General > General Technical Chat
Historical 'Look' of old Radio Components!
rsjsouza:
--- Quote from: GlennSprigg on June 08, 2020, 11:11:20 am ---
--- Quote from: rsjsouza on June 06, 2020, 12:13:34 am ---I also love the look of old equipment, but I don't care too much for what's under the chassis.
I recently got a AZ1 rectifier knowing well how it is not as great as a more modern indirect heater, but it is one of the most beautiful vacuum tubes I've ever seen. It has become a spare to restore my grandpa's Philips BX462A.
--- End quote ---
Good on you mate. Yea, those old original style valves/tubes have a 'look' all of their own!!
And the old 'Side-Contact' style base tubes are hard to find. As a side-note of interest...
That radio always had an 'AZ1' Directly-Heated-Cathode dual-rectifier. The tube-line-up should be...
ECH21, ECH21, EBL21, AZ1.
--- End quote ---
Yes, the "Side Contact" base is a pain - worse contact reliability when compared to the other ones that are Loctal-8. All of them need a good cleanup when I start the restoration work.
As for the lineup, I still have the four original ones very well worn - all Miniwatt. The ECHs are quite silvery through the anode grid, but the EBL is alright. I have spares for all but the EBL: another well worn ECH21 from Miniwatt and one barely used from Telam. I just bought two "NOS" ECH21 from Ultron and a used AZ1 from Philips (it turned out the NOS seem to have some mileage on them, though).
On this set I did a lot of DX'ing as a kid in the 1980's, listening to the portuguese programs from BBC, RFI, Nederland, etc. in SW (22m IIRC). Unfortunately this set did not receive the tropical shortwave bands (<5MHz) but I recall at least once where I managed to get AM radio stations 1200km away from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo cities - the propagation on these days was pristine.
Bringing back a bit to the topic, I still have the original glass but the silkscreen with the stations is almost completely gone. I need to find someone that can print on glass and I have a template, but my dad remembered different stations printed on it when the radio was new.
--- Quote from: GlennSprigg on June 08, 2020, 11:11:20 am ---Back then, the Electron Emission of Cathodes was poor, and had since been greatly improved.
Later, In-Directly heated tubes were used, as Emission was improved without the 'Cathode' being
so hot, but ALSO because they took slightly longer to heat up! The 'UP' side of this, is that all the
other tubes/loads could come up to voltage more gradually, without over voltage/current. I know
some companies didn't factor this in, but many did!! :-+
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the short story about the rectifiers. I have a very soft spot for that warm glow.
An interesting story about how the first very good pentodes (EF50) were saved from the heat of WWII.
https://www.dos4ever.com/EF50/EF50.html
Bud:
--- Quote from: Bud on June 05, 2020, 06:58:35 am ---David Tipton in one of his restoration videos replaced the ancient batteries with pieces of wood cut to size, to which he glued printed battery jacket wraps. The original look of the components was preserved! :-+
--- End quote ---
Actually it was Glasslinger, I came across that video again today :D
https://youtu.be/k_Gv7hBU58c?t=2417
GlennSprigg:
--- Quote from: rsjsouza on June 09, 2020, 02:37:12 am ---
--- Quote from: GlennSprigg on June 08, 2020, 11:11:20 am ---
--- Quote from: rsjsouza on June 06, 2020, 12:13:34 am ---I also love the look of old equipment, but I don't care too much for what's under the chassis.
I recently got a AZ1 rectifier knowing well how it is not as great as a more modern indirect heater, but it is one of the most beautiful vacuum tubes I've ever seen. It has become a spare to restore my grandpa's Philips BX462A.
--- End quote ---
Good on you mate. Yea, those old original style valves/tubes have a 'look' all of their own!!
And the old 'Side-Contact' style base tubes are hard to find. As a side-note of interest...
That radio always had an 'AZ1' Directly-Heated-Cathode dual-rectifier. The tube-line-up should be...
ECH21, ECH21, EBL21, AZ1.
--- End quote ---
Yes, the "Side Contact" base is a pain - worse contact reliability when compared to the other ones that are Loctal-8. All of them need a good cleanup when I start the restoration work.
As for the lineup, I still have the four original ones very well worn - all Miniwatt. The ECHs are quite silvery through the anode grid, but the EBL is alright. I have spares for all but the EBL: another well worn ECH21 from Miniwatt and one barely used from Telam. I just bought two "NOS" ECH21 from Ultron and a used AZ1 from Philips (it turned out the NOS seem to have some mileage on them, though).
On this set I did a lot of DX'ing as a kid in the 1980's, listening to the portuguese programs from BBC, RFI, Nederland, etc. in SW (22m IIRC). Unfortunately this set did not receive the tropical shortwave bands (<5MHz) but I recall at least once where I managed to get AM radio stations 1200km away from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo cities - the propagation on these days was pristine.
Bringing back a bit to the topic, I still have the original glass but the silkscreen with the stations is almost completely gone. I need to find someone that can print on glass and I have a template, but my dad remembered different stations printed on it when the radio was new.
--- Quote from: GlennSprigg on June 08, 2020, 11:11:20 am ---Back then, the Electron Emission of Cathodes was poor, and had since been greatly improved.
Later, In-Directly heated tubes were used, as Emission was improved without the 'Cathode' being
so hot, but ALSO because they took slightly longer to heat up! The 'UP' side of this, is that all the
other tubes/loads could come up to voltage more gradually, without over voltage/current. I know
some companies didn't factor this in, but many did!! :-+
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the short story about the rectifiers. I have a very soft spot for that warm glow.
An interesting story about how the first very good pentodes (EF50) were saved from the heat of WWII.
https://www.dos4ever.com/EF50/EF50.html
--- End quote ---
In Ref to what you said, that I made bold, above...
I have links to 'Aussies' who make/supply replacement glass screens, but not for the U.S. Incidentally, the
Philips 'BX462A' is the Dutch version, of the Australian Philips Model 115. Different printed stations of course!...
http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2012/October/The+Philips+twins%3A+the+Dutch+BX462A+%2526+the+Australian+model+115
(This is only a non-member glimpse!, and you may have to accept the Adobe 'Flash' version to see the result).
HOWEVER, as you say that you have a 'Template' on file? simply print it (pref-Laser!) onto a sticky CLEAR
sheet, and transfer it to glass. It works a treat!! ;D
GlennSprigg:
--- Quote from: Bud on June 09, 2020, 04:42:59 am ---
--- Quote from: Bud on June 05, 2020, 06:58:35 am ---David Tipton in one of his restoration videos replaced the ancient batteries with pieces of wood cut to size, to which he glued printed battery jacket wraps. The original look of the components was preserved! :-+
--- End quote ---
Actually it was Glasslinger, I came across that video again today :D
https://youtu.be/k_Gv7hBU58c?t=2417
--- End quote ---
Aahh... Ok. Yep, he does it too!! I love watching that old guy work too, but... "he is different!".
He knows a shit load, but he is a bit rough & ready at times. Not quite "Mr. Carlson" ;D
rsjsouza:
--- Quote from: GlennSprigg on June 11, 2020, 12:55:52 pm ---
--- Quote from: rsjsouza on June 09, 2020, 02:37:12 am ---(...)
Bringing back a bit to the topic, I still have the original glass but the silkscreen with the stations is almost completely gone. I need to find someone that can print on glass and I have a template, but my dad remembered different stations printed on it when the radio was new.
--- End quote ---
HOWEVER, as you say that you have a 'Template' on file? simply print it (pref-Laser!) onto a sticky CLEAR
sheet, and transfer it to glass. It works a treat!! ;D
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the suggestion; I should have thought of that. I will pursue that route and see if I can find a good match to the original yellow printout (most templates I saw were white).
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