Vintage wireless books

[SiriusHardware]

On holiday in the Peak District last week, I wandered around a fantastically chaotic old-style second hand book shop and came across two books at pocket money prices so I bought them:

The first one: "Wireless Servicing Manual" (W.T Cocking, Iliffe, fourth edition, date unknown (not stated)). This book appears to be produced by or affiliated with "The Wireless World", which is referenced a number of times in the text. The first full page picture at the beginning of the book shows 'Part of the Wireless World laboratory'. Chapter headings include:

'The interpretation of meter readings',
'Tracing mains hum',
'Motor-Boating',
'Instability in H.F. and I.F stages',
'Frequency and amplitude distortion'
'Background noise and local interference'
'The adjustment of ganging'
'Automatic volume control systems'
'Short-wave receivers'
'Miscellaneous defects'

There are also twelve pages of vintage adverts at the back, for items ranging from Cossor test gear through Avo meters and Wharfedale output transformers.

The second book is "Radio Upkeep And Repairs For Amateurs" (Witts, Pitman press, fifth edition, July 1941, originally published in 1933). Chapters here include:

'Test equipment: How to make and use',
'Aerials and earths',
'Principles to be followed in testing a receiver',
'Common faults and how to clear them',
'Tracing faults on mains supply units',
'How to test components',
'Mains receivers: Design notes',
'Care of H.T. Batteries',
'Accumulator notes',
'How to fit a gramophone pick-up',
'Circuits for reducing H.T. Battery consumption',
'Short wave receivers',
'In search of quality'.

The book opens with an amusing anecdote about a rich American whose "radio" had stopped working and had a 'radio-doctor' flown in at great expense to see what the problem was. In the event it turned out that the grid bias battery had failed. Of course this joke was lost on me because I had no idea what a grid bias battery was. The point, obviously, was that there were a lot of problems which could be solved with just a little knowledge, knowledge which would be imparted to the reader in due course.

One point of interest in this particular copy is the name and address stamped (not written) on the inside cover: G Bellamy, 11 Ribston Road, Sheffield, 9. The fact that it is stamped rather than written makes it seem more likely to be a dealer's name and address than an owner's name and address.

I am a child of the transistor age - when I first became interested in electronics all the library books about electronics were about 15 years or more old and all used valves - even the books about model radio control used valves. However, all the hobby magazines were using transistors and some ICs by then, so I never really needed to learn any valve theory beyond the absolute basics. It's fascinating to look through these books - the first book in particular - and read about things like 'hum bucking' coils on speakers.

[David G4EBT]

I'm gussing that might have been Scarthin Books at Cromford. Been there many times - I hope they're insured for avalanche!

[SiriusHardware]

No, this one was 'Peak Volumes' in Tideswell. I think the same person also has a bookshop with a different name in Buxton, although I didn't make it to that one.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Sirius, these places are always a happy hunting ground for technical books, but they seem to be drying up now (I must have bought them). There are sometimes volumes available at Barter Books in Alnwick, but not many others in Northern England.

Ed

[stevehertz]

That first book you mention, I had that once when I first started out in the hobby in the 70s and I must have worn it out reading it. The illustrations are wonderfully drawn, and you can just sit looking at it and reading odd bits that you never noticed before. It's a very handy book too. Not sure what you paid for it - not that it matters - but they go for around £4 on Ebay.

[McMurdo]

Sometimes house clearance sales turn up trumps. In addition to a mint Westminster ZA617, dad came back with this book set a few weeks ago. Totally unused and unread, still in the original packing carton wrapped in brown paper and sealed with King George V shilling stamp and address label for Birmingham Central Reference Library, postmark 1937. Handwritten on the side is the name 'Nurse Craddock'.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by Ed_Dinning

Hi Sirius, these places are always a happy hunting ground for technical books, but they seem to be drying up now (I must have bought them). There are sometimes volumes available at Barter Books in Alnwick, but not many others in Northern England.

I know Barter books (in Alnwick, mid-Northumberland, for those not in this area) - a decent effort, and sited in a nicely preserved old railway station, so combining two of my interests in one go.

Originally Posted by stevehertz

Not sure what you paid for it - not that it matters - but they go for around £4 on Ebay.

When I picked them up I looked inside and noticed that unlike almost every other book in the place, they weren't priced. So I took them to the till and waited nervously while the proprietor studied (or made a show of studying) his computer screen before saying '£2.50 each'. At that price I had to have them. I should say that the first book is in relatively fragile condition, the spine is very soft / worn and it wouldn't take much to make the pages start coming adrift so when I'm reading it I only half open it - laying it flat, wide open, would stress it too much, I fear. So maybe the five pounds he asked accurately reflected the poor condition of the first book and the decent condition of the second one.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Sirius, also worth looking out for are the Bernards/ Babani/ Norman Price etc books.
These were paperbacks and cove all sorts of topics as well as constructional items.
I'll be thinning my collection shortly so watch out for them in the "for sale" section.

Ed

[SiriusHardware]

I have quite a few of the Babanis, or at least those sold on the revolving racks in Tandy and in Aitken Bros in the late 70s / early 80s - unfortunately about half of the projects in them rely on the continuing availability of Denco coils and dual-gang variable capacitors.

In the ones I have the projects are all transistor based, but a fair number of them are wholly or predominantly PNP circuits using common (for the time) germanium transistors like the OC71, plus OA91 glass diodes and so on.

[emeritus]

Traditional Evo-Stik Impact adhesive is excellent for repairing paperbacks. A thin film across the edge of the sheets will hold them secure. It's considerably more flexible than the original paperback glue, and books I repaired more than 30 years ago are still fine.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Sirius, PM me if you need ganged caps or similar components I also have quite a lot of industrial Ge and Si PNP transistors.

Ed

[SiriusHardware]

Thanks for the offer of help, but it's the now defunct Denco (Clacton) coil series which would be the main stumbling block in attempting to build any of those circuits now, I think.

Without those pre-built coil assemblies I'm not sure I would have the knowledge or patience to attempt to scratch-build any of them.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Sirius, I think there was an article in Radio Bygones some time ago about replicating Denco coils (didn't look as if a winder would be necessary).
You could also look for Wearite "P" coils as well as Osmor and Repanco types that are not so well known and go for less on e-bay.
I may have some commercial coils that would do if you let me know the type of set you are interested in trying. (drop me a mail or PM).

Ed

[Radio Wrangler]

I'll add "Electroniques" as another name to look out for in ready wound coils for receiver building. They did a range of IFTs as well as a complete valved amateur band front-end. They were part of the STC empire. VERY special if anyone comes across one.

David

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi David, I'd second that for Electroniques, their coil packs were superb; I bid on one some time ago, but lost out. It finally went for about £80!
I have some of their literature and they do look amazing. I believe they were only on the scene for a few years unlike some of the other companies.

Ed