Vesta Vixen PCB Removal - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

poppydog · 15th Jan 2018, 10:36 pm

Would anybody know how to remove the PCB from a Vesta Vixen? I have undone two PCB fixing screws and disconnected the earphone and aerial sockets, however the board moves but will not come out, I don't want to break it. Its a very tight fit.

See picture.

Regards
Poppydog

crackle · 15th Jan 2018, 10:42 pm

I have no experience of this particular set, but has the tuning dial been removed. Sometimes there is a plate or label stuck to the dial covering a hidden screw in the centre.

Mike

Refugee · 15th Jan 2018, 11:12 pm

The wave change switch looks like it ought to be undone as well.

poppydog · 15th Jan 2018, 11:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by crackle

I have no experience of this particular set, but has the tuning dial been removed. Sometimes there is a plate or label stuck to the dial covering a hidden screw in the centre.

Hello Mike, it's a dummy tuner dial with all the movement going on inside, so there is no attachment to the outside.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Refugee

The wave change switch looks like it ought to be undone as well.

The wave change switch is attached to the PCB, so that's not stopping it. It's as if the bottom of the board needs to be lifted and then pulled towards myself to allow the tuner and volume dial to be slid out, complete with the board but there is just not the room. Such a simple little thing is causing me so much trouble.

Regards
Poppydog

GeoffK · 16th Jan 2018, 11:01 am

There may be a third fixing screw underneath the ferrite aerial, the tuning dial should be removed from the front. What is the reason for removing the chassis?

poppydog · 16th Jan 2018, 2:22 pm

The tuner wheel Geoff, is going tight then loose, then slips with the occasional twang of the cord, I don't want it to go stripping plastic cogs/gear teeth etc. The springs in the battery holder have rotted out so I need to replace that.
regard poppydog

poppydog · 16th Jan 2018, 10:42 pm

After some judicious levering the board is out

, that was the tightest fitting board I have removed to date.

Regards

Poppydog

Refugee · 16th Jan 2018, 10:56 pm

That makes sense of it all.
The board has been resting on the bottom of the case for so long that it has made a little ridge there. That has made it difficult to get it out so that the knobs clear the top of the case.
Success.

poppydog · 17th Jan 2018, 9:27 pm

Success, its been a pain in the backside but now its all finished. Thought I would just put a couple of pics of it up as its a very pretty radio and I even spotted a couple of Toshiba branded transistors in it

.

Regards
Poppydog

Sideband · 17th Jan 2018, 9:49 pm

My God....that was the first radio I bought with pocket money when I was about 11 years old! I saved 5/- (shillings....25p today) a week until I had £5-19s-6d (approx £5.99 today) and then I bought it from Woolworths. Mine had a brown leather case with it (probably leather-look). I had it for many years and don't really know what it's fate was.....Wouldn't mind trying to find one just for the nostalgia. Around 1964.

Hybrid tellies · 18th Jan 2018, 10:07 am

I have one of these in my collection, I think it has the bandspread feature.
How well does yours work? I know I had a similar sort of radio when I lived in Cornwall back in the very early 1970's during the day it would only pick up Radio 2 in 1500m and Radio 4 west on 285m. On a really good night you might just hear Luxembourg on 208m

camtechman · 18th Jan 2018, 11:40 am

Poppydog,

That's a nice looking radio & thanks for posting the pics.

I have a later "Sheerline" style Vesta Vixen Model: 100.

Mine is embossed: "Hong Kong" being later than "Empire"

What did surprise me, with my Model 100, is the sound quality - not the usual, shrill Hong Kong sound

poppydog · 18th Jan 2018, 9:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sideband

Mine had a brown leather case with it (probably leather-look). I had it for many years and don't really know what it's fate was.....Wouldn't mind trying to find one just for the nostalgia. Around 1964.

Glad its jogged some good memories for you, I take it this is the case you were on about? (See pics)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies

I have one of these in my collection, I think it has the bandspread feature.
How well does yours work? I know I had a similar sort of radio when I lived in Cornwall back in the very early 1970's during the day it would only pick up Radio 2 in 1500m and Radio 4 west on 285m. On a really good night you might just hear Luxembourg on 208m

MW is very good during daylight hours, at night its jam packed solid. LW on the other hand I can only pick up radio 4 and RTE. My radios that work well pick up around 4 or 5 French stations on LW as well as radio 4 and RTE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by camtechman

That's a nice looking radio & thanks for posting the pics.

I have a later "Sheerline" style Vesta Vixen Model: 100.

