Cresta-Vega - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

crestavega · 23rd Jul 2017, 10:53 pm

is or was there ever a Cresta-Vega radio brand , or was it just a made up by Hammond Innes? (seems unlikely, as Hammond Innes was pretty technically accurate in his research in other areas)

Terry_VK5TM · 24th Jul 2017, 1:06 am

There are references to a Cresta-Vega radio-telephone system on the net but nothing relating to just a radio as we know it.

Seems to be around mid-late 1960's.

Terry

G3VKM_Roger · 24th Jul 2017, 6:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by crestavega

is or was there ever a Cresta-Vega radio brand , or was it just a made up by Hammond Innes?

Which of Innes' books has the radio in? I can think of two, "Atlantic Fury" and "The Land God Gave to Cain", that have radio hams as important characters and use ficticious callsigns, GM3CMX for the first and G2STO for the second, IIRC, as it's many years since I read them.

Roger

PS - there's a manual listed here, item 652 http://www.rabeng.co.uk/radio/service.htm

crestavega · 24th Jul 2017, 6:26 pm

It's in "North Star", and it's only a very glancing reference to equipment in the wheelhouse of a side trawler.
google "Cresta-Vega north star" and the relevant passage will appear in the first page of results as a Google Books result.

interesting on the manual listing, probably is a real thing then! it would be nice to see a pic of one.

I think possibly this is where an interest becomes an obsession - this is after all, a radio which is only set-dressing in a fairly obscure novel.....!

Ed_Dinning · 24th Jul 2017, 8:57 pm

Hi Gents, I think there was a Marconi Cresta-Vega combination that was popular with trawlers.
A 19" rack affair with valve transmitter and I think valve/ transistor Rx with some Xtal controlled channels, all run from a 24V inverter.

Ed

Herald1360 · 24th Jul 2017, 9:17 pm

The reference to "double sideband" is a bit odd. Was it used as a sloppy term for older AM rigs at a time when SSB was taking over? Did anyone use DSB suppressed carrier?

ms660 · 24th Jul 2017, 9:22 pm

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...rch=%22marconi cresta vega%22

Lawrence.

dglcomp · 24th Jul 2017, 9:22 pm

Vega were (and maybe still are) a professional wireless microphone manufacturer and if the company was the same it would not surprise me if they made/designed radios.

G3VKM_Roger · 24th Jul 2017, 9:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms660

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...rch=%22marconi cresta vega%22

Lawrence.

Amazing! That site is such a great resource. Case closed, I think?

Roger

crestavega · 24th Jul 2017, 10:27 pm

My sainted trousers.
well thank you very much indeed, all. (esp. Lawrence)
the problem is now, I really want one.

23rd Jul 2017, 10:53 pm	#1
crestavega Pentode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Kirkwall, Orkney, UK. Posts: 165	Cresta-Vega is or was there ever a Cresta-Vega radio brand , or was it just a made up by Hammond Innes? (seems unlikely, as Hammond Innes was pretty technically accurate in his research in other areas)

24th Jul 2017, 1:06 am	#2
Terry_VK5TM Nonode Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Tintinara, South Australia, Australia Posts: 2,339	Re: Cresta-Vega There are references to a Cresta-Vega radio-telephone system on the net but nothing relating to just a radio as we know it. Seems to be around mid-late 1960's. Terry

24th Jul 2017, 6:26 pm	#4
crestavega Pentode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Kirkwall, Orkney, UK. Posts: 165	Re: Cresta-Vega It's in "North Star", and it's only a very glancing reference to equipment in the wheelhouse of a side trawler. google "Cresta-Vega north star" and the relevant passage will appear in the first page of results as a Google Books result. interesting on the manual listing, probably is a real thing then! it would be nice to see a pic of one. I think possibly this is where an interest becomes an obsession - this is after all, a radio which is only set-dressing in a fairly obscure novel.....! Last edited by crestavega; 24th Jul 2017 at 6:31 pm.

24th Jul 2017, 8:57 pm	#5
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,194	Re: Cresta-Vega Hi Gents, I think there was a Marconi Cresta-Vega combination that was popular with trawlers. A 19" rack affair with valve transmitter and I think valve/ transistor Rx with some Xtal controlled channels, all run from a 24V inverter. Ed

24th Jul 2017, 9:17 pm	#6
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: Cresta-Vega The reference to "double sideband" is a bit odd. Was it used as a sloppy term for older AM rigs at a time when SSB was taking over? Did anyone use DSB suppressed carrier? __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O

24th Jul 2017, 9:22 pm	#7
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Cresta-Vega http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...rch=%22marconi cresta vega%22 Lawrence.

24th Jul 2017, 9:22 pm	#8
dglcomp Heptode Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Portland, Dorset, UK. Posts: 874	Re: Cresta-Vega Vega were (and maybe still are) a professional wireless microphone manufacturer and if the company was the same it would not surprise me if they made/designed radios.

24th Jul 2017, 10:27 pm	#10
crestavega Pentode Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Kirkwall, Orkney, UK. Posts: 165	Re: Cresta-Vega My sainted trousers. well thank you very much indeed, all. (esp. Lawrence) the problem is now, I really want one. Last edited by crestavega; 24th Jul 2017 at 10:35 pm.