Mystery Radio - ID please....

[Reelman]

I picked up this chassis at a boot sale about 35 years ago and have just rediscovered it in the garage. It is just as I bought it, I presume it was stripped from a quality pre-war* radiogram. 9 Valve lineup is:

TH4B
VP4B X 2
354V
Cossor?
PENA4 X 2
IW4/350
EM1?

I would like to get this going although unfortunately the ‘speaker (not a problem) and output transformer (big problem) are missing.

Should be good as RF stage, push-pull output and LW, MW & SW x 2

Does anyone recognise this set please? I can find no clue to the manufacturer even after looking at Radiomuseum’s “match via valve” lists.

The dial is marked “Money Hicks Ltd” which was incorporated March 1938 and dissolved September 2015.

Many thanks,

Peter
*Normandie on dial.

[ukcol]

I'm confident that is not a Murphy Peter.

It looks very much like the chassis used in the Truphonic MA7 which is an 8 valve set with push button motorised tuning but only a single ended output stage. Perhaps Truphonic produced a model that was very similar but had an extra PenA4 in a push-pull output stage?

The service data is on Paul's service data DVD and is also available to download from the banner at the top of this page.

[G6Tanuki]

"Money Hicks" were a jobbing specialist-printer who produced scaleplates for loads of different radio manufacturers in the 1930s through to the 1950s; finding their name on a scaleplate is about as helpful identifying the radio's actual maker as finding 'Plessey' on a capacitor...

That it has a RF stage doesn't necessarily mean it will be a good performer - specially on shortwave. It may only be there as a way to get two signal-frequency tuned-circuits (needed to get sensible image-rejection if the set has a low IF, many radios of that era had an IF in the 125-150KHz region so images became a major issue as the signal-frequency went above a few MHz!) and to mask the innate hissiness of first-generation frequency-changers.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by ukcol

It looks very much like the chassis used in the Truphonic MA7 which is an 8 valve set with push button motorised tuning but only a single ended output stage. