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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

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Old 24th Jan 2021, 1:54 pm   #1
Backtoreality
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Default Wireless Identification

When I was a child, in the 1960's, I remember spending many happy hours listening to the short waves on a big old radio that my dad had. Recently scanning a load of his black and white negatives I found a picture of the radio, and myself, along with our KB television into which he put a larger, 17", tube.
I remember him telling me the radio was an export model so it had no long waveband on it. I assume he must have got it from a ship sometime as he was an electrician in Palmers Shipyards, at Hebburn and Jarrow, from just before the war until the finally closed.
I remember the wireless had large valves in it which I believe were international octal and it had a knob on the left end which I think was used to change from the radio to a "pick-up input"
I think the photo was taken in 1959 because I'm sitting in my high chair. (you can just see my foot!)
Can anyone identify the wireless for me?
Hoping you are all keeping well!
David
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Last edited by Backtoreality; 24th Jan 2021 at 1:55 pm. Reason: spelling mistake
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Old 24th Jan 2021, 2:08 pm   #2
JoshWard
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

The radio is also a KB. Presumably an export version of the 850: http://www.kbmuseum.org.uk/kb_images/kb850/kb850.htm
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Old 24th Jan 2021, 2:15 pm   #3
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Wow, impressive, thanks for that Josh!
I also noticed something on top of the TV which I don't remember.
Is it a radio?
David
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Old 24th Jan 2021, 2:54 pm   #4
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

It’s very likely that the KB radio came from a ship installation. KB’s parent ITT were at one time active in marine radio as the International Marine Radio Company, then a competitor to Marconi Marine. That ITT connection provided KB with the opportunity to supply radio and TV sets to various passenger vessels, including RMS Queen Mary and other Cunard ships.

I guess that when a ship came into Hebburn or Jarrow for a refit, that may well have included replacement of the KB sets, making them available to fortunate shipyard staff.

I wonder which ship that radio from your childhood had served on.......

Martin
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Old 24th Jan 2021, 4:10 pm   #5
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Josh

That is an interesting photograph, seeing something like that reminded me of the days when my Gran had a very similar set. The photograph is worth hanging on to, maybe it could be enlarged in some way and framed. I agree with Martin, I too wonder what ship it came from.

Ken
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Old 24th Jan 2021, 10:39 pm   #6
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Thanks for the replies! Sadly I only know the names of two ships my dad worked on. The most famous was HMS Kelly when she was repaired (twice) during the war. The other was HMTS Monarch in the 1960s which was a cable ship he took me on when I was 9 or 10. I still have the Eddystone 659 I know he got from a ship being refitted.
David
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 5:59 pm   #7
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

There was a KB 850/2-0, MW and 3 SW bands, it had continuous coverage from 545m on MW to 11m on SW3.
So it would have included the Marine Bands.
Circuit is on my website. http://www.kbmuseum.org.uk/kb_servic...KB_850_2-0.pdf
No images for one that I know of to compare the dial to though.
Mike
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 6:08 pm   #8
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

I wonder if, rather than coming from a ship [which I'd doubt - didn't they usually have DC electrics?] it could have been acquired as a way to listen to 'trawler band' radio [usually between 1.7 and 4MHz] ??

Looking at the circuit, it has a RF amplifier so should have performed well. It also seems to use a rather odd centre-tapped-choke arrangement for driving the push-pull output valves.
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 6:14 pm   #9
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

There is another radio on top of the TV, and it looks very much like one I’ve got! I’m sure the label in mine says it’s a Graves, but I can’t remember the model, Vulcan 2 rings a bell, I’ll see if I’ve got a photo of it!

Regards
Lloyd

Edit, found one! It’s not the greatest photo, cropped from another bigger one, I’ll dig through the archive on the PC later.
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 6:44 pm   #10
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

No, the one on top of the tv has a sloping top.
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 6:49 pm   #11
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

I thought the Graves was a nice-looking set, until I realised that the picture ISN'T on its side!
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 7:03 pm   #12
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

There is info re Graves sets on here. A thread from July 2019 has a photo of the S-3. It seems to be about the same size as the set on the TV but a different design. The tuning condenser and speaker are apparently in the same place. The dial very clearly shows Medium and Long Wave. It may confirm my suspicion that the "Wireless" is making up for a lack of LW reception with the Export Radio [as mentioned]. Being able to pick up the BBC on Long Wave [and maybe other stations so far North] would have been very important during your serene "Highchair Days" David

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Old 26th Jan 2021, 7:35 pm   #13
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Graves Vulcan 3, just found one on ‘On The Air’, it’s a 3 valve battery TRF from 1934. On The Air website
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 8:00 pm   #14
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Hi David, just in case you don't remember this is what you were watching.

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Unless I am mistaken, you have a pack of 10 Players at your feet, and a can ofon the mystery radio!
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 8:15 pm   #15
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Looking at that range of KB radios, the KB 890A must have been very sensitive with what looks like 2 stages of RF amplification. http://www.kbmuseum.org.uk/kb_servic...s/KB_890-A.pdf
Mike
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Old 26th Jan 2021, 9:40 pm   #16
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Default Re: Wireless Identification

Interesting point about the front end of the KB 890A- though the first 6K7G is used as an untuned pre-amp, probably effectively acting as a high-impedance (short aerial) to low-impedance buffer into the coupling winding of the next 6K7G tuned RF stage without much voltage gain. Not a bad idea, would save de-tuning effects of different random aerials on the input tuning without having to use an aerial trimmer, though nearby/strong broadcast signals might have caused an irritating local "Luxembourg effect!" (As someone who once lived within a stone's throw of the Burghead site). Maybe by 1945 6K7Gs were plentiful enough for this particular indulgence.
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