Rees Mace Type 'N' Receiver

[David Simpson]

Folks, Information/Circuit Diagram required please on a Type'N' 3 Band AC/DC Rx. S/No 6961.
Its very utilitarian in appearance. Plywood cabinet completely covered in matt black vinyl cloth.
Couldn't find anything in the Trader Sheets CD, or Molloy & Poole books.
Thankfully it seems to have been decently stored for nigh on 50 years, I'm told, and looks in good nick for its age.

Regards, David

[g4aaw pete]

That looks a very interesting receiver, David.
As you say, its been looked after.
What's the valve line up & coverage?

Regards
Pete

[David Simpson]

Pete, The 3 bands are 550 - 1700KHz, 2.1 - 7MHz, & 7 - 22MHz. It was last used back in the 50's when the original owner used to listen to Aberdeen trawlers returning home. Has been in a loft for over 50 years. No sign yet of woodworm or any beastie attack.
I haven't had time yet to remove the chassis, as I'm still finishing off working on a Coastal Radio Tx & PSU on my wee work bench.
I think its a Rexine type black matt finish over the ply cabinet. Its in jolly good condition & I'm dying to see how it cleans up.

Regards, David

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi David, if no success give mr a reminder about 5 Mar when I will be back home as I have some Rees Mace details in my library.
Ed

[AC/HL]

It has a "Forces Comfort Set" look about it to me.

There is a very similar looking model, the RMC in "Radio Radio". It's dated 1943, and the limited information says it was amongst the radios that had been delayed by wartime component shortages, which were easing by that time just prior to the American Lend Lease releases.

[David Simpson]

Folks, Have taken a wee break from spring cleaning & decorating, & have delved inside this Rx for an hour or so.
6 Valves :- All Mazda - 1) TH233
2) & 3) VP133
4) HL133/DD
5) PEN383
6) U 201
A Goodmans Speaker

Mains Rect./DC Dropper etc, & AF Amp on one open chassis

RF valves & circuitry inside seperate totally screened unit.

I still haven't found a circuit diagram or any info yet.

Regards, David

[crackle]

There is a Rees Mace Cameo EL80 listed on the radio museum, it has the same valve line up as your radio,. but does not quite look the same cabinet or chassis.
My Rees Mace RM215, which is a later more commercial looking set is based on a PYE 445U chassis.
Mike

[David Simpson]

Thanks Mike,
The search for info goes on. I've been advised to contact the Lowestoft Journal, as seemingly R M had a wee marine radio factory there. Hopefully a retired ex employee might be able to help.So have sent off a request to the L J.
Its a pretty bog-standard AC/DC 5 Valve superhet layout. But never having heard of R M before, and with my interest in vintage marine HF equipment(Sailor Radio, Coastal Radio), thought I'd find out as much as I can.

Regards, David

[crackle]

David
There is also maritime museum close to Lowestoft. I wonder if they have any information on local marine radio manufacturers.
Mike

[David Simpson]

Thanks again Mike for helpful info. I've sent off an email to the Lowestoft Journal, and just now to the Museum. Will keep folks posted.

Regards, David

[turretslug]

Sorry, David, but I'm a little confused here, there was an implication that the set was a six-valver with two VP133's. If these were 2 IFamps, that suggests good gain and selectivity, if one was a tuned RF amp, it would fit in with the overall screening in keeping LO radiation down. Either way, it smacks of something a cut above the crowd.

I believe that Rees-Mace became part of Pye, I have a Pye-badged CAT619 receiver that was apparently a Rees-Mace design (late '40's/early '50's?), a neat little 60kHz-31MHz general coverage set (though I'd hesitate to flatter it with the term "communications receiver"),

Colin.

[David Simpson]

Aye Colin, 6 valves - 5 of them RF & AF. The U201 being the mains rectifier. I haven't had the time yet to remove the two chassis units, nor do I have a circuit diagram. However, suspecting high gain & selectivity for marine HF reception purposes- I'd guessed, as you have, - RF Amp, LO/Mixer, IF amp,Det./AGC, & AF amp.
I'm only being able to spend a wee bit of time on this due to decorating commitments. So the odd post here & sending off a couple of emails is all I'm doing just now.
The Rx's solid utilitarian construction, its local link to the old NE Scottish fishing fleet, and the rarity of info on Rees Mace, is what's challenging me. Right enough, they were taken over by Pye, but Trader Sheets, Molloy & Poole ref.books etc dont indicate anything like a re-badged Pye model of the 'Rx Type N'.
If it had been just some bog-standard table top domestic wireless from the 40's or 50's - I wouldn't have bothered with it in the first place.

