Unknown radio dial glass. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Ex Greeny · 19th Jan 2018, 10:03 pm

I am in the process of renovating an old home assembled radio, rather similar to the Ace A50 or the Regentone AW44, dating from the mid 1940's. It has MW and LW and a Gram input, I have the radio up and running with good results, and now need to concentrate on the home made cabinet, but before attempting this, I need to source a replacement dial glass legend transfer.
Comparing this dial glass with the Ace or the Regentone, mine seems very basic, but I live in hope of finding something suitable. The dial glass measures 6 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches.
Can anyone help?

Alan.

Trifocaltrev · 19th Jan 2018, 10:26 pm

Hi Alan,
Looking at this glass it has Shortwave marked on the outer edge if the radio has SW an AW44 or similar would fit the bill.

Regards
Trevor.

Ex Greeny · 20th Jan 2018, 4:26 pm

Thanks for your reply Trevor, I hadn't noticed that the outer scale was SW. Upon further investigation it appears that the set does indeed have SW, although not working. I had assumed that the third position of the wavechange switch was for the PU input, whereas the PU input is permanently wired in to the volume control irrespective of what range is selected, and looking at the circuit diagram of the Regentone AW44, confirms this fact. So even though this set appears to be a home assembled set, it bears a close resemblance to the Regentone AW44.
So bearing this in mind, can anyone advise me where a replacement dial glass or transfer print can be obtained?

Alan.

David G4EBT · 20th Jan 2018, 7:59 pm

Quite often, firms such as Osmor, who supplied ready wired switched coil packs for home constructed radios, also supplied a dial matched to the coil pack coverage.

The dial is early 40s as it has all the pre-war regional stations shown. Droitwich went on air in 1934, Home Service 1939, and Forces in 1940. (During the war, there were no regional broadcasts - the regions simultaneously broadcast the same programmes to prevent enemy aircraft from using regional stations for direction finding). The Light programme came on air in July 1945, and the Third Programme in 1946, though wouldn't immediately have appeared on radio dials for some months after the stations went live.

I wonder what the round hole at the top left of the dial in the first pic above was for? It looks like a window for a magic eye.

The set looks nice and tidy inside - I hope you track down a suitable dial or at least a scan. It deserves one!

Good luck in your quest Alan.

Ex Greeny · 20th Jan 2018, 9:19 pm

Hello David,
What looks like a hole in the glass, is just a reflection of the ceiling light when taking a photo of the glass, I should have taken the photo in daylight!
Thank you for your comments, I find them very interesting.

Alan.

David G4EBT · 20th Jan 2018, 9:45 pm

Clever trick of the light even if inadvertent - fooled me!

boxdoctor · 21st Jan 2018, 1:06 pm

I notice it has "Aircraft" at about 1000m. on the long wave band. This would suggest a date of late forties/early fifties to me, was it was a very brief period of allocation of this bit of spectrum for this purpose. Also style suggests K.B., but I doubt that it is actually one of theirs.
As David G4EBT says, you could purchase a tuning gang , and get a matching dial from the same source at the same time. I suspect that's the most likeley answer to the puzzle. Tony.

ms660 · 21st Jan 2018, 1:31 pm

There's a good article here about the BBC services and dates etc from year dot to more recent times:

https://www.bbceng.info/Technical%20...m_tx_nw_6a.pdf

Lawrence.

19th Jan 2018, 10:03 pm	#1
Ex Greeny Tetrode Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 65	Unknown radio dial glass. I am in the process of renovating an old home assembled radio, rather similar to the Ace A50 or the Regentone AW44, dating from the mid 1940's. It has MW and LW and a Gram input, I have the radio up and running with good results, and now need to concentrate on the home made cabinet, but before attempting this, I need to source a replacement dial glass legend transfer. Comparing this dial glass with the Ace or the Regentone, mine seems very basic, but I live in hope of finding something suitable. The dial glass measures 6 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches. Can anyone help? Alan. Attached Thumbnails

19th Jan 2018, 10:26 pm	#2
Trifocaltrev Hexode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 285	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. Hi Alan, Looking at this glass it has Shortwave marked on the outer edge if the radio has SW an AW44 or similar would fit the bill. Regards Trevor.

20th Jan 2018, 4:26 pm	#3
Ex Greeny Tetrode Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 65	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. Thanks for your reply Trevor, I hadn't noticed that the outer scale was SW. Upon further investigation it appears that the set does indeed have SW, although not working. I had assumed that the third position of the wavechange switch was for the PU input, whereas the PU input is permanently wired in to the volume control irrespective of what range is selected, and looking at the circuit diagram of the Regentone AW44, confirms this fact. So even though this set appears to be a home assembled set, it bears a close resemblance to the Regentone AW44. So bearing this in mind, can anyone advise me where a replacement dial glass or transfer print can be obtained? Alan.

20th Jan 2018, 7:59 pm	#4
David G4EBT Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 5,761	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. Quite often, firms such as Osmor, who supplied ready wired switched coil packs for home constructed radios, also supplied a dial matched to the coil pack coverage. The dial is early 40s as it has all the pre-war regional stations shown. Droitwich went on air in 1934, Home Service 1939, and Forces in 1940. (During the war, there were no regional broadcasts - the regions simultaneously broadcast the same programmes to prevent enemy aircraft from using regional stations for direction finding). The Light programme came on air in July 1945, and the Third Programme in 1946, though wouldn't immediately have appeared on radio dials for some months after the stations went live. I wonder what the round hole at the top left of the dial in the first pic above was for? It looks like a window for a magic eye. The set looks nice and tidy inside - I hope you track down a suitable dial or at least a scan. It deserves one! Good luck in your quest Alan. __________________ David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339.

20th Jan 2018, 9:19 pm	#5
Ex Greeny Tetrode Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 65	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. Hello David, What looks like a hole in the glass, is just a reflection of the ceiling light when taking a photo of the glass, I should have taken the photo in daylight! Thank you for your comments, I find them very interesting. Alan.

20th Jan 2018, 9:45 pm	#6
David G4EBT Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 5,761	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. Clever trick of the light even if inadvertent - fooled me! __________________ David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339.

21st Jan 2018, 1:06 pm	#7
boxdoctor Rest in Peace Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Ripley, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 785	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. I notice it has "Aircraft" at about 1000m. on the long wave band. This would suggest a date of late forties/early fifties to me, was it was a very brief period of allocation of this bit of spectrum for this purpose. Also style suggests K.B., but I doubt that it is actually one of theirs. As David G4EBT says, you could purchase a tuning gang , and get a matching dial from the same source at the same time. I suspect that's the most likeley answer to the puzzle. Tony.

21st Jan 2018, 1:31 pm	#8
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Unknown radio dial glass. There's a good article here about the BBC services and dates etc from year dot to more recent times: https://www.bbceng.info/Technical%20...m_tx_nw_6a.pdf Lawrence.