R1155 - guide to restoration

[pnh0001]

R1155 restorers

I said a while back I was putting together a restoration guide for the R1155. Here is a progress update.
Chapter 1 Intro, just a bit of background & scene setting. 0% done.

Chapter 2 Dismantling, finished. 21 pages of text and annotated photos describing how to get the receiver back to a bare chassis. What size nut & bolt goes where, what undoes what etc.

Chapter 3 Refurbishing, about 80% done. Another 20+ pages of text, photos and diagrams showing what goes where, eg what is inside each IF transformer can, each part identified, location on the circuit diagram shown, board layouts and wiring etc. How to redo leaky capacitors etc etc.

Chapter 4 Rebuilding. About 10% done. How to put everything back together again, in the right order to avoid clashes (I hope, still rebuilding mine). Wiring diagrams and schedules (thanks to John for sending me original bench wiring diagrams, they have a few errors I have found). Diagrams will show how to build up the wiring, eg put in valve bases, then heater +, then earths, then IFT wiring etc in a step by step manner.

Chapter 5 Testing of the various stages as you rebuild - might merge in with Ch4, 0% done.

Chapter 6 Data. Valve types & pinouts. AVO Valve Tester settings for each valve. List of components by circuit number order and also value order, so you can quickly see how many 300pF capacitors you might need for example. Any other data I think of that might be helpful, eg design of suitable power supply. 60% done.

Hope that's of interest

cheers

Peter

[Enthusiast]

Peter, you are a Prince among 1155 restorers. Please continue the updates.


Have you any estimated date of completion for each chapter - and for the completed work? Also, how do you plan to publish the Guide?

There are many 1155-fans who will be counting the days....

Best wishes,

David

[pnh0001]

I have had a few queries as to when the R1155 guide to restoration might be ready and in what form.

I hope in about 2 months. I get about a day a week on it plus odd evening hours.

I am rebuilding my R1155B as I go along, if it all works first time then all is well, otherwise I will have to find where my instructions are wrong and correct them. First power to the IF & audio should be next week.

The thought at the moment is to produce a spiral bound A4 page size book, plus maybe coloured photos/diagrams on an accompanying CD.

Another update in 4 weeks or so.

Peter

[dave walsh]

If you get to the "advance orders" stage Peter Il confirm my interest [as per the previous thread]. Sounds like an excellent resource and worth having even without a set! Dave W

[bizmark98]

Peter brilliant news I will throw my hat in for a copy please. Ive got a set just waiting...

Maurice

[John H.]

Hi Peter,
Congratulations on your progress. I have looked out the servicing manual for the Marconi AD8882B which gives fault tracing detail, typical voltages, current & resistance tabulations and other data etc, in the various receiver stages, including DF.

It also gives the correct proceedures to be followed for IF/RF alignment and ganging. It has more detail than AP2548A in these areas.

PM if you would like to include any of this in your publication.
Regards, John.

[echelon]

This guide sounds very interesting- I look forward to it being published (well-done for pursuing it as a project!), and will apply it to my long-overdue 1155 rebuild.

I wonder if anyone can give me guidance as to the parentage of the external psu/speaker that I inherited along with my receiver? It looks very period for the RX (Jones connectors, crinkle finish, and AM-marked). I noted whilst reading back through the thread that there appears to have been an official ground-based config for the radio (something I had no awareness of previously, believing that all 1155s helped keep WOpAGs warm, up in Lancs and Mossies!). Was there actually a single 'pattern' issue psu/speaker, or were there as many varients as there were gnd installations?

Note: both my 1155, and the external psu/spkr have been *very* loosely stored, over the years (until I saved them), so it may be a more-serious slog to get them back on frequency than makes achievable sense...

echelon K

[Station X]

Some R1155s were installed in Air Sea Rescue Launches. Perhaps they had loudspeakers?

[M0XNA Neil]

I also have the RAF manual AP2548A (i.e. RAF Form 2190) for the T1154 & R1155 series which belonged to my father who was an RAF wireless operator during WWII. It covers all variants of receiver up to N. I vaguely remember my father mentioning some models were restricted for ground use due to corrosion problems.

[MichaelR]

Originally Posted by echelon

I wonder if anyone can give me guidance as to the parentage of the external psu/speaker that I inherited along with my receiver? It looks very period for the RX (Jones connectors, crinkle finish, and AM-marked). echelon K

Hi Echelon,

From my kowledge there were a number of ground power supplies some Rotary transformer based for use in vehicles or air/sea rescue.

There was one type 46 power supply unit which was transformer based for powering the R1155 and supplying low tension for the T1154. Another type 45 supply ( a beast of a thing) provided the very High tension supply for the T1154.

It is possible that ATC units were issued with R1155 units for training purposes and it may be possible that the Ministry produced a power supply and amplifier add on for them.

Is it possible you could provide a photo of the PSU/Amp and maybe even trace out the circuit.

Mike

[Brased]

So far as I'm aware ATC units were supplied with the T1154/R1155 combination along with Power Unit Type 114 in order to be able to take part in some sort of communications net. PU Type 114 consisted of the two units: Rectifiers Type 45 and 46. As Mike mentions, these are truly massive beasts weighing in at a total of 120lb. They are rated for use up to an ambient temperature of 50°C which explains the generous size of the transformers, etc. I have a set of these and am grateful to the friend who suggested mounting them on castors. They are in heavy steel cases painted with anti-gas paint. The instructions specifically state that the main unit should not be used for receiver supply only although the reason is not stated. It may be that the outputs would rise too much without the additional loading of the T1154. There is an exposed mains supply on a Jones plug to feed the transmitter HT unit but this could have been blanked off.

