[Boatanchors] World Radio Lab's Duo-Bander 84

[Robert Nickels]

On 12/5/2017 6:59 PM, Whitebear1122 wrote:
> My question is did WRL design and manufacture the radio?  I know it says WRL on it but was this still Leo Meyersen’s company at the time?  Was it designed by “Galaxy”?

Scott,

The best resource for WRL history is Jim Musgrove's book "In Touch With 
Leo", where he describes how Leo formed Galaxy Electronics in 1962 with 
the objectve of developing an SSB transceiver.  (This was after he'd 
sold his previous radio manufacturing operation (Globe) to Textron, who 
moved it to Rockford).     Marvin Gehr, who worked as a technician at 
Collins Radio was hired as an engineer for the job.  The first product 
was of course the Galaxy 300, followed by the Galaxy III an V in 
subsequent years.  The Duo-Bander 84 was produced in  the1966 model 
year, "Being a private-label product, it was sold only by World Radio 
Laboratories.   Galaxy also manufactured citizens-band radio equipment 
that was private-labeled for other firms such as Allied Radio".

So the answer is that the Duo-Bander 84 was designed and built by Galaxy 
and sold exclusively by WRL, which was a retail and distribution 
business, even though both were owned by Leo (and perhaps also by his 
sons, Owen and Larry).    Leo was already semi-retired by the time he 
sold Galaxy to Hy-Gain Electronics in 1970, who wanted to get into the 
CB business.   Leo chose to sell to Hy-Gain based out of nearby Lincoln, 
NE and run by his friend Andy Andros instead of Regency.

73, Bob W9RAN