Telefunken SW Radio
 

I found in NL the short wave brother of my E108Lw4, the E104Kw4/7

Now, here is the second heavy metal restoration. :)

it runs 22 tubes to receive from 1,1MHz up to 30,1MHz in 17 bands selected by coil revolver drum. A double conversion super with variable first and fixed second IF, can listen AM+FM, BFO is there, a marker generator also. 5 selectable bandwiths from 100Hz up to 6kHz.

This will be a hard job, 90kg

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Wow 90kg and you managed to get it into and presumably out of, your car! Fabulous looking set and very clean looking, is it in working order?

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Most impressive- the mother of all boat-anchors! I suppose it would be a technology contemporary of the Collins R388, but with a constructional solidity all of its own.

Good luck with it- and don't get a hernia!

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

the compare to R388 is not easy.

R388 is a slug tuner, and the count of slugs is smaller then the count of bands (1MHz step).
E104 use a XXL variable C for tuning. The input stage use in each band input 3 tuned coils, one at the G1, and a couple at anode.
This preselection is amazing !

the first IF of R388 is one frequency (I am not shure but I think 2 to 3 MHz, center = 2,5)
the first IF of E104 is related to the bands:
Band 1+2 straight forward, oscillator OFF, but all coils are tuned
Band 3, 4, 5: 1,1 to 2,2MHz
Band 5 to 17: 1,8 to 4,1MHz

R388A have the greathful mechanical filters,
E104 use 3 crystals only. Here the collins win.

sensitivity, fishing of small signals:
R388 around 10kT
E104 <7kT, side band reception works from 0,13µV, AM from 0,3µV
here the collins stand in the rain. The Telefunken IF is much more quiet but the antenna cable noise must be small enough to use that in reality.
additional E104 can listen F3.

R388 have a very easy and accurate frequency scaling,
E104 is not so fine, bec. there are 2 IF frequency it have no kHz scaling in the fine tunig knob. The collins win in accuracy.

Weight class. E104 is more then 3 pcs. of the collins in weight,
the collins win

The brother radio E108Lw4 (10kHz up to 1,8MHz) can be in compare to R389.
I have them both now, the plan is to run a great Telefunken Set

Here is a R388A (51j4) at home, so I know this radio also well.
On the wish list: RA17 from UK ! I need one from this amazing radios.

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

There were several receivers around this era that attempted to give superb selectivity, freedom from drift etc.

They all took a different slant on the problems and compromises. None of them really got everything right. The telefunken sets missed out on having either mechanical or mode-specific IF filters. What they did give you were superb preselection.

The Colllins sets had good preselection (with one-knob tuning) and mode-specific filters. Their front ends and mixers weren't the best at surviving strong off-channel signals.

The RA17 family really licked the settability and drift issues. You needed accessory boxes for SSB filters. Preselection was crude and had to be driven on a separate knob. The front ends could be overloaded.

There was a continuous fight for the ultimate HF radio. The later Marconi H2900 might be one of the most over-the-top examples. It's failing was thubmwheel tuning. You couldn't search on one of these.

Well done with finding that Telefunken!

David

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

my Radio tower.

Actually,

Wavecom Decoder + TV for reading RTTY, CW, + PSU for the wavecom,
Siemens E309 sw radio
Rohde Schwarz EK07D2 sw radio
E108Lw4
down, not on the pic: a second EK07 in nato green there.
This radio tower is on a massive cart, all in all around 300kg ;D

I will change the setup, the both Telefunken must be at one place..

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

How's that tower for your floor loading? On a solid ground floor I hope!

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Blimey what a monster .

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Yes, not a set up for high rise buildings!!

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

what you think there about a radio..
when a friend stands beside your workbench his weight may be the same
my Vintage Tek Collection is also some heavy equipment.

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

It's a big bloke that weighs as much as that rack full!

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Hello Martin.
Boy do I love Telefunken and Saba. But that is one hell of a receiver. I hope you have some RSJ in the floor for that radio tower.
Regards
Kevin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Power on..

The stabi works allready. picture 1.

the radios internal tubes tester found some tired tubes, they will be changed to fresh.
at V11 (2.IF chassis-A) bad C, isolation crashes.

So I removed IF2-A , the C there inside are EROID, I will change them all, not only the one at V11. picture 2.
the calibrating, adjust of that IF mußt be a horrible time.

IF2-B, there are tropical C , no problems. Picture 3.

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

2. IF A Chassis, the last C solding now,
tomorrow I can put it in the radio
greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

It would be nice if all stabilisers had a gauze cylinderto let more of that lovely glow out! Actually, it would also let more light photons in to assist initial striking, too.

Looking good on the re-capping-that IF strip looks very complex and painstaking to align with all those cans and trimmers- though no doubt it gives good performance across the various bandwidths when set up.

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

the radio have only 2 stabilisers, the large what have mesh, and a smaller 70/6 looking like a control bulb, this makes a nice but decent orange light also.

About all the trimmers: The adjust ob the 2. IF is not funny bec. it requires a lot of time.
To do with a SWOB III or higher, coupled with a frequency counter (each bandwith seperate)

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

here is a first result of that work

http://www.wellenkino.de/e104/e104-1.AVI <-- a short video

greetings
Martin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

done :) E104 is now listening shortwaves.

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

That's an impressive array of top-notch "heavy metal" there- they don't make them like that any more! Well done on preserving and renovating them for posterity.

Colin

Re: Telefunken SW Radio
 

Superb piece of equipment,as heavy as 2 AR88,s!