Mine is embossed: "Hong Kong" being later than "Empire"

What did surprise me, with my Model 100, is the sound quality - not the usual, shrill Hong Kong sound

Your Sheerline looks in very good order. There is a hint of distortion on mine so it probably wants looking at at a later date. It still has all its original components apart from the battery holder. I recently have been working on a Empire made Coral Starlet clock radio, similar in size to the Vixen, and that one works quite well and is also very pretty

.

Regards
Poppydog

Refugee · 19th Jan 2018, 12:37 am

I have got a small equally basic radio that is branded Internet 10 that also still has a black carry case but without the ear phone pod.

camtechman · 19th Jan 2018, 1:47 pm

To correct my previous post #12. I now find out that was incorrect

Original post:

Quote:

"Mine is embossed: "Hong Kong" being later than "Empire"

I now discover that it is "Empire" made too.

Also the case for my radio is not a full/over flap case but a thin brown leather, half slip case and, for some reason, has shrunk and too tight to fit the radio.

camtechman · 19th Jan 2018, 1:50 pm

poppydog,

My Model 100 is not that sensitive on MW nor LW either.

Sideband · 20th Jan 2018, 12:05 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppydog

Glad its jogged some good memories for you, I take it this is the case you were on about? (See pics)

That's it! I remember the earpiece holder on the handle now as well.

15th Jan 2018, 10:42 pm	#2
crackle Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Basildon, Essex, UK. Posts: 4,100	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal I have no experience of this particular set, but has the tuning dial been removed. Sometimes there is a plate or label stuck to the dial covering a hidden screw in the centre. Mike

15th Jan 2018, 11:12 pm	#3
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,554	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal The wave change switch looks like it ought to be undone as well.

16th Jan 2018, 11:01 am	#5
GeoffK Heptode Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Essex, UK. Posts: 602	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal There may be a third fixing screw underneath the ferrite aerial, the tuning dial should be removed from the front. What is the reason for removing the chassis? __________________ *Geoff*

16th Jan 2018, 2:22 pm	#6
poppydog Banned Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 849	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal The tuner wheel Geoff, is going tight then loose, then slips with the occasional twang of the cord, I don't want it to go stripping plastic cogs/gear teeth etc. The springs in the battery holder have rotted out so I need to replace that. regard poppydog

16th Jan 2018, 10:42 pm	#7
poppydog Banned Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 849	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal After some judicious levering the board is out , that was the tightest fitting board I have removed to date. Regards Poppydog Attached Thumbnails

15th Jan 2018, 10:36 pm	#1
poppydog Banned Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 849	Vesta Vixen PCB Removal Would anybody know how to remove the PCB from a Vesta Vixen? I have undone two PCB fixing screws and disconnected the earphone and aerial sockets, however the board moves but will not come out, I don't want to break it. Its a very tight fit. See picture. Regards Poppydog Attached Thumbnails

16th Jan 2018, 10:56 pm	#8
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,554	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal That makes sense of it all. The board has been resting on the bottom of the case for so long that it has made a little ridge there. That has made it difficult to get it out so that the knobs clear the top of the case. Success.

17th Jan 2018, 9:27 pm	#9
poppydog Banned Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 849	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal Success, its been a pain in the backside but now its all finished. Thought I would just put a couple of pics of it up as its a very pretty radio and I even spotted a couple of Toshiba branded transistors in it . Regards Poppydog Attached Thumbnails

17th Jan 2018, 9:49 pm	#10
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,580	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal My God....that was the first radio I bought with pocket money when I was about 11 years old! I saved 5/- (shillings....25p today) a week until I had £5-19s-6d (approx £5.99 today) and then I bought it from Woolworths. Mine had a brown leather case with it (probably leather-look). I had it for many years and don't really know what it's fate was.....Wouldn't mind trying to find one just for the nostalgia. Around 1964. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

18th Jan 2018, 10:07 am	#11
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,967	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal I have one of these in my collection, I think it has the bandspread feature. How well does yours work? I know I had a similar sort of radio when I lived in Cornwall back in the very early 1970's during the day it would only pick up Radio 2 in 1500m and Radio 4 west on 285m. On a really good night you might just hear Luxembourg on 208m __________________ Simon BVWS member

18th Jan 2018, 11:40 am	#12
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal *Poppydog,* That's a nice looking radio & thanks for posting the pics. I have a later "Sheerline" style Vesta Vixen Model: 100. Mine is embossed: "Hong Kong" being later than "Empire" What did surprise me, with my Model 100, is the sound quality - not the usual, shrill Hong Kong sound Attached Thumbnails __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!

19th Jan 2018, 12:37 am	#14
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,554	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal I have got a small equally basic radio that is branded Internet 10 that also still has a black carry case but without the ear phone pod.

19th Jan 2018, 1:50 pm	#16
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Vesta Vixen PCB Removal *poppydog,* My Model 100 is not that sensitive on MW nor LW either. __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!