Coastal Radio SH6 R/T any info?

[AndyWright]

Hello

I have a coastal radio type SH6 R/T undergoing restoration. Does anyone have any circuit/alignment info? I have recapped as they were all U/S, and changed any out of spec resistors, but its still a bit on the deaf side.

Google searches have drawn a blank. As can be seen from the photos its a 6 octal valve job requiring external power supply.

Cheers

Andy G4OJY

[G3VKM_Roger]

Hi Andy,

I've been searching for several months for info on the SH6 RX and the Seafarer 91/MX transmitter/receiver, also made by Coastal. I've found out a bit about the company history and its products but drawn a complete blank on this forum and others with regard to technical info. As Coastal were taken over by Marconi in 1956 I have tried the Marconi Collection at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, but no joy there.

If you do find any info I'd be grateful of a cct, etc. Like you, I've swapped nearly all the caps and a lot of resistors and the SH6 is working. It seems quite sensitive on a short length of hook-up wire. The Seafarer RX has had similar component changes but the TX is working without any major work. The remaining work on the SH6 is repainting the case and front panel.

73

Roger/G3VKM

[AndyWright]

Hi Roger

I've drawn a total blank on any circuit info. If I find anything I'll let you know.

Andy

[G3VKM_Roger]

OK Andy, will reciprocate!

73

Roger

[AndyWright]

A quick question Roger. What HT voltage are you using on the set?

Andy

[G3VKM_Roger]

About 180V, Andy.

[G3VKM_Roger]

I am still looking for info on the Coastal Radio marine band sets as mentioned in previous posts, any help much appreciated.

73

Roger

[David Simpson]

Roger, Andy, unless the Moderators have removed the Threads, "Search" should reveal heaps of my past thread posts on Coastal Radio. More particularly on the NIMBUS & CURLEW Tx/Rx's.
Right enough, CR's marine AM HF radiotelephones were run off a vessel's 24V supply. HT was sourced from rotary PSU's, and my Nimbus Tx for example needs 500V.
Have a good shufti for my past CR(of Edinburgh & Poole) info, and meantime I'll look out my heap of documentation.
Coastal Radio was absorbed into the Marconi empire, and I heard anecdotal info that when they went bust(was it 1993 ?), Chelmsford had a big bonfire in a skip, & by then CR's records were just held in a dusty office's filing cabinet, so they were burnt !

Regards, David

[G3VKM_Roger]

Hi David,

I think all the Coastal Radio threads are still on the site but in some cases may be a closed topic. I think the equipment made after Marconi took over (1956?) is probably better documented but info on the older Coastal sets like my 91/MX and the SH6 seems to be non-existent apart from the brochures that the Museum of Power have.

I contacted the Bodleian Library, who hold the Marconi Collection but all they had was the company seal of Coastal Radio (Developments) Ltd. Of course there may be a stash of manuals somewhere, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I spotted a Type 116 R/T "Landlink" on the dk.mods site, looked very similar to my Seafarer 91/MX but no info about it that I could find.

73

Roger

[David Simpson]

Right enough Roger, the threads are still viewable, but closed. Like yourself, I made exhaustive enquiries about CR documentation. CR originally held the RNLI contract for R/T's, and I contacted their HQ in Poole but no luck. Woodsons of Aberdeen later acquired the RNLI contract. I also spoke with a local retired Marconi engineer & he vaguely remembers CR equipment. But, both Woodsons & Marconi depots up here had major clear-outs about 12 - 15 years ago. Everything skipped.
I did manage to contact the original CR Curlew R/T(late 50's) design engineer & obtain circuit diagram copies, but that was it.
I was never able to acquire a CR/Marconi Rotary PSU, but converted a Sailor T122 Tx's solid state PSU to power my Nimbus Tx, and an ex RAF ARC52/PTR175 rotary PSU to power my Curlew Rig(now being worked out of Wick by a Caithness ARS HF enthusiast on 80m).
Maybe CR used their same Rotary PSU's for the SH6 & 91/MX Rigs, for the Curlew. I can look out the diagram for that if you like, perhaps the Jones Plug connections are compatible.

Regards, David

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by David Simpson

Right enough Roger, the threads are still viewable, but closed.

Threads autoclose when dormant, and become archived. They can be reopened on request either to add relevant information or to continue the discussion.

[Silicon]

In what year was the Coastal radio Ltd SH6 manufactured?

It has some visual similarities with the Marconi TV5 transmitter/receiver supplied to ships and the Railway during the war.

[G3VKM_Roger]

We think early 1950s, in the case of my receiver there are some electrolytic caps marked 1952. Yes, it does look similar to the TV-5, same removable lettering on engraved paxolin or similar material and the TX front panel is also similar.

Cheers

Roger