Small valve radio. Identified as an Empire MS-300.

[robert.copley1]

anyone got any info , year etc on this

[G6Tanuki]

MW-only, and mention of an "A"-battery makes me think it's a US-market product.

[Al (astral highway)]

Originally Posted by robert.copley1

anyone got any info , year etc on this

USA mfr, likely mid 1950s. Transistorised models were widespread in the States by the 1960s.

Does it have a printed circuit board or is it, as it looks, on a chassis?

[Alvin]

Japanese according to this https://www.***********/photos/transi...os/22106921184 - I used to have a couple of the Excel versions mentioned on that page but sold them a few years ago.

Alvin

[Alvin]

Trawling through old back ups I just found some pics of one of my long gone Excels and it's definitely Japanese.

Alvin

[vinrads]

Nice one Alvin it's even got the schematic, lovely little radio. Mick.

[Nuvistor]

It is a lovely little radio, quite taken with it. Presume the battery life would not be very long but it’s very portable and it’s 4 valves so should work well.

Cannot quite see but it looks like a socket for an external HT battery.

[paulsherwin]

Japanese radios of the 50s do have very American styling. The obvious giveaway if you can look inside is that they will use Japanese valves.

[usradcoll1]

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

It is a lovely little radio, quite taken with it. Presume the battery life would not be very long but it’s very portable and it’s 4 valves so should work well.

Cannot quite see but it looks like a socket for an external HT battery.

The two pin socket was for a high impedance earphone.
According to the schematic, it looks like inserting the phone plug disconnects the output valve filament increasing LT cell life.
Most of those things were scrapped in the US, as the cost of operation was too high.

[julie_m]

Definitely not British! In early British terminology, the "A" supply referred to the high tension supply (A = Anodes) and the "B" supply was low tension (B = Battery). These designations were replaced by "HT" and "LT" to reduce confusion between local and imported circuits.

[Nuvistor]

I can see the switch now, it must be an electrolytic across the B battery.
Is it possible for a clear scan of the label in the back of the set?
Yes running costs must have been high.

[ms660]

Looks like a 470 ohm bias resistor for the 3S4 and possibly either a 2.2 or 3.3meg grid return resistor.

Lawrence.

[usradcoll1]

Originally Posted by julie_m

Definitely not British! In early British terminology, the "A" supply referred to the high tension supply (A = Anodes) and the "B" supply was low tension (B = Battery). These designations were replaced by "HT" and "LT" to reduce confusion between local and imported circuits.

Sorry! Your observation is incorrect! In most of the radio collectors' jargon, the "A" supply is considered as the filament source, which is a much lower voltage and the anodes and screen grid voltage is the higher B+ or HT source. We always called anodes "plates".

Solid state diodes, the negative is the anode and the positive end is the cathode, which is proper!

[Alvin]

I see the thread title has been modified with "Identified as an Excel" added to it but that's not correct as it's an Empire MS-300 - you can clearly see the words Empire and Empire Radio in the OP's pic.

The link about an Empire MS-300 I pointed to in post #4 says "Can also be found under the Excel name with the model number XL-1." and the pics I posted are of the Excel branded version I used to own.

Alvin

[Station X]

Corrected.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

Is it possible for a clear scan of the label in the back of the set.

Does this enlarged section of my pic help?

Alvin

[Nuvistor]

Thanks for the scan, yes it does help, it does show how few components can make a working commercially built radio.
I will have a proper look at the diagram later.

[robert.copley1]

Thanks for all your knowledge guys, wonder what a 67-5v battery looked like is not much bigger than an AA. Bob

[Nuvistor]

67.5 volt batteries were made in different capacities but that one looks very small.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Nuvistor

67.5 volt batteries were made in different capacities but that one looks very small.

I used to have several US market tube portables all sadly sold due to a downturn in circumstances a few years ago but I still have this neat little 67.5V battery charger & AC eliminator that came with one of them and you can see the size in attached pics - I can't be 100% certain but I think this would have fitted my Excel and the Empire under discussion.

I never came across a rechargeable 67.5 battery but I guess they must have existed.....

Alvin