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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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Thread Tools |
25th Jan 2020, 10:44 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Isle of Wight, UK.
Posts: 546
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Fidelity Rad 15
Evening
Having bought and restored a couple of radios lately from charity shops I felt ashamed that I had left my late grand parents Fidelity Rad 15 deteriorating in the various lofts for the last 36 years! I fetched it out and was very disappointed to find the aluminium had become very pitted and corroded. The case was still ok luckily, but not sound from it other than a quiet click when switched on. Applied switch cleaner to band change switches and worked them many times, then got some hiss etc. Had to strip and clean the volume and tone pots as they wouldn’t respond to cleaner. Now sounds great from FM, the AM works but is not so lively? Not too worried as FM is all I really use these days. It will never be abandoned again, I had a real sense of guilt when I saw it. Just thought I would share Out of interest does anybody know the years these were produced, the internet seems to indicate early 70s. Rob |
25th Jan 2020, 10:52 pm | #2 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Durham, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 825
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Re: Fidelity Rad 15
Well done for saving it. I had RAD15 as a teenager and have fond memories listening to it in my room I’ll have to look out for one.
John |
25th Jan 2020, 11:04 pm | #3 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Isle of Wight, UK.
Posts: 546
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Re: Fidelity Rad 15
Quote:
Just found a photo on the net of it, a ‘384U’ but it maybe nice to get another for nostalgia one day. |
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26th Jan 2020, 12:20 am | #4 |
Pentode
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 171
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Re: Fidelity Rad 15
Hello Rob, Currys were selling these when I started there in 1971 but I think they may have been out in 1970. Even when new the most common faults with loss of or reduced signals were the BF194/195 lockfit type transistors in the RF/IF stages. Also the Sufflex polystyrene capacitors around the AM local osc/ mixer stage would give trouble. Often gently tapping these with a plastic trimming tool would show up the faulty one. Also the tiny hexagonal nuts on each corner of the tuning gang could work loose (don't over tighten). I use to just check them by applying gentle pressure to the edges with a small screwdriver as there is no room to get in with pointed pliers. These radios together with the similar looking RAD16 (SW instead of VHF/FM) were the first radios I worked on. They were very popular.
Alan. |
26th Jan 2020, 12:25 am | #5 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Isle of Wight, UK.
Posts: 546
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Re: Fidelity Rad 15
Quote:
Rob |
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