Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

Hi there.
I have a pye 75 radio, which was working fine, but suddenly developed excessive interference.

I don’t know anything about the workings of vintage radios, so wondered if anyone could suggest someone who might be able to have a look in Scotland? I stay in Edinburgh, but happy to drive a wee bit to get it going again.

Alternatively is there a simple thing I can check to identify what’s wrong?

Many thanks for any assistance.

Donald

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

Could you describe the interference? Have you recently started using the set in a different location? As you may be already aware, medium wave nowadays is full of interference from broadband networks, switched mode power supplies and many of the general devices found in the home. It's unfortunate but not a lot can be done about it. There is plenty of discussion on the subject of interference on this forum.
Alan.

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

I had a terrible problem with very bad interference about 18 months ago.
At one time it seemed to be the power supply for a TV Scart to RF converter box, after I replaced a capacitor in the PSU it cured the problem briefly.
But it started up again, more or less obliterating MW on all my radios which used a long aerial. It was also picked up to a lesser extent on a portable radio.
It turned out to be the power supply for a 3D printer in my sons bedroom. I fitted a common mode choke in the DC supply from the switched mode PSU to the printer and it stopped the interference.
I am not saying you have a 3D printer, but it is amazing what different new electrical items get added to a home which can cause interference.
It may even be caused by something generating the noise from next door.

You can try wandering around with a portable MW radio and see if the interference gets worse or better, but it may not as it could be in all of the house electrical wiring.

Alternatively go around disconnecting all items from the mains apart from one radio, which receives the interference, to see if any of them are causing the interference.

Mike

Thanks for the replies. It was working fine long wave and medium wave, then suddenly changed. It seems to vaguely register a couple of stations on MW and one on LW, but not so you can hear them. You get a quiet-ish hum up at low volume, but a loud deep noise when you turn volume past a certain point. This noise doesnÂ’t change in volume when you turn up the volume control further.

I’ve tried in various new locations, but no difference.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks

Donald

Thanks for the replies. I’ve tried in other locations without any change. At low volume, there is quiet-ish hum, but is not picking up stations. It seems to register a couple in MW and one in LW, but not so that you can hear them. When you turn volume past a particular point, there is a loud, constant noise, which does not change when the volume knob is turned further.

Grateful for any suggestions, as I really miss my radio!

Donald

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

Is this the radio you have, https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_pye_p75p_7.html If this is the one then it is about 66 years old.
Don't worry it is repairable and could give many more years use if serviced by an experienced person.
Has it ever been serviced and had the wax paper capacitors changed?
If not then I would strongly recommend not using it again until you can find someone experienced who can service it for you.
Severe damage can result from vintage capacitors in radios if they are not replaced.

Mike

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

It should be added that the recommended replacement capacitors are cheap and readily available, but a few of them are in places where their failure can destroy some expensive and much harder to get parts.

So the standard recommendation is to NOT run an old set until at least these critical ones have been changed.

David

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

Thanks again. That’s the radio. It was serviced quite a few years ago (15+?) by a chap in Sorn in Ayrshire and has been working great since then until its recent demise. Any suggestions for who might be able to do it now in Scotland?
I’ll try to upload a photo of the insides if possible.

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

A photo of the underside of the chassis, where all the components are, should show what was done when it was serviced.
Maybe take 2 photos showing each half so that the detail can be seen, this site reduces the images to an extent where the detail is difficult to see.

Mike

Re: Pye 75 repair Scotland
 

Hi Donald,
I know someone in Kilmarnock who'd be willing to fix your radio for you.
I'll send you a PM with his contact details.

Andy