1957 Jewel box Invicta

[boater sam]

Found this unusual jewel box radio.  Ar first sight it looks like another miniature valve battery radio, switch on the lid, snap clips on the side and the Invicta horse button logo.

Looking inside it says "Transistor" so its a model 30 portable from around 1957, an early transistor radio.

I found that it is a similar chassis as a Pye P123BQ in a different case. Presumable Pye manufactured.

But I can find little information about either set other than the Radiomuseum shows the Pye model.

I may well need some detailed info as the output stage has been hacked about, some odd Mullard glass OC series lashed in instead of the unobtainable Newmarket transistors.

The two battery boxes which take two 1.5v batteries each seem to be missing completely unless the Invicta was different from the Pye.

Sam.

[FIXITNOW]

the manufacture's data M19160 is here https://www.service-data.com/product.php...799/m19160
but as you say much the same as the Pye P123BQ so should have the same battery holders

[boater sam]

Thank you. I have the UKVRRR DVDs but this radio is not on my somewhat old copies. Since Paul S. banned me I can't get an updated disk.

I understandably feel very reluctant to put any money in Paul's pocket so I will not be paying for the info.

I read that this is the second oldest UK transistor model after the Pam 710.

[ppppenguin]

P123BQ is on Trader 1311.

[ppppenguin]

If I look up Invicta 30 in Trader sheets I get this set from 1946.

The index for R&TVS points to these:
INVICTA 30 348 1952 - VOLUME 1 (RADIO SERVICING) E.MOLLOY/W.F.POOLE
INVICTA 30 439 1955 - BOOK 1 OF 5 (RADIO A to L) E.MOLLOY/W.F.POOLE

Was there another, later, model 30?

[boater sam]

The original 30 was a valve radio.the later portable 30 is this Pye P123BQ clone in a different case.
The Pye is an upright set with the knobs on the front, the Invicta is a closed case jewel box type with the same chassis.

Having computer problems at present.

[Mike Watterson]

The Pye is probably identical. Invicta and Pam were simply Pye badges by 1950s.
I can scan my R&TVS P123BQ if you don't get a copy. Any two colour plastic case electrolytics may have dried out if not leaking. Leakage in paper dielectric caps is rarely an issue at the voltages and base currents in Germanium sets.
The Pye 123BQ is very similar to the Pam 710 and the Invicta Transistor may be basically the Pam 710 in the picnic box case.

The transistors are not critical and various Russian military ones will work. The Pye 123 on R&TVS and Trader lists OC71 as alternate V4 (driver) and 2 x OC72 for V5 & V6 (Push pull o/p). Alternates are also listed for V1, V2 & V3 (types I've never seen), but they particularly can be replaced by any cheap PNP Russian type even only 50 MHz ft, though by extra and test gain!

I think more than one Invicta model number was reused.

This is not a difficult set to get going even without circuit.

[boater sam]

There is confusion here.

I have the PYE P123BQ Trader sheet 1131.

But I do not have the Invicta 30 sheet that Fix It Now refers to. Why that is on the UKVRRR service info @£1.99 but not on my DVD I do not know unless it is on a later disc than mine. For the reason given I will not be able to get an updated disc or buy the service information.

I have opened the set, the battery compartments are present with one leaking HP11 cell, not too much damage to sort out. 
There is a Mullard glass cased TR4, possibly an OC71 and a resistor stood on end in mid air close by, obviously not original and a poor repair I suspect. All other transistors are the oval metal cased NKT Newmarket/Pye type.

With the flattish batteries still in I did get some noises from the set, mostly motorboating so the speaker will be OK. I have no idea where one would buy a center tapped 80 ohm speaker from to replace.

Case condition is very good, some fraying of the heavily textured Rexine on the front edge of the board which would be the facia in the Pye version where it fits into the lower case.
Needs a new leather strap handle.  Does someone still make these, like on the Roberts sets?
Knobs are intact including the small switch knob that brings in Long Wave Radio 2 Light Program, at 198Kcs, presumably this is really 200Kcs in this set.

[Mike Watterson]

The OC71 (driver) and OC72 (outputs) were alternates Pye used to the NKT types on this range of sets. Since you have the PYE P123BQ Trader sheet 1131 it's not worth paying for anything else anyway.

Any differences (if any) from the PYE P123BQ to the circuit will be minor.

The motorboating will be due to dried out Electrolytic caps.

I've sorted through 50c and €1 Charity shop belts to find closely matching leather to replace old straps, either re-using old clips or making ones.

[boater sam]

The OC71 (driver) and OC72 (outputs) were alternates Pye used to the NKT types on this range of sets. Since you have the  PYE P123BQ Trader sheet 1131 it's not worth paying for anything else anyway.

Any differences (if any) from the PYE P123BQ to the circuit will be minor.

The motorboating will be due to dried out Electrolytic caps.

I've sorted through 50c and  €1 Charity shop belts to find closely matching leather to replace old straps, either re-using old clips or making ones.

I was surprised that the batteries even woke the radio up, one was well leaked and all were almost dead, like down to 1 volt! So motorboating was really a bonus.

I'll check the set out before putting any new batteries in.