These are purely power supplies and merely replace the normal rotary converters so I assume that headphones were still used connected via the harness set. The phone connection was normally via the T1154 (same connector as the morse key).

There was also a Power Unit Type 115 which I have never seen. This was designed to provide 24V from a standard mains supply using a floating 24V 40AHr lead acid accumulator which it would maintain in a charged condition. The unit then supplied 24V to a pair of the standard rotary transformer units types 33 and 35 as used for airborne installations.

I assume that the main use of these units would be in maintenance workshops and in training schools.

Edward

[pnh0001]

R1155ers

Another update on the progress of the restoration book.

I have been stuck in the coil box for a couple of weeks (so to speak). This is the last thing to write up in Chapter 3, Refurbishing. It has been a major task, as I expected. It has taken me a while to find a reliable procedure for loosening the ferrite cores in the coils, now I can get them free fairly quickly. I have redrawn the circuit for the RF amp grid coils (wafers w and x) on a single sheet of A4 and checked it against as built. I have also drawn up the corresponding layout diagram, and added the wiring for each coil in turn. I have done this in layers to produce a wiring diagram for each coil L1 - L3 separately. This avoids a confusing mess if everything is on one sheet. I have had everything out of this part of the box, cleaned it, put it back and started, but not finished, rewiring.

Now I am working on the RF amp anode/mixer grid coils around wafer y. I have redrawn this circuit too, checked it against the wiring as built. I am now about half way through the wiring diagram for coils L7 - L12 in this area. As before, the wiring diagram has a layer for each coil.

Next will be the oscillator coils, not yet started. Completion of the coil box write up will complete Chapter 3.

I have started writing Ch 4, Rebuilding, as I rebuild my receiver. I have rebuilt all of V3 onwards. While doing this I have drawn up HT- and HT+ diagrams showing how the resistances to ground you measure are built up. I have checked my calculations against the rebuild and what is said in the manual and they are ok. The manual does not mention the effect of switching the BFO in and out, I do. I have applied power (from a lash up supply) and injected a 560kHz IF signal and everything works ok. I can switch on the BFO and hear a whistle in the phones. Realignment not attempted yet though. So I guess Ch 4 is about 50% done.

I have got a design for a decent psu done but not built.

I have started Ch 1 the General Intro and additional info, about 50% done.

I reckon it will still take another 2 months, I know I said that last time, but the amount of work is more than I thought.

cheers

Peter

[bizmark98]

An ATC squadron I was a member of as a civilian 'helper' in Sheffield had the full 1155/1154 kit in the very early 1970's.
I remember finding them in a cupboard together with a PSU,Amplifier and a load of cables. More importantly there was an instruction manual which I remember worked and when everything was connected the 1155 burst into life.
There was a 'wireless' badge to be gained by the cadets and the 1155/1154 setup was part of the instructional kit. Having got the kit working some of the cadets were trained to the syllabus and a number did pass the exam.

Maurice

[pnh0001]

R1155 restorers

I am on the home straight I hope. Now doing the final reassembly - putting the coil box in and documenting it. Chapters 2 & 3 of the 'how to' guide (Dismantling & Refurbishing) are complete. Ch 4 Rebuilding is about 80%. I hope to complete the book in another month, assuming successful operation of the rebuilt receiver.

If anyone is interested, I have set up a Twitter account (R1155), and I will put short more frequent updates there.

Peter

[pnh0001]

R1155 restorers

The 'how to' guide is just about done. Awaiting an ISBN number before it goes for printing. I also want to build and test the psu I have put in.

See r1155.blogspot.com for a Table of Contents.

My R1155 is now fully working on all bands.

cheers

Peter

[Enthusiast]

A fantastic achievement that will be welcomed by all R1155 fans. Well done!

David ("Enthusiast")

[bizmark98]

Excellent news Peter.

Maurice

[pnh0001]

R1155 restorers

My R1155 restoration book came back from the printers with 80% of the pages in the wrong order. They have promised to redo it correctly on Monday.

As soon as it is ready I will post details on the 'For Sale' part of the forum. Sorry for the wait, but I hope you will find it worth it.

On the bright side, I built a small loop antenna, plugged it in and tried out the DF side of my restored receiver. It works fine. Rotating the loop moves the needles around on the indicator and I can home in on the local airport beacons quite easily by getting the needles lined up on the centre line. Its interesting to see 1940s avionics come back to life. Thanks to John for providing me with a replacement L23 for my half dead one.

Peter

[M0FYA Andy]

Peter,

I am really looking forward to ordering the book, it should be very useful.

My pet theory is that the R1155 was never intended to be repaired, beyond simple things like changing valves. It is just so difficult to get at some of the parts. I have one which has had the left-hand and middle Jones connectors removed by a previous owner to make room for a headphone jack socket - I think there is no option but to remove the function switch to rewire replacements as the wires disappear through grommets underneath the switch. (The originals have been snipped-off flush with the grommets!) Would you agree?

Andy

[pnh0001]

R1155 Restorers

My restoration guide book is now in stock. Please see the For Sale section of this forum, and visit http://r1155.blogspot.com/.

I hope it's what people had in mind when this thread started.

cheers

Peter