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Old 19th Jul 2022, 4:53 pm   #21
kan_turk
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Default Re: Odd sets?

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Originally Posted by Samba1360 View Post
I seem to remember that the aerial on the Rigonda handle wasn't connected to anything?
The telescopic aerial was used on the standard European VHF model and was connected to the input of the VHF tuner. On the GB variant the VHF tuner was replaced by a UHF tuner fed from a loop aerial - the telescopic aerial was left in place but unconnected - on some variants the telescopic aerial was used as a ‘mast’ for the loop aerial which clipped on by means of a plastic clip
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Old 20th Jul 2022, 12:48 pm   #22
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Default Re: Odd sets?

For anyone interested: Hugh Allison G3XSE wrote about Rigonda TVs in Amateur Radio.

Some notes on p48, November 1983

More on p51, July 1987

gallowfields:

What sort of margin did you achieve with the Russian products? How did it compare with the approximate equivalents from the Far East?
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Old 21st Jul 2022, 10:15 am   #23
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Default Re: Odd sets?

I think it was in the '50s or early '60s that we saw the Rigonda portables and they were in a red metal case then.

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Old 21st Jul 2022, 1:42 pm   #24
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Default Re: Odd sets?

Used to have one of those, used it for DX TV reception when I lived near to Wrotham, sensitive little set, regularly copied various EU TV stations on it and with an Band 1 to UHF converter lots of Sporadic E stuff.
Wonder what happened to it?
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Old 22nd Jul 2022, 11:38 am   #25
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We used to live near Wrotham, Platt, Borough Green. We were only at 400' but could pick up 405 TV from all almost all over the country.

Never actually saw one of those sets working but I think we must have had one in for repair.

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Old 24th Jul 2022, 8:14 am   #26
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Default Re: Odd sets?

I think I recall they were also sold by the now defunct, F W Woolworths.
I did repair one or two, and LOPT failure rings a bell.
But I am certain I got a replacement LOPT from a company called Scientific and Technical, possible located in Stamford Hill N London, who may well have been part of Z&I Aeroservices who as we know imported valves from the former USSR.

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Old 24th Jul 2022, 8:28 am   #27
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Default Re: Odd sets?

I also remember F W Woolworths retailing a larger Eastern Block Mono TV, possibly 10 inch or so, I don't recall a name on it but I believe they were made in Poland and they gave the appearance someone had made it from bits in the garden shed.

They were quite unreliable, dry joints and poor soldering, and I think I recall some of the internal wiring did not have plastic insulation, but was dcc (double cotton covered)

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Old 24th Jul 2022, 10:36 am   #28
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Default Re: Odd sets?

Woolworths sold a range of Regonda products, there was a larger screen portable, 12" I think called the "starlet". I saw a few of those, also the motor tuned radiogram. They sold lots of obscure makes, probably bought in batches as they would sell something for a while and then never any more. Wye portables and audio. Fidelity UA range (the one that blew the output chips if the customer ran it with the speakers disconnected) later on Iskra portables. Virtually no service info or spares were available. I do remember getting some LOPTs for the Regonda sets though all wrapped in brown greaseproof paper!
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Old 25th Jul 2022, 4:21 am   #29
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That's right, the Starlet name rings a bell and the LOPT`s for the Rigonda wrapped in brown paper and poor quality cardboard.
I am sure Woolworths also did a small Rigonda record player But I never saw one in anger, just the Fidelitys.
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Old 25th Jul 2022, 8:20 am   #30
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Default Re: Odd sets?

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I am sure Woolworths also did a small Rigonda record player But I never saw one in anger, just the Fidelitys.
Ken, G6HZG.
They did and I bought one - the Party Time, £15 for the mono version or £25 for the stereo one I couldn't afford. Nice high gloss cabinet and Perspex cover for the main unit, and an 8" speaker in a veneered cabinet of its own with moulded grey plastic front.

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Old 26th Jul 2022, 10:09 am   #31
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

I was bought a Fidelity Stereo 9 which was the blue vinyl version of the UA4, & yes I managed to blow an output chip, (Possibly an SN76013ND from memory). The amp wasn’t too bad when used with a line in, it was just let down by the truly awful BSR ceramic, all heavily distorted mid range as normal. I could never understand why they fitted them when it was perfectly possible to make reasonably decent high output ceramics.
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Old 26th Jul 2022, 11:04 am   #32
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

There was also the Iskra mono portable. These sold quite well, probably Woolworth's again.
They were in a white or black cabinet with the buttons on the top - the on/off switch was combined with the tuning bank. I think they were Polish and had a large fold-down chassis. Power supply issues were common as were dry joints, but tuner or button problems would see them off as parts were unavailable.