Regards, David

[turretslug]

Definitely unusual and different enough to be worth saving, a good workshop set, and pretty much the entire SW BC spectrum (apart from 11m, but not much goes on there!). I make that a 120V heater chain, possibly roomy enough to accomodate an isolating transformer- I don't like mucking about with things but I'm even more wary of the whole "AC/DC" shebang!

I lived in Hopeman as a kid, it was things like discarded trawler sonars that gave me a lifetime stash of EF91, ECC81/2, etc. The Burghead LF/MF BC transmitter site wasn't far away (like the fishing industry, something of a shadow of its former self). Radios containing germanium or silicon tended to have a background intermodulation chatter, valve sets were clean- another thing that gave me respect for the "amplifying light-bulb" that was being denigrated/discarded wholesale at the time.

[David Simpson]

Hello Turretslug, Thanks for your reply. I used to know the Hopeman & Burghead area pretty well back in the 70's . Being stationed at RAF Lossiemouth.
Lucky you geing able to womble amongst old marine equipment in your youth. Sadly, most has now been skipped &/or dumped in landfill ! Thankfully, I very occasionally get lucky & get hold of something ex marine in need of TLC.

Regards, David

[Paul Johnson]

A bit late, but Rees Mace were swallowed up by Pye, and the Pye and District Amateur Radio Society ran with the callsign G3JRM (for Reece Mace) for many years.

[David Simpson]

Nearly a year has flown by since this thread was active. A good tidy up of shelves, and the completion of a Ferranti 145 renovation has given me the opportunity to return to this lovely old wartime marine/utility Rx.
I've now removed the two sub-chassis and hoovered up approx 70 years of dust. Also found an almond pip, two GeorgeVI 2d stamps, and a wee label with "Wm Archibald & Sons Ltd Wool Spinners Alva Scotland" printed on it !
Will delve further, and get the Regulac out.
Still haven't located a circuit diagram yet.

Regards, David

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by David Simpson

Thankfully, I very occasionally get lucky & get hold of something ex marine in need of TLC

We've noticed, keep them coming

[Synchrodyne]

Originally Posted by turretslug

I believe that Rees-Mace became part of Pye, I have a Pye-badged CAT619 receiver that was apparently a Rees-Mace design (late '40's/early '50's?), a neat little 60kHz-31MHz general coverage set (though I'd hesitate to flatter it with the term "communications receiver"),

Apparently so.

The CAT receiver was described in Wireless World 1954 July as a Rees Mace unit, but advertised in the 1954 September issue as a Pye unit. But the Index to Advertisers page of that issue shows Rees Mace Marine Ltd as the advertiser. So one assumes that that the Pye acquisition happened approximately in mid-1954.

The CAT had an interesting valve line-up; the ubiquitious ECH81, twice, but not in the company of its usual domestic receiver retinue.

Cheers,

[David Simpson]

Thanks Bill & Synchrodyne for your replies.
I never did get any replies from Lowestoft. I guess most ex employees have now gone to the workshop in the sky. My old Molloy & Poole books have a heap of gen on post-war Pye Rx's, but nothing on a two-chassis AC/DC 3 Band set. The big etched brass freq dial has MONEY HICKS Ltd etched in the centre, but I'm guessing they were a sub-contractor.
The PSU/Audio Amp chassis is galv.steel with a single coat of grey paint. The RF chassis is all tinned copper ! As are all the screening panels. The 3 gang tuning capacitor is offset from the horizontal by about 15 degrees, and tuned from the side by a flexible shaft.
There are no crows feet marks or WD marks or numbers. A couple of old dry waxie electrolytics in the PSU have been changed for wet Radio Spares ones, and so far can only find one perished section of wiring. This augers well for some metering & meggering prior to slowly powering up from the Regulac. Will also test all the Mazda valves first.

Regards, David

[David Simpson]

Quicky report - - Thanks to Claude Lyons' Regulac - It works ! Loads of adj. ch. interference on MW, and the grotty dropper heats up the whole workshop. Band 2 is noisy & Band three is dead. However, all BBC MW stations can be aquired, if somewhat noisy.

Regards, David