Grundig Satellit 208 (1967–1968)
The Grundig Satellit 208 - also sold as the "Transistor 6000" - was the premium portable worldband receiver of its day. It was built in West Germany for the 1967-68 model years, only three years after the Satellit 205, and it was a big step up. It was the first radio in its class with double-conversion, the same architecture modern receivers use, and it added field-strength transistors for FM. It covers 17 bands, with shortwave running roughly 5-30 MHz. LW was extended down to 400 kHz so the set could serve as a certified receiver aboard commercial ships. It also covers MW and FM (87-108 MHz), and an optional BFO unit adds SSB/CW reception.
The layout changed a lot. The drum-tuner mechanism moved to a vertical position beside four dial scales on the front right of the set, and the drum gained two more sides, each with a switchable upper scale for bandspread. A duplex drive mechanism lets you tune FM on the lower large control without disturbing your AM tuning, and the other way around. AM got a bandwidth filter with high/low cut. The LW, MW, K1, and FM scales take green and red sliding dial markers - six supplied as standard, with ten additional pins included. The external connections, including tape recorder and record player inputs, hide under a sliding cover on the side. The speaker setup is two-way: one multi-octave/bass driver plus a tweeter that only works in FM mode or when the radio is used as an amplifier.
A German-language history page calls the Satellit 208 a significant milestone in the history of broadcast receivers. Owner comments agree. Collector Knut Otterbeck noted that "this radio stands out when it comes to reception quality," and said the SSB reception is the best he has found in any of his 20+ Satellits. He also mentions the original optional separate SSB unit, which doubles as an antenna trimmer/attenuator and extra noise filter for all AM bands, even when not in SSB mode. Two cabinet finishes were offered: black and wood.
Known specifications:
- Bands: 17 total - LW (extended to 400 kHz), MW, K1, shortwave (5-30 MHz), FM (87-108 MHz)
- Modes: AM / WFM; optional BFO unit for SSB/CW
- Tuning: Analog, continuous; drum-tuner with duplex drive mechanism
- Antennas: Built-in telescopic whips; sockets for FM dipole, AM long-wire, and car antennas
- Speaker: Two-way - multi-octave/bass driver plus FM-only tweeter
- External speaker: 4 ohms
- Dimensions: 440 × 260 × 120 mm (17.3 × 10.2 × 4.7 in)
- Weight: 6.1 kg (13.45 lb)
- Power: Internal power supply; battery operation optional
- Made in: West Germany
Formal performance data is thin. No sensitivity, selectivity, or audio output figures survive, and no original price has been found. A service manual exists and circulates among collectors, and schematics are available through several sources. The Satellit series began with the Satellit 205 in 1964 and grew to 17 models, with the 208 followed by the 210, 1000, 2000, and others. If you own one and can add anything about how it performs on the air, the archive would welcome the detail.
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