It's addictive! - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Chris55000 · 2nd Jun 2018, 4:07 pm

Hi!

It isn't valve radios with me, it's oscilloscopes and distortion analyzers and things. , .!!!

Fifteen Oscilloscopes

At least 12 Heathkit T & M,

Three Heathkit AFM-1 tuners,

Four very expensive DMM bricks. . .!!!

Assorted other bits of T & M

Chris Williams

Craig Sawyers · 2nd Jun 2018, 7:56 pm

This is what a minor obsession has resulted in

Craig

ajgriff · 2nd Jun 2018, 10:25 pm

I feel better now!

Alan

brightsparkey · 2nd Jun 2018, 10:27 pm

Those 7000 frame 'scopes are works of art. I have two chassis and a set of plugins and some sampling and tdr plugins, but have not been powered on for some years. They need sorting out as the tantalum capacitors fail in the power supply.

I have a little HP digital 'scope - it tells lies, of course

but is smaller and easier to get going.

I also have an R+S FSA spec-an, marconi 2031 sig-gen and a couple of power meters.

I'd really like an HP modulation analyser - but they are still pricey.

Current project is a new workshop, so then all these things will have a proper place to live and I can afford more space for radios, now that I have the 'bug'..

Phil G4SPZ · 2nd Jun 2018, 11:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by egerton

The Ekco may be beyond repair as it's been got at and is a real mess.

Funnily enough, I find 'got-at' sets to be more interesting and challenging than run-of-the-mill repairs. The trick is to ignore what you've got in front of you, but try to work out what you should have. You really do need the manufacturer's service data and layouts if you can get them. Along the way you'll learn things, like how previous repairers/bodgers came to make the mistakes they did! In most cases you'll be able to see where previous work has been done.

One of the hardest things is to recognise how a circuit diagram differs from the physical wiring. The circuit may show a valve pin, for example, with two components and two wires going to it. In reality, you can see the two components but only one wire. The 'other' wire may physically be on the other side of the chassis. A "dot" on a circuit may be one or more lengthy wires in a physical layout. Once you become more familiar with manufacturers' construction techniques, things will start to become clearer.

Good luck!

Radio Wrangler · 3rd Jun 2018, 7:34 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by brightsparkey

I'd really like an HP modulation analyser - but they are still pricey.

One quirk about the HP 8901A/B modulation analyser, There's a fair bit of leakage of its LO comes out of the input connector. It's wasted a lot of people a lot of time when a splitter is used to drive both a spectrum analyser and an 8901.

Digital scopes also leak sampling pulses out their inputs.

David

electronicskip · 3rd Jun 2018, 4:57 pm

For me , sometimes it becomes a vendetta !!! Me V a Cossor rust wreck!
I will do , I WILL succeed (sometimes)

egerton · 3rd Jun 2018, 6:54 pm

I can understand your obsession. I have this old Ekco A23 that looks in a bad state and I have no idea how to start with it... but I see it everyday and it's nagging me to restore it. I don't think it's valuable as I've seen them working on eBay for little money, but it's some kind of personal challenge - can I do it, will I do it...

music-centre · 4th Jun 2018, 1:22 pm

Go for it! The Ekco A23 is a nice set to work on with plenty of room and they work well.

It always surprises me they don't go for more money, being a late 40s Bakelite set, but I guess there are a lot of them around.
Steve.

2nd Jun 2018, 4:07 pm	#21
Chris55000 Nonode Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walsall Wood, Aldridge, Walsall, UK. Posts: 2,868	Re: It's addictive! Hi! It isn't valve radios with me, it's oscilloscopes and distortion analyzers and things. , .!!! Fifteen Oscilloscopes At least 12 Heathkit T & M, Three Heathkit AFM-1 tuners, Four very expensive DMM bricks. . .!!! Assorted other bits of T & M Chris Williams __________________ It's an enigma, that's what it is! This thing's not fixed because it doesn't want to be fixed!

2nd Jun 2018, 10:25 pm	#23
ajgriff Nonode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,587	Re: It's addictive! I feel better now! Alan

2nd Jun 2018, 10:27 pm	#24
brightsparkey Pentode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 148	Re: It's addictive! Those 7000 frame 'scopes are works of art. I have two chassis and a set of plugins and some sampling and tdr plugins, but have not been powered on for some years. They need sorting out as the tantalum capacitors fail in the power supply. I have a little HP digital 'scope - it tells lies, of course but is smaller and easier to get going. I also have an R+S FSA spec-an, marconi 2031 sig-gen and a couple of power meters. I'd really like an HP modulation analyser - but they are still pricey. Current project is a new workshop, so then all these things will have a proper place to live and I can afford more space for radios, now that I have the 'bug'..

3rd Jun 2018, 4:57 pm	#27
electronicskip Nonode Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK. Posts: 2,150	Re: It's addictive! For me , sometimes it becomes a vendetta !!! Me V a Cossor rust wreck! I will do , I WILL succeed (sometimes)

3rd Jun 2018, 6:54 pm	#28
egerton Pentode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Beverley, East Riding Posts: 110	Re: It's addictive! I can understand your obsession. I have this old Ekco A23 that looks in a bad state and I have no idea how to start with it... but I see it everyday and it's nagging me to restore it. I don't think it's valuable as I've seen them working on eBay for little money, but it's some kind of personal challenge - can I do it, will I do it...

4th Jun 2018, 1:22 pm	#29
music-centre Heptode Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 687	Re: It's addictive! Go for it! The Ekco A23 is a nice set to work on with plenty of room and they work well. It always surprises me they don't go for more money, being a late 40s Bakelite set, but I guess there are a lot of them around. Steve.