needed more development.

1936 - 49 AC-DC models,   6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Early models used Philips type coated valves with their Barretter. Later models used 6.3 V, 25 V and 50 V valves, some with No. 7 Barretter. Cabinets and dials etc. same as battery models of the period.

1934 - 49   AC models , 250 volt Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Broadcast superheterodyne models were manufactured until about 1938, when Dual and Triple Wave sets were introduced. Cabinets and dials similar to battery sets.

Special sets
Batyphones were installed in launches on the Swan River. Special sets were made to customer requirements; for example North-West Bookmakers and Hospitals, etc.

There may be other models to be catalogued.

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The Encyclopedia of Western Australian Technology

1924/5 5 valve table set for horn speaker, made for C.S. Baty by the Wireless Supplies Company, Perth. Requires 90 volt and 45 volt H.T. Grid bias battery required, usually 4.5 volt. Valves 201A with 5 volt 0.25 amp filaments.	4 valve Batyphone c 1926
1926 4 valve table set for horn speaker, made in C.S. Baty's own workshops. Requires 60 volt and 30 volt H.T. No grid bias terminals. Internal R.F. coil - honeycomb wound. Aerial coil - pile wound style.	4 valve Batyphone c 1926
1927 4 valve set.
1927 Batyphone V, five valve set.
1933 and prior Model 231, 4 valve TRF Broadcast receiver - Cone (Lissen) speaker and metal chassis. Half moon 180° dial, console cabinet. 3 controls - volume, tuning control, and reaction control. On-off switch on cabinet side. Cost £23/10/-	Model 231 Batyphone c1932
1933 - 1934 Model 211, 4 valve Broadcast receiver. Similar to Model 231. Aluminium chassis with wooden ends, Semicircular dial, console cabinet, 3 control knobs, etc.	Model 231 Batyphone c1932
1934 Model Pentagrid 4, Four valve Broadcast receiver - Superheterodyne. Chassis and cabinet and controls similar to Model 211.
1934 - 38 Model BC, 5 & 6 valve Broadcast receiver - superheterodynes. Amplion Q speaker. Small oblong dial or small octagonal dial. Probably a variation in cabinet design. Later models had A.V.C.
1936 - 37 Model DW, 5 valve Dual Wave receiver - superheterodyne. Large rounded oblong type dial and probably variation in cabinet design. Mounted on-switch on chassis.
1937 - 50 Model DW, 5 & 6 valve Dual Wave receiver - superheterodynes. Over years these sets became most of the production and used Rola speakers. Large & better cabinets, and mantle cabinets were used. Several dial types - large round, large square, large curved oblong and large oblong.
1938 - 50 Model TW, 5 & 6 valve Triple Wave receiver Similar to Dual Wave sets. S.W. bands 13 - 42 metres & 49 - 85 metres.
1940 Model DW Portable, 5 valve Dual Wave Portable receiver - Using miniature valves with 2 x 45 volt and 1 x 1.5 volt dry cell batteries in a small leather bound cabinet. Few made; discontinued, probably due to war.
1947 on Model BC Portable, 5 valve Broadcast Portable receiver - Using miniature valves with 2 x 45 volt and 1 x 1.4 volt dry cell batteries enclosed in cabinet. Small square dial with controls mounted horizontally on top of cabinet. Set designed after war when miniature components mostly available.
1938 - 49 6 volt vibrator model, 5 & 6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Using a 6 volt Ferrocart Vibrator and components enclosed in a cadmium metal box, which supplied the high tension voltage instead of dry cell batteries. Circuit and cabinet design same as the above battery models. The vibrator box was mounted next to the chassis.
1949 32 volt model, 5 & 6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - For use with 32 volt lighting plant systems. Good sensitivity was achieved with 32 volt for high tension on 6.3 V valves Audio output unsatisfactory but adequate. Needed more development.
1936 - 49 AC-DC models, 6 valve Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Early models used Philips type coated valves with their Barretter. Later models used 6.3 V, 25 V and 50 V valves, some with No. 7 Barretter. Cabinets and dials etc. same as battery models of the period.
1934 - 49 AC models , 250 volt Dual and Triple Wave receivers - Broadcast superheterodyne models were manufactured until about 1938, when Dual and Triple Wave sets were introduced. Cabinets and dials similar to battery sets.
Special sets Batyphones were installed in launches on the Swan River. Special sets were made to customer requirements; for example North-West Bookmakers and Hospitals, etc.