The other odd Eastern European manufacturer that comes to mind was Unitra-Zatra. They made what I think was the last large-screen mono TV sold in the UK in the late Eighties - and it had valves! The tube was an A51-120, but any resemblance to the Mullard was soon forgotten when you saw the picture! Yes, blotting paper is a good description.

Russian radios were pretty good - I had a VEF204 with the mains adaptor in a cardboard box (!) and later a larger version with FM, twin speakers and excellent sound. Both had TV-style turret tuners for the wavechange - clonk!
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Old 26th Jul 2022, 12:30 pm   #33
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

I remember seeing the Iskra monochrome portable TVs on sale in Woolworths in the early 1980s. They were made in Slovenia (former Yugoslavia) not Poland. Some are labelled Dwektronix instead of Iskra. Perhaps that was the name of the importer?

The most common model was called "classic". It had a 12" screen and controls along the top. The design looked a bit like the Indesit portables from the 70s. I have the 17" model called "galaxy". This has a more traditional appearance with the loudspeaker, power and channel buttons on the front. The power switch looks like one of the channel change buttons. Unusually for a 17-inch set, the Iskra / Dwektronix galaxy TV can operate from 12 volt DC car battery as well as AC mains.

Service data for both is available: https://www.service-data.com/section...9/1/dwektronix

Iskra are still in business but no longer make domestic television sets. https://www.iskra.eu

The Unitra monochrome portable from Poland was sold by Rumbelows (branded Osaki) as late as 1990. Also badged as Bush. The inside surface of the CRT had a distinctive coarse appearance which as you say, looked like blotting paper.

There were a few other odd imported TVs that I can think of. Videoton from Hungary, CiHAN from Turkey as well as a flood of Far-Eastern monochrome portables.

Last edited by hamid_1; 26th Jul 2022 at 12:38 pm. Reason: Added link to Iskra.eu
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Old 26th Jul 2022, 5:31 pm   #34
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

1973 was the year of those red metal sets, I bought one for the boat back then. £40 comes to mind and I had it on HP. Still got one sat in the garage in its box. 5" screen I think.
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Old 26th Jul 2022, 9:53 pm   #35
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

Hi
The Rigonda VL100 was made by the Mezon works in Leningrad (St Petersburg) I have 4 of the Bimex 1000 also known as Electronics VA100 in Russia. They hail from the early 70s and are 625 line only, no 405 line option was ever made. When working well they are pretty decent performers, LOPT failure is common as is the EHT rectifier. The ones I have are from Poland and the USSR with a turret VHF tuner. The later Starlet was a bit bigger and allegedly more up to date and better LOPTs.
Both interesting sets and very cheap in the UK.
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Old 26th Jul 2022, 10:42 pm   #36
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

Around 20 years ago Woolworths were selling those 5" monochrome sets for £20.

The sets by the oddly named Cap10 has been mentioned a few times in threads.
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Old 27th Jul 2022, 9:14 am   #37
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

Hi.
Cap 10 were imported by Clydesdale, a neat mono set with rotary tuner and 20 inch CRT. I worked with Clydesdale and the import was done in Basingstoke.
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Old 27th Jul 2022, 2:53 pm   #38
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

Wasn't the CAP10 17" or 19"? I think they were identical to the Plustrons, with the nameplate where the VHF tuner would have been.
The shop I worked for sold a few. They gave little trouble, just routine stuff.
A very posh elderly lady had one because she told me they were the only TVs made in England! John would tell anyone anything to get a sale...I didn't disillusion her.
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Old 27th Jul 2022, 10:06 pm   #39
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

I heard Asda sold CAP10s a similar set, back when it was rare for Supermarkets to sell black goods.
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Old 28th Jul 2022, 9:25 am   #40
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Default Re: Odd sets? Rigonda etc.

Another odd set, though not from Europe was the Waltham colour set in a metal woodgrain cabinet! Very odd - and, yes, the cabinet was earthed. I think it was 19", possibly Orion chassis and the few I saw were not too complicated - mains switch, filter caps and frame faults spring to mind. Quite American looking - possibly a 'catalogue set' when these things existed, mid-Eighties perhaps.
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