Mona Radio

MONA RADIO / THE RADIO MUSEUM

AN INDEPENDENT DIGITAL COLLECTION

Every signal
has a story.

From the first spark of wireless to the waterfall on your screen. Explore radio's ideas, instruments and the curiosity that connects generations of operators.

Explore the erasSee the radios
Original illustrated timeline: Morse key, glowing valve receiver and modern spectrum radio
Original editorial illustration · not a photograph of historical artifacts

No radio connection needed. Just curiosity.

THE STORY / FOUR ERAS

An evolving language
of the air.

Four chapters in the technology that changed how we connect, listen and explore.

Original illustration representing Wireless beginnings

I · ORIGINS

Wireless beginnings

A language of dots and dashes

Early wireless stations used spark transmitters to send Morse. Those broad signals were inefficient, yet they carried messages across the air.

Historical reference ↗
Original illustration representing Continuous wave

II · THE VALVE ERA

Continuous wave

The signal becomes cleaner

Vacuum-tube oscillators made narrow, continuous-wave Morse practical and helped move radio beyond the spark era.

Historical reference ↗
Original illustration representing Radios get smaller

III · SOLID STATE

Radios get smaller

From the shack to the field

Semiconductors and integrated circuits helped radio equipment become smaller and more portable over time.

Historical reference ↗
Original illustration representing The visible spectrum

IV · THE SDR AGE

The visible spectrum

Listening with your eyes, too

Digital sampling, processing and live spectrum displays reshape how an operator explores the band.

Historical reference ↗

Before we could see a signal,
we learned to hear one.

RADIO IS A STORY OF LISTENING

THE HERITAGE HALL / 1935—1989

The rigs that
shaped an era.

Eight historically significant stations and receivers, each anchored to a museum or manufacturer record.

Original conceptual illustration of National HRO Receiver's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1935 · National

HRO Receiver

A precision shortwave communications receiver famous for its plug-in coil system and wartime monitoring roles.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of TRIO TS-500's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1966 · TRIO

TS-500

An early integrated SSB transceiver in the TRIO line that became Kenwood's long-running TS-500 family.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of Heathkit HW-101's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1970 · Heathkit

HW-101

The home-assembled HF transceiver kit became a familiar sight on amateur-radio workbenches.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of Yaesu FT-101's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1970 · Yaesu

FT-101

A hybrid HF SSB transceiver whose line found enthusiastic operators well beyond Japan.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of TRIO TS-520's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1973 · TRIO

TS-520

A popular HF transceiver in the TS-500 family, remembered for widening access to capable SSB operation.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of Icom IC-710's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1977 · Icom

IC-710

Icom's early fully transistorised HF station, part of its shift towards digitally synthesised tuning.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of Icom IC-2A / IC-2AT / IC-2E's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1980 · Icom

IC-2A / IC-2AT / IC-2E

A VHF handheld series with thumbwheel tuning and a detachable battery, bringing agility into a portable form.

Archive record ↗
Original conceptual illustration of Kenwood TS-950SD's historical era, not an actual model photograph

1989 · Kenwood

TS-950SD

A flagship HF transceiver marking the move toward digital signal processing in the operating room.

Archive record ↗

These are historical editorial exhibits, not a list of radios Mona Radio can control. Artwork is a symbolic illustration of each period, not a product photograph. Consult original manuals or the manufacturer for authentic details.

MODERN INSTRUMENTS / IN MONA TODAY

Meet the radios.

Eight models listed on Mona Radio's current public supported-radios page, seen through the lens of design and radio technology.

8 radios

Concept illustration of radio form factor; not an authentic IC-7300 product photograph
Icom

IC-7300

HF / 50 MHz · RF direct sampling

An accessible tabletop SDR, combining HF operation with a live spectrum scope.

Manufacturer information ↗
Concept illustration of radio form factor; not an authentic IC-7610 product photograph
IcomPreview

IC-7610

HF / 50 MHz · Dual receiver

Independent receivers and twin spectrum views for a more expansive look at the band.

Manufacturer information ↗
Concept illustration of radio form factor; not an authentic IC-7760 product photograph
IcomPreview

IC-7760

HF / 50 MHz · Split station

A separate RF deck and control head imagine the station as a more flexible space.

Manufacturer information ↗
Concept illustration of radio form factor; not an authentic IC-R8600 product photograph
IcomPreview · Receive Only

IC-R8600

Wideband · Receive only

A communications receiver built for listening, monitoring and exploring.

Manufacturer information ↗
Concept illustration of radio form factor; not an authentic FT-891 product photograph
YaesuPreview

FT-891

HF / 50 MHz · Compact

A small-bodied all-mode HF transceiver well suited to limited operating space.

Manufacturer information ↗

Original concept illustrations, not manufacturer photographs or faithful copies of any model. Museum inclusion is editorial, not a compatibility or transmit claim. For current supported radios and connection methods, see the support matrix →

NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

Beautifully illustrated.
Grounded in sources.

The Radio Museum uses original artwork to suggest each era's design language. Historical descriptions draw on the ARRL; modern product summaries link to their manufacturers. Mona is not affiliated with these organisations.

Further reading

ARRL · Morse and continuous-wave history ↗ ARRL / QEX · The march of radio technology ↗ Icom · Product documentation ↗ Yaesu · Product documentation ↗ Mona Radio · Supported radios and status →

All historical material is editorial, not an inventory of physical objects Mona owns. Product and brand names belong to their owners.

THE STORY CONTINUES

History you can explore.
Radio you can use.

Learn what Mona Radio can do with your own station.

Explore supported radios