Where are all the b&w Deccas? - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Nickthedentist · 25th Mar 2014, 11:21 am

Nice set, Gavin.

I was given the guts of one of these as a child in about 1983-4. It was owned by a friend's dad who was not very well off, but who had just acquired a very knackered Decca 30-series colour set to replace it. I still have the valves and some of the knobs.

The original owner kept the huge Goodmans(?) speaker, and turned the cabinet into a fish tank.

Nick.

FERNSEH · 25th Mar 2014, 5:53 pm

Keeping up with the Decca TV theme. Here's another "real" Decca, the model DM4C of 1957. This is the version which has a 70 degree CRT, the Mullard MW43-69. Models after serial number 50,000 employed a 90 degree CRT, the Mullard AW43-80. A 14" version was produced, the DM2C. These sets had direct line sync. The later DM3C had a flywheel sync circuit employing an ECL80 as the discriminator. Decca continued to use this circuit in all their later sets right up to the DR20/24 of 1969.

DFWB.

Colourstar · 25th Mar 2014, 6:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by gavinhall

I've just finished my DR101 which I've only had for a month.

Nice work there Gavin. That looks like the same set recently sold on an internet auction site. If so, I'm glad it found a good home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickytrev

Did you go back to see if the Decca dual standard was in Heanor Antiques?

Hi Trev- Yes I went back as soon as I could, but there was no sign of it. Shame, as that would have made three 60s Deccas surfacing in as many months.

Steve

gavinhall · 25th Mar 2014, 9:20 pm

Hi Steve, yes it was off ebay and close to me so I bought it. A snip at £20 so I took a chance. It really is lovely, both inside and out although the wife and both children think it should be in the garage.
The thing is I do actually use it especially for the old films.

I don't know anyone remotely interested in it so I have come to the conclusion that I must be slightly odd. I usually collect and restore pre-war radios and they're frowned upon too.

Anyway, Brian has asked for a photo of its innards so I'll take one tomorrow in daylight and upload it.

One thing that does puzzle me though is why the speaker box should be so big, I think it would look better half the size or even put the speaker in the set. That said, there is space in there to hide a freeview box (ugh! I hear you shudder), VCR, DVD etc and of course the service data plus spare valves should the need arise.

gavinhall · 26th Mar 2014, 10:28 am

Here's the internals. The white tape on the LOP anode connection is just a precaution as the strip is broken and has arced at some point so I replaced the wire and remade the joint.

I suppose a vintage colour set would be the next thing to look for.

Focus Diode · 26th Mar 2014, 10:41 pm

Very nice and not what I expected, reminds me of the KB VC series of sets. Many thanks for the uploads Gavin.

Cheers,
Brian

GLENZ32 · 28th Mar 2014, 12:32 am

I'm sure you guys have seen the UK Decca Prestomatic Model DPT on my vintage TV page...http://nzvintagetvradio.blogspot.co....sional-tv.html
Cheers

gavinhall · 28th Mar 2014, 9:02 am

You really do have some super sets, thanks for sharing such a wonderful hobby.

FERNSEH · 28th Mar 2014, 12:42 pm

A good number of Decca projection sets are still in existence. Also the Beau Decca mirror lid TV. All these early sets employed TV a chassis made by Plessey.

DFWB.

25th Mar 2014, 11:21 am	#21
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,846	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? Nice set, Gavin. I was given the guts of one of these as a child in about 1983-4. It was owned by a friend's dad who was not very well off, but who had just acquired a very knackered Decca 30-series colour set to replace it. I still have the valves and some of the knobs. The original owner kept the huge Goodmans(?) speaker, and turned the cabinet into a fish tank. Nick.

25th Mar 2014, 5:53 pm	#22
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? Keeping up with the Decca TV theme. Here's another "real" Decca, the model DM4C of 1957. This is the version which has a 70 degree CRT, the Mullard MW43-69. Models after serial number 50,000 employed a 90 degree CRT, the Mullard AW43-80. A 14" version was produced, the DM2C. These sets had direct line sync. The later DM3C had a flywheel sync circuit employing an ECL80 as the discriminator. Decca continued to use this circuit in all their later sets right up to the DR20/24 of 1969. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

25th Mar 2014, 9:20 pm	#24
gavinhall Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK. Posts: 109	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? Hi Steve, yes it was off ebay and close to me so I bought it. A snip at £20 so I took a chance. It really is lovely, both inside and out although the wife and both children think it should be in the garage. The thing is I do actually use it especially for the old films. I don't know anyone remotely interested in it so I have come to the conclusion that I must be slightly odd. I usually collect and restore pre-war radios and they're frowned upon too. Anyway, Brian has asked for a photo of its innards so I'll take one tomorrow in daylight and upload it. One thing that does puzzle me though is why the speaker box should be so big, I think it would look better half the size or even put the speaker in the set. That said, there is space in there to hide a freeview box (ugh! I hear you shudder), VCR, DVD etc and of course the service data plus spare valves should the need arise.

26th Mar 2014, 10:28 am	#25
gavinhall Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK. Posts: 109	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? Here's the internals. The white tape on the LOP anode connection is just a precaution as the strip is broken and has arced at some point so I replaced the wire and remade the joint. I suppose a vintage colour set would be the next thing to look for. Attached Thumbnails

26th Mar 2014, 10:41 pm	#26
Focus Diode Octode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Borough of Gateshead, UK. Posts: 1,420	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? Very nice and not what I expected, reminds me of the KB VC series of sets. Many thanks for the uploads Gavin. Cheers, Brian

28th Mar 2014, 12:32 am	#27
GLENZ32 Hexode Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 289	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? I'm sure you guys have seen the UK Decca Prestomatic Model DPT on my vintage TV page...http://nzvintagetvradio.blogspot.co....sional-tv.html Cheers __________________ Visit my Vintage TV & Radio Page - http://nzvintagetvradio.blogspot.com/

28th Mar 2014, 9:02 am	#28
gavinhall Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK. Posts: 109	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? You really do have some super sets, thanks for sharing such a wonderful hobby.

28th Mar 2014, 12:42 pm	#29
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Where are all the b&w Deccas? A good number of Decca projection sets are still in existence. Also the Beau Decca mirror lid TV. All these early sets employed TV a chassis made by Plessey. DFWB.