Marconiphone Minger - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

G6ONEDave · 29th Sep 2020, 3:41 pm

I suspect that given the age of the radio, that the screws would be 4BA, otherwise possibly 4mm, depends on how accurate your measurements are. Shame theres no mention of screw type in the manual, unless I missed it.
Dave

TonyDuell · 29th Sep 2020, 4:03 pm

It's the right pitch for 4BA, but 4BA is about 3.6mm diameter (across the threads, I assume that's what you're measuring, not the diameter of the head!). Can you re-check the diameter, please.

I would expect BA screws in such a radio.

Avid_Nerdlinger · 29th Sep 2020, 4:09 pm

Ha! I misread my micrometer, it's 3.5mm. So you're both right and I just ordered 10 from eBay for £1.90. Thanks.

Avid_Nerdlinger · 3rd Oct 2020, 5:24 pm

There's a lot to like about this radio, mostly well engineered but the flimsy plastic case lets it down. Overall I am pleased.

This one has worn down lugs on the side panels which make it even more fragile, I put an inch square of double-sided tape on one to help keep it in place but I imagine these lugs used to be longer so that there was enough sticking through the case to secure with starlock washers, looks like they have been worn away by successive melting in place with a soldering iron.

I'm still waiting on those 4ba screws. The radio was delivered with 4 missing from the main PCB with the pushbuttons and knobs on and this looseness in transit might have been what snapped the actuator on the momentary lamp pushbutton. I managed to fix this with superglue, fiddly job though. This radio needs that lamp, the pointer is hard to see otherwise.

The wire to the aerial is attached by a clip-on connector which was causing all sorts of pops and crackles as the body of the aerial was moving freely due to the wrong fixing screw having been forced in. Mole grips and some force managed to rediscover the thread and I fitted a screw with the correct thread.

Slid the pointer an inch along the cord to get the tuning scale more accurate.

I haven't had to fix or adjust any electronics. Reception is good on all bands, I only tested the LUX bandspread with a modulated carrier from a sig gen though.

The most effort went into cleaning off the black mastic.

29th Sep 2020, 3:41 pm	#21
G6ONEDave Octode Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Owston Ferry, North Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 1,704	Re: Marconiphone Minger I suspect that given the age of the radio, that the screws would be 4BA, otherwise possibly 4mm, depends on how accurate your measurements are. Shame theres no mention of screw type in the manual, unless I missed it. Dave

29th Sep 2020, 4:03 pm	#22
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,213	Re: Marconiphone Minger It's the right pitch for 4BA, but 4BA is about 3.6mm diameter (across the threads, I assume that's what you're measuring, not the diameter of the head!). Can you re-check the diameter, please. I would expect BA screws in such a radio.

29th Sep 2020, 4:09 pm	#23
Avid_Nerdlinger Pentode Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Durness, Sutherland, UK. Posts: 108	Re: Marconiphone Minger Ha! I misread my micrometer, it's 3.5mm. So you're both right and I just ordered 10 from eBay for £1.90. Thanks.

3rd Oct 2020, 5:24 pm	#24
Avid_Nerdlinger Pentode Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Durness, Sutherland, UK. Posts: 108	Re: Marconiphone Minger There's a lot to like about this radio, mostly well engineered but the flimsy plastic case lets it down. Overall I am pleased. This one has worn down lugs on the side panels which make it even more fragile, I put an inch square of double-sided tape on one to help keep it in place but I imagine these lugs used to be longer so that there was enough sticking through the case to secure with starlock washers, looks like they have been worn away by successive melting in place with a soldering iron. I'm still waiting on those 4ba screws. The radio was delivered with 4 missing from the main PCB with the pushbuttons and knobs on and this looseness in transit might have been what snapped the actuator on the momentary lamp pushbutton. I managed to fix this with superglue, fiddly job though. This radio needs that lamp, the pointer is hard to see otherwise. The wire to the aerial is attached by a clip-on connector which was causing all sorts of pops and crackles as the body of the aerial was moving freely due to the wrong fixing screw having been forced in. Mole grips and some force managed to rediscover the thread and I fitted a screw with the correct thread. Slid the pointer an inch along the cord to get the tuning scale more accurate. I haven't had to fix or adjust any electronics. Reception is good on all bands, I only tested the LUX bandspread with a modulated carrier from a sig gen though. The most effort went into cleaning off the black mastic. Attached Thumbnails