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Widget of the Week
Fi-Cord 202 Portable Tape Recorder 1965
 There is usually a
fairly clear link between the size of a tape recorder and performance. Bigger
is often better, for simple reasons like the space to use larger, more stable
motors, more sophisticated drive mechanisms and speed control systems and
there’s more room for the electronics, but there are exceptions. The Fi-Cord
202 is one of them, and launched in 1965, it’s a compact, portable machine that
can take reels up to 10cm (4-inches). It was squarely aimed at the
broadcasters, semi pro users and enthusiasts and built to a very high standard
in Scarborough by Erskine Laboratories for UK specialists Fi-Cord (short for
Fidelity Recording).
It had an impressive
looking specification; frequency response was a claimed 50 – 12kHz, there’s
automatic recording level, two recording speeds (3.75 & 7.5 ips), and it
features a level meter and tape counter, long battery life and easily
accessible controls. The design is very straightforward, the two chunky-looking
‘feet’ are actually the battery holders, each containing 7 AA cells. One is for
the motors, the other for the electronics and splitting the supply in this way
helps extend running time. The controls, whilst simple, are a bit convoluted
and a fair amount of button pushing and knob turning is involved in switching
from one mode to another.
Design and build
quality is of a high order. The tape drive and deck mechanisms are all very
sturdy and made to last. This example came from ebay a few years ago and thanks
to it being wrongly categorised, poorly described and one blurry photograph
there was no competition and it cost me just £10.00, plus postage. It was a bit
of a gamble, though and it looked really scruffy in the picture but it was mostly
just grime and as you can see it has scrubbed up really well. Sadly it’s a
non-runner – completely dead – but it looks like a fairly simple power supply
problem, probably nothing more than dodgy battery contacts, but it will have to
wait its turn and is fairly low down on my to-do list.
What Happened To It?
The Fi-Cord 220 was
the sort of machine that should have appealed to radio reporters of the
day but this market was fairly small and had already been largely sewn up by the likes of Uher with
its classic Report model. It also suffered from relatively short recording
time, thanks to the small reel size and it had a reputation for wow and flutter
(speed variation) when used on the move. It seems that it never really caught
on with major broadcasters like the BBC, but it managed to generate a
loyal following during it’s comparatively short production run and is still keenly sought
after by collectors of high-end machines.
They are not especially
rare and 220s turn up now and again on ebay but prices can get a bit silly for
really fine specimens. Don’t be put off though; a cheapo fixer-upper could be a
worthwhile investment for a screwdriver wielding collector, provided it’s mostly intact and in
reasonably good shape. They’re easy to work on too, most electronic parts are still available and everything is easily
get-attable; even the PCB is mounted on a pair of hinges so changing a drive
belt is a doddle. All I have to do now is practice what I preach and sort this one out...
GIZMO GUIDE
First seen:
1965
Original Price
£69 69s (69 Guineas)
Value Today?
£50
Features: capstan-drive, Play/FF, 2-speed (3.75 &
7.5 ips), level meter, tape counter, vol, mic, eph, rem, carry handle,
automatic recording level control, internal 8 transistor amplifier &
3.5inch speaker
Power req. 14
x AA cells or 12VDC external adaptor
Weight: 2.5kg
Dimensions: 225 x
125 x 165 mm
Made in: Britain
Hen's Teeth (10 rarest): 7
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