I've been working on this set over the week-end. It's acquisition is covered here: http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/thread-839.html
When I first connected this radio to the mains I did so via a 100W lamp. This came on briefly, went out and then started to get brighter again as the set warmed up. I thought it was getting too bright and as I heard a crackle which I couldn't be sure was coming out of the speaker switched off PDQ.
I then put a 15W lamp in the limiter and let the set have ten minutes or so with that before reverting to the 100W. All was then well and I got good reception on Medium Wave but not a peep on Long or VHF.
Somebody has obviously worked on the set before as two of the screws holding the back on were ordinary wood ones. The only sign of anything having happened within is that the shaft of the volume pot has hack-saw marks on and is still in fact a bit too long. Whoever fitted the replacement has done a good job.
My first job was to change THAT capacitor. This proved to be a brown Hunt's thing and as it had melted at ne end looked even more like a rat-dropping than usual. There were four wax capacitors of which I changed three. The fourth one looks like a lump of candle and is also a Hunt's. It a value I haven't got and am actually a bit loath to change it as it's part of the tone control circuit which is the best one of those I've yet come across on a valve, and most, transistor sets. Perhaps it has 'Unique tonal qualities.'
I found a broken contact on the wave switch but fixing that made no difference to VHF or LW. I then found an electrolytic capacitor with a lead which had broken off right next to it's body but changing that had no effect either.
I checked the resistance of the aerial coils and found the LW one to be 250KΩ, which seemed just a smidge on the high side. I fitted one off a scrapped transistor set (NOT a Roberts one) and that sorted that.
A most pleasant side-effect of LW and VHF not working was it giving me a chance to enjoy the silence when these were switched in. I do mean silence as there is NO hum.
Besides the lack of FM the only other thing that doesn't work is the dial light. This is a 10W 240V thing. I tried the one out of my sewing machine but this is 15W and was too long besides. This is a root vegetable of no matter but I have got my Cunning Head on and may yet get 'round it.
The case has cleaned up nicely and has really grown on me. I'd initially thought it was black and white but now realise it's chocolate and cream so can't be bad.
I am certainly very pleased with it. I wouldn't call it finished but it is certainly in a condition to earn its corn.
Cheers
- Joe
[attachment=1881][attachment=1882][attachment=1883][attachment=1884]
When I first connected this radio to the mains I did so via a 100W lamp. This came on briefly, went out and then started to get brighter again as the set warmed up. I thought it was getting too bright and as I heard a crackle which I couldn't be sure was coming out of the speaker switched off PDQ.
I then put a 15W lamp in the limiter and let the set have ten minutes or so with that before reverting to the 100W. All was then well and I got good reception on Medium Wave but not a peep on Long or VHF.
Somebody has obviously worked on the set before as two of the screws holding the back on were ordinary wood ones. The only sign of anything having happened within is that the shaft of the volume pot has hack-saw marks on and is still in fact a bit too long. Whoever fitted the replacement has done a good job.
My first job was to change THAT capacitor. This proved to be a brown Hunt's thing and as it had melted at ne end looked even more like a rat-dropping than usual. There were four wax capacitors of which I changed three. The fourth one looks like a lump of candle and is also a Hunt's. It a value I haven't got and am actually a bit loath to change it as it's part of the tone control circuit which is the best one of those I've yet come across on a valve, and most, transistor sets. Perhaps it has 'Unique tonal qualities.'
I found a broken contact on the wave switch but fixing that made no difference to VHF or LW. I then found an electrolytic capacitor with a lead which had broken off right next to it's body but changing that had no effect either.
I checked the resistance of the aerial coils and found the LW one to be 250KΩ, which seemed just a smidge on the high side. I fitted one off a scrapped transistor set (NOT a Roberts one) and that sorted that.
A most pleasant side-effect of LW and VHF not working was it giving me a chance to enjoy the silence when these were switched in. I do mean silence as there is NO hum.
Besides the lack of FM the only other thing that doesn't work is the dial light. This is a 10W 240V thing. I tried the one out of my sewing machine but this is 15W and was too long besides. This is a root vegetable of no matter but I have got my Cunning Head on and may yet get 'round it.
The case has cleaned up nicely and has really grown on me. I'd initially thought it was black and white but now realise it's chocolate and cream so can't be bad.
I am certainly very pleased with it. I wouldn't call it finished but it is certainly in a condition to earn its corn.
Cheers
- Joe
[attachment=1881][attachment=1882][attachment=1883][attachment=1884]
