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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

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Old 24th Oct 2014, 11:35 am   #1
rockinmark
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Default Vintage Electronics.

Hi. I am very new to this, and would like to learn more. My interests are in the vintage stuff with valves. I need to learn everything, as a complete beginner.
I have seen on here that a lot of people mention Harpenden. I live in St. Albans, so can anybody point me in the direction of somebody that would be willing to have a chat, and show me the right way to go.
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 11:52 am   #2
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Default Re: electronics

Quote:
Originally Posted by rockinmark View Post
Hi I am very new to this and would like to learn more. My interests are vintage stuff with valves.
In that case, you could do a lot worse that read the various books written by F. J. Camm and M. G. Scroggie's 'Foundations of Wireless'. I'd avoid the various R.S.G.B. Handbooks though - they contain too many errors which will trip up the beginner.

Al.
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 11:55 am   #3
Peter.N.
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Default Re: electronics

Firstly get yourself a circuit diagram of a simple valve set and learn to read it, then get a simple radio and see how the circuit applies to it.

I'm sure there are some books on basic radio and someone will be along to tell you about them.

Valve radios are relatively simple compared with modern stuff so if you have the interest you will soon learn. If someone local is available to help so much the better.

Peter
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 11:55 am   #4
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Default Re: electronics

This might be a good place to start:-

http://www.vintage-radio.com/repair-...ion/index.html
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 11:57 am   #5
Peter.N.
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Sorry Al, you obviously type faster then me.
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 1:36 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

Just picking up on Harpenden- this gets mentioned now and then because the BVWS (British Vintage Wireless Society) holds occasional meetings and vintage gear auctions at the public hall there.
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 2:10 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

This is the book you need to buy:-

good book
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Old 24th Oct 2014, 2:17 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

Make something first, you will learn an awful lot from that. For vintage stuff start with a one valve radio.
 
Old 26th Oct 2014, 2:13 pm   #9
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

Hi Rockinmark

From my own experience I would advocate having a think about what area of wireless radio fires your interest. For example; do you want to collect and restore receivers; or do you want to build your own from published, proven circuits; or do you want to design your own circuits and build from scratch? The era you choose from will also have a bearing on the approach to take. For example are you interested in early radio (1920s/1930s), or 1940s, or 50s receivers? The later ones are more complex, but the early ones are challenging in their own way too.

This is a very broad hobby and offers a lifetime of learning. If you have a very limited knowledge of electronics, as I did when I came to this hobby, then you might want to think about starting with an early TRF (Tuned Radio Frequency) battery operated set. If you’re not too worried about doing an ‘authentic’ restoration you can substitute more modern components to get it working and you’ll be surprised how much knowledge you will gain.

I would urge you to read too. Start with a fairly generic book such as ‘Valve Radio & Audio Repair Handbook’ by Chas E. Miller. Further reading will to some extent depend upon your own personal interests. For me, I quite quickly honed in on early radio (1920s and early 1930s) restoring vintage sets and moreover designing and building my own sets using vintage components. I can personally recommend the following books, which I have in my own personal library. But don’t just go and buy them all, oh and don’t forget some went through repeated editions and rewriting so choose an edition appropriate to the era you want.

Generic books
Valve Radio & Audio Repair Handbook, by Chas E. Miller
Radio, Television and Electrical Repairs, Odhams Press (first published 1948, second ed. 1952, third ed. 1956)
Foundations of Wireless, by A.L.M. Sowerby, published by Iliffe & Sons (early edition)
Foundations of Wireless, by M.G. Scroggie, published by Iliffe & Sons (as above but revised fifth edition, entirely rewritted)
The Practical Wireless Encyclopaedia, by F.J. Camm, published by George Newnes (great for looking up a term or a circuit component. First edition 1932, Ninth edition 1941)
The Setmakers, A History of the Radio and Television Industry, by Keith Geddes and Gordon Bussey

Books on Repair and Servicing
Radio and Television Servicing, by E Molloy and W.F. Poole (series of volumes covering all the main domestic receivers)
Wireless Servicing Manual, by W.T. Cocking, published by Iliffe & Sons
Fault Finding – Radio Servicing Supplementary Volume, by G.N. Patchett, published by Norman Price

Books on Radio Design
The New Radio Receiver Building Handbook, by Lyle Russell Williams, published by The Alternative Electronics Press
A Beginner’s Guide to Radio, by F.J. Camm, published by George Newnes
The Superhet Manual, by F.J. Camm, published by George Newnes
Practical Wireless Circuits, by F.J. Camm, published by George Newnes
Wireless Coils, Chokes and Transformers, by F.J. Camm, published by George Newnes
Coil Design and Construction Manual, by B.B. Babani, published by Bernard Babani (publishing) Ltd
Radiotron Designer’s Handbook (Third Edition), edited by F. Langford Smith, published by The Wireless Press
Radio Engineering, by Frederick Emmons Terman, published by McGraw-Hill Book Co.
Radio and Television Engineers’ Reference Book, by E. Molloy, published by George Newnes
Small Accumulators – How Made and Used, from The Model Enginner Series, published by Percival Marshall & Co. (The first edition includes how to make accumulators, while the later editions focus less on construction and more on servicing and maintenance)

I hope some of this is of help. Good luck, and remember to enjoy yourself! 

Nick
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Old 26th Oct 2014, 2:25 pm   #10
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

As a prelude to augmenting a collection of paper books, this online resource is invaluable :
http://livinginthepast-audioweb.co.u....php?p=vtheory
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Old 26th Oct 2014, 2:36 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

Welcome!

I guess it all depends on what your personal interests are as to where to start. How "Vintage" do you want to go? And are you more interested in 'go' [building/restoring equipment to perform electrically as well as if not better than when it was made, then using it] or 'show' [polished cabinets and perfect finishes both inside and out, placing original appearance above modern convenience or electrical performance, and using the result more as an item of furniture] or do you want to get into building things yourself?

My particular interest is in HF/Short-Wave communications receivers and transmitters - WWII and onwards - professional/amateur and military - rather than domestic 'entertainment' radios/TVs. I place more emphasis on performance and usability than appearance.

The skills you need to develop - well, there are some basic and fundamental aspects of electronics that are common to pretty much every TV/radio//transmitter/amplifier from the 1920s onwards! My favourite books for this sort of thing are WWII-and-later ARRL Radio Handbooks [they're American but don't let that put you off]. Another good one is "Introduction to Electronics" [Published by 'Key Books', Toronto, Canada 1977] that was used by the US Department of the Navy as a training book.

This - http://www.tubebooks.org/Books/rider_inside.pdf - is really good for some history.

Another great book is "70 years of radio tubes and valves" by John Stokes - which explains a hell of alot about the development both of valve technology and the various manufacturing companies benhind it.

If your tastes include the 'show' aspect then you may also start researching books on cabinetmaking and woodwork!
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Old 26th Oct 2014, 10:19 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vintage Electronics.

Hi Mark

The British Vintage Wireless Society (BVWS) currently hold two swapmeets/auctions per year at Harpenden Public Halls.

Having just had a swapmeet/auction in September, our next meeting there is Sunday 1st March next year. See http://www.bvws.org.uk/events/diary.php

Meanwhile, there are many other swapmeets (like a vintage technology jumble sale with many stalls selling radio/tv/audio/spares/books/schematics etc.) and auctions if you are prepared to travel a bit. You would always be made most welcome at any of the events but you would need to be a BVWS member to be able to bid for auction items.
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