Identification of unusual feeder unit. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Heatercathodeshort · 21st Nov 2007, 8:30 pm

Last Sunday I pulled this rather odd radio feeder unit from the jaws of death at the rubbish tip. At first I thought it was A.M.only but further investigation proved that it also covered the F.M. band. Its appearance is dated to say the least, more suited to 4v B7 based valves but I would guess that the set in its A.M. form dated from around 1950. The original design appeared to be A.M. only with an EF41 as an R.F. amp and using the third section of the tuning capacitor. This has never been soldered and a glance at the picure will show the empty position for the EF41 just under the F.M.head.
The F.M. section appears to be an afterthought but built into the chassis as original equipment. It is a Philips head with 10.7mc/s i.f. transformers and a Philips speaker. All other parts have no connection with Philips and the A.M. i.f. transfromers are manufactured by Weyrad.
It is very well constructed and after cleaning the waveband and selector switches, worked very well. It does nopt appear to have had any component or valve replacements.
The valve line up is A.M. ECH42 EBF80. F.M. ECC85 [ECH42? EBF80?]EF85 EB91, the later two mounted on a sub chassis.
The common af amp/monitor output is an ECC40 with an EZ41 as rectifier.
The sound quality is very good considering the use of one half of the ECC40 as monitor output. I would guess that around 300mw of audio is fed to the 5" speaker. Strangely the original TCC waxies are still fitted and read around 2meg! I have left them in place as it is pointless replacing them. The 6U5GT magic eye is clear and bright as you can see from the pic.
Does anyone know who manufactured this unit? Its a puzzle to me.
Regards, John.

Nickthedentist · 21st Nov 2007, 8:38 pm

Well done for saving another one, John. As "commercial" sets go, it looks delightful with it's interesting dial and eye - much more interesting in that respect than the C&S units which have featured here recently, and very pre-war in style. And the build quality seems top-notch too

I wonder what its original purpose was?

N.

russell_w_b · 21st Nov 2007, 9:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

I wonder what its original purpose was?

N.

Don't know, but I thought I'd point out that there was an identical unit - wrecked beyond repair - in the old Chain-Home RADAR bunker at Douglas Wood, Forfar, Scotland (in the field next to the Forfar VHF BBC transmitter) in August 1988.

Perhaps it was used for rediffusion or some other piped-radio service; around a factory, maybe?

Nickthedentist · 21st Nov 2007, 11:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

As "commercial" sets go...

I meant to say "industrial"...

geofy · 21st Nov 2007, 11:34 pm

Hi John
What a great find, how could someone just throw this out, the dial looks art deco though the rest looks, as you say 1950's. It reminds me of the monitor attached to a rake in a schools radio when a remote speaker would be plugged in while a volunteer would go to the cupboard at the other side of the school to turn on the radio for the afternoon program, usually selected several stations before the required one!

Geof

Heatercathodeshort · 22nd Nov 2007, 10:19 am

Thanks for all your information. I also collected some other items....watch this space. It appears to have been rack mounted so I suppose it could have been used for factory broadcast distribution. I bet it could tell a tale or two..
The selector switch on the front allowed you to tune the set while monitoring the sound and then switch it through to the main amp.
Does anyone know who actually manufactured these units?

peter_sol · 22nd Nov 2007, 10:48 am

Hi it looks like the insides are made by philips. They did make this sort of industrial unit.

Heatercathodeshort · 22nd Nov 2007, 2:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort

The F.M. section appears to be an afterthought but built into the chassis as original equipment. It is a Philips head with 10.7mc/s i.f. transformers and a Philips speaker. All other parts have no connection with Philips and the A.M. i.f. transfromers are manufactured by Weyrad.

Thanks for the input Peter. The F.M.unit is certainly a Philips product but the rest is definitely not unless manufactured by another company for Philips but using their own component sourcing. If it was Philips I think it would have the famous badge somewhere to be seen and an EM34 in place of the 6U5GT.
Thanks again, John.

dave walsh · 22nd Nov 2007, 3:37 pm

Interesting item John. Thought it might be a another Clarke Smith schools radio at first-looks like one at first glance [see vintage audio thread].
Suppose that's a form of industrial sound system!
No ideas re your unit except to say that business's clearly had these sort of items in place. Doesn't sound like there is any sort of balanced line output. I've something similar in Rammy except it's bigger, heaver and much more unattractive and [I think] does have a line output to go round the factory. It's an Ultra and the give away is a lift up front panel with a keyhole desined to lock away access to the controls. No VHF and I suspect about 1940's. Haven't done anything with it yet as the whole of the insides seems to be full of black pitch type stuff. Never seen any info on this one either if anybody out there has any ideas but I doubt if we will need a seperate thread. Dave

davidw · 23rd Nov 2007, 9:29 am

looks a nice find john. In the dim distant past I worked on an american airbase with piped radio,this unit looks similar (but I am talking 1966ish)All their stuff was TRIX.
regards dave.

Heatercathodeshort · 23rd Nov 2007, 9:17 pm

Thanks for the info Dave + Dave. I will give the case a clean and find a home for it.....
Thanks, John.

21st Nov 2007, 8:30 pm	#1
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Identification of unusual feeder unit. Last Sunday I pulled this rather odd radio feeder unit from the jaws of death at the rubbish tip. At first I thought it was A.M.only but further investigation proved that it also covered the F.M. band. Its appearance is dated to say the least, more suited to 4v B7 based valves but I would guess that the set in its A.M. form dated from around 1950. The original design appeared to be A.M. only with an EF41 as an R.F. amp and using the third section of the tuning capacitor. This has never been soldered and a glance at the picure will show the empty position for the EF41 just under the F.M.head. The F.M. section appears to be an afterthought but built into the chassis as original equipment. It is a Philips head with 10.7mc/s i.f. transformers and a Philips speaker. All other parts have no connection with Philips and the A.M. i.f. transfromers are manufactured by Weyrad. It is very well constructed and after cleaning the waveband and selector switches, worked very well. It does nopt appear to have had any component or valve replacements. The valve line up is A.M. ECH42 EBF80. F.M. ECC85 [ECH42? EBF80?]EF85 EB91, the later two mounted on a sub chassis. The common af amp/monitor output is an ECC40 with an EZ41 as rectifier. The sound quality is very good considering the use of one half of the ECC40 as monitor output. I would guess that around 300mw of audio is fed to the 5" speaker. Strangely the original TCC waxies are still fitted and read around 2meg! I have left them in place as it is pointless replacing them. The 6U5GT magic eye is clear and bright as you can see from the pic. Does anyone know who manufactured this unit? Its a puzzle to me. Regards, John. Attached Thumbnails

21st Nov 2007, 8:38 pm	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,866	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Well done for saving another one, John. As "commercial" sets go, it looks delightful with it's interesting dial and eye - much more interesting in that respect than the C&S units which have featured here recently, and very pre-war in style. And the build quality seems top-notch too I wonder what its original purpose was? N.

21st Nov 2007, 11:34 pm	#5
geofy Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,798	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Hi John What a great find, how could someone just throw this out, the dial looks art deco though the rest looks, as you say 1950's. It reminds me of the monitor attached to a rake in a schools radio when a remote speaker would be plugged in while a volunteer would go to the cupboard at the other side of the school to turn on the radio for the afternoon program, usually selected several stations before the required one! Geof

22nd Nov 2007, 10:19 am	#6
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Thanks for all your information. I also collected some other items....watch this space. It appears to have been rack mounted so I suppose it could have been used for factory broadcast distribution. I bet it could tell a tale or two.. The selector switch on the front allowed you to tune the set while monitoring the sound and then switch it through to the main amp. Does anyone know who actually manufactured these units?

22nd Nov 2007, 10:48 am	#7
peter_sol Octode Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Herts. UK. Posts: 1,906	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Hi it looks like the insides are made by philips. They did make this sort of industrial unit.

22nd Nov 2007, 3:37 pm	#9
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Interesting item John. Thought it might be a another Clarke Smith schools radio at first-looks like one at first glance [see vintage audio thread]. Suppose that's a form of industrial sound system! No ideas re your unit except to say that business's clearly had these sort of items in place. Doesn't sound like there is any sort of balanced line output. I've something similar in Rammy except it's bigger, heaver and much more unattractive and [I think] does have a line output to go round the factory. It's an Ultra and the give away is a lift up front panel with a keyhole desined to lock away access to the controls. No VHF and I suspect about 1940's. Haven't done anything with it yet as the whole of the insides seems to be full of black pitch type stuff. Never seen any info on this one either if anybody out there has any ideas but I doubt if we will need a seperate thread. Dave

23rd Nov 2007, 9:29 am	#10
davidw Heptode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 643	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. looks a nice find john. In the dim distant past I worked on an american airbase with piped radio,this unit looks similar (but I am talking 1966ish)All their stuff was TRIX. regards dave.

23rd Nov 2007, 9:17 pm	#11
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Identification of unusual feeder unit. Thanks for the info Dave + Dave. I will give the case a clean and find a home for it..... Thanks, John.