Two for the winter. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Heatercathodeshort · 3rd Jul 2013, 9:08 pm

I picked up two and a half receivers from the South Coast this evening. They were in a derelict garden shed infested with all manner of wildlife but fortunately the roof was sound and the floor dry.
The console turns out to be a home constructed 'THE P.T.TELEVISION RECEIVER' of 1949 vintage. It is almost complete even down to the odd plug in mains lead, only lacking a U52 rectifier. It employs a separate R.F. EHT unit and sports a KT66 line output valve!
This is going to be fun.
The pictures show the receiver as found. It is surprisingly clean. It appears to have a two valve pre amp fitted to help the 60 odd mile hop from A.P. to Littlehampton.
The second is an untouched Pye Continental. This is the 90 degree version with MW43-80 tube. All back screws are in place so it may eventually play a tune. The last item is a rather rusty but complete RGD 'DEEP SEVENTEEN' chassis. Would make a good breaker for spares but this model is so reliable that I doubt anyone would need any! The AW43-80 tube will no doubt find a home in one of my awaiting patients.
Two projects for winter evenings. The P.T. will be the most interesting.
Regards, John.

mark pirate · 3rd Jul 2013, 9:19 pm

Hi John, the PT kit receiver looks like fun, that should keep you busy for a while

They look in pretty good condition despite their poor storage, as for the RGD & Pye sets, they are both worthy of restoration, I have a 'Deep 17' chassis in the garage somewhere if you need it.

Mark

HamishBoxer · 3rd Jul 2013, 9:27 pm

Practical Television kit sounds a good find. Think I have a NOS AW43-80 here.

thermionic · 3rd Jul 2013, 10:22 pm

Hi John.

I am looking forward to seeing a picture on both of these. If I were a betting man, then I would have to bet that these will be displaying a raster well before the winter sets in!

If the PT set really is a basket case, you could always recoup your fuel costs by selling that KT66 on Ebay.

Good luck with them.

Cheers. SimonT.

Heatercathodeshort · 4th Jul 2013, 8:54 am

Thanks for your offers Hamish and Mark. The RGD is just a chassis so it will be stored away in case someone needs some bits off it. The PT is very clean and I reckon it will be a worker with a bit of care. It's incredibly heavy so I will work on it less cabinet with the chassis side by side. I have the circuit in 'PRACTICAL TELEVISION' so I'm 75% home and dry. The Pye is just run of the mill as such and providing the MW43-80 [90 degree magnetic focus] is OK, it should come to life. LOPT's are generally robust.
We shall see..Cheers, John.

vidjoman · 4th Jul 2013, 10:06 am

The PT set must be one of the first with 'flywheel sync' - it's in the pictures, bottom left.

chip-chop · 4th Jul 2013, 10:11 am

That PT one looks interesting John, all those EF50's too - brings back fond memories of Decca Dustbins

Herald1360 · 4th Jul 2013, 5:25 pm

Is that speaker bigger than the tube? It should make nice noises as well as show pictures!

Peter.N. · 4th Jul 2013, 7:17 pm

I like the PT set, more my era, the Pye Continental I'm not so keen on, they started getting a little complicated by the time that was produced and as a result developed some weird faults, the early ones were so straightforward.

Will look forward to the progress reports.

Peter

Heatercathodeshort · 4th Jul 2013, 7:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by vidjoman

The PT set must be one of the first with 'flywheel sync' - it's in the pictures, bottom left.

Oh very good VM! The bottom of the cabinet strut is split so will need some work to sort it out before refitting the 'plug in' flywheel sync unit.
It has a Mullard MW22-18 9" tube and the speaker looks like a 10".
I wonder who built it? Quite a nice job and some care taken. A television must have been a very rare thing in Littlehampton in 1949/50.
Ah yes Clive, Decca dustbins. Those two words should appear in the English Dictionary for explanation. I remember the mad dash after school, round to the bridle path to be the first to get to the goodies thrown out by Decca Radar. Very happy days and we were all so very keen back then with our young lives ahead. The things our poor mums put up with! The class of 61/62 at Bushey school. It could never happen today. Regards, John.

3rd Jul 2013, 9:08 pm	#1
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Two for the winter. I picked up two and a half receivers from the South Coast this evening. They were in a derelict garden shed infested with all manner of wildlife but fortunately the roof was sound and the floor dry. The console turns out to be a home constructed 'THE P.T.TELEVISION RECEIVER' of 1949 vintage. It is almost complete even down to the odd plug in mains lead, only lacking a U52 rectifier. It employs a separate R.F. EHT unit and sports a KT66 line output valve! This is going to be fun. The pictures show the receiver as found. It is surprisingly clean. It appears to have a two valve pre amp fitted to help the 60 odd mile hop from A.P. to Littlehampton. The second is an untouched Pye Continental. This is the 90 degree version with MW43-80 tube. All back screws are in place so it may eventually play a tune. The last item is a rather rusty but complete RGD 'DEEP SEVENTEEN' chassis. Would make a good breaker for spares but this model is so reliable that I doubt anyone would need any! The AW43-80 tube will no doubt find a home in one of my awaiting patients. Two projects for winter evenings. The P.T. will be the most interesting. Regards, John. Attached Thumbnails

3rd Jul 2013, 9:19 pm	#2
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Two for the winter. Hi John, the PT kit receiver looks like fun, that should keep you busy for a while They look in pretty good condition despite their poor storage, as for the RGD & Pye sets, they are both worthy of restoration, I have a 'Deep 17' chassis in the garage somewhere if you need it. Mark

3rd Jul 2013, 9:27 pm	#3
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,935	Re: Two for the winter. Practical Television kit sounds a good find. Think I have a NOS AW43-80 here. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

3rd Jul 2013, 10:22 pm	#4
thermionic Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 989	Re: Two for the winter. Hi John. I am looking forward to seeing a picture on both of these. If I were a betting man, then I would have to bet that these will be displaying a raster well before the winter sets in! If the PT set really is a basket case, you could always recoup your fuel costs by selling that KT66 on Ebay. Good luck with them. Cheers. SimonT. __________________ The honesty of imperfection..........

4th Jul 2013, 8:54 am	#5
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Two for the winter. Thanks for your offers Hamish and Mark. The RGD is just a chassis so it will be stored away in case someone needs some bits off it. The PT is very clean and I reckon it will be a worker with a bit of care. It's incredibly heavy so I will work on it less cabinet with the chassis side by side. I have the circuit in 'PRACTICAL TELEVISION' so I'm 75% home and dry. The Pye is just run of the mill as such and providing the MW43-80 [90 degree magnetic focus] is OK, it should come to life. LOPT's are generally robust. We shall see..Cheers, John.

4th Jul 2013, 10:06 am	#6
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,326	Re: Two for the winter. The PT set must be one of the first with 'flywheel sync' - it's in the pictures, bottom left.

4th Jul 2013, 10:11 am	#7
chip-chop Triode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Littleborough, Lancs, UK. Posts: 37	Re: Two for the winter. That PT one looks interesting John, all those EF50's too - brings back fond memories of Decca Dustbins __________________ Cheers, Clive. I used to have a photographic memory - but it got over-exposed

4th Jul 2013, 5:25 pm	#8
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,536	Re: Two for the winter. Is that speaker bigger than the tube? It should make nice noises as well as show pictures! __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

4th Jul 2013, 7:17 pm	#9
Peter.N. Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK. Posts: 3,601	Re: Two for the winter. I like the PT set, more my era, the Pye Continental I'm not so keen on, they started getting a little complicated by the time that was produced and as a result developed some weird faults, the early ones were so straightforward. Will look forward to the progress reports. Peter