Ekco U428 radio. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

king99sp · 3rd Jul 2021, 8:06 am

Hi. I'm new to all of this so please bear with me, bought at a boot fair for just £2 this does turn on and make noise but I think it needs a aerial, has one plugged inside for the FM aerial, is the external l.s. the other aerial needed and if so what type do I need?

Steve.

Station X · 3rd Jul 2021, 8:35 am

Hello and welcome to the forums.

This radio uses an internal ferrite rod aerial for LW and MW. There is no provision for an external aerial for these bands and one is not needed. The LS sockets are for an external loudspeaker.

I advise you not to plug this radio into the mains again until some basic checks, including safety checks, have been done.

Service information is available here:-

https://www.service-data.com/product...18/2201/m11518

Useful repair information here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.com/repair...ion/index.html

Nuvistor · 3rd Jul 2021, 8:38 am

Forget about aerials for the time being, presume at £2 it’s not been looked at for quite a while. There are quite a few checks and both safety and functional before it can be brought back into service. There will also be a fault causing the radio not to work, perhaps more than one.
If you want to fix it yourself read the section:-
https://www.vintage-radio.com/repair...ion/index.html

Or if you would rather have someone else do the work try this section of the forum.
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...play.php?f=145

Service information is available from-:

https://www.service-data.com/search....&search=Search

Crossed post but both agreeing.

paulsherwin · 3rd Jul 2021, 11:40 am

These are fairly late radios and don't normally need recapping. The downside is they are an early printed circuit design with all their attendant problems - lifting pads and print, leaky and contaminated paxolin etc.

The tuning scale lamps are extremely difficult to get right, with very little margin between being overly dim and burning out (guess how I know that). The radio is designed to be usable with blown scale lamps though.

If you are a beginner, you should bear in mind that this is a live chassis set and requires suitable precautions. Don't do anything with the radio plugged into the mains until you fully understand the implications of this - there is plenty of info on the forum if you search.

3rd Jul 2021, 8:06 am	#1
king99sp New Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Canterbury, Aylesham, Kent, UK. Posts: 1	Ekco U428 radio. Hi. I'm new to all of this so please bear with me, bought at a boot fair for just £2 this does turn on and make noise but I think it needs a aerial, has one plugged inside for the FM aerial, is the external l.s. the other aerial needed and if so what type do I need? Steve.

3rd Jul 2021, 8:35 am	#2
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Ekco U428 radio. Hello and welcome to the forums. This radio uses an internal ferrite rod aerial for LW and MW. There is no provision for an external aerial for these bands and one is not needed. The LS sockets are for an external loudspeaker. I advise you not to plug this radio into the mains again until some basic checks, including safety checks, have been done. Service information is available here:- https://www.service-data.com/product...18/2201/m11518 Useful repair information here:- https://www.vintage-radio.com/repair...ion/index.html __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

3rd Jul 2021, 8:38 am	#3
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Ekco U428 radio. Forget about aerials for the time being, presume at £2 it’s not been looked at for quite a while. There are quite a few checks and both safety and functional before it can be brought back into service. There will also be a fault causing the radio not to work, perhaps more than one. If you want to fix it yourself read the section:- https://www.vintage-radio.com/repair...ion/index.html Or if you would rather have someone else do the work try this section of the forum. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...play.php?f=145 Service information is available from-: https://www.service-data.com/search....&search=Search Crossed post but both agreeing. __________________ Frank

3rd Jul 2021, 11:40 am	#4
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,970	Re: Ekco U428 radio. These are fairly late radios and don't normally need recapping. The downside is they are an early printed circuit design with all their attendant problems - lifting pads and print, leaky and contaminated paxolin etc. The tuning scale lamps are extremely difficult to get right, with very little margin between being overly dim and burning out (guess how I know that). The radio is designed to be usable with blown scale lamps though. If you are a beginner, you should bear in mind that this is a live chassis set and requires suitable precautions. Don't do anything with the radio plugged into the mains until you fully understand the implications of this - there is plenty of info on the forum if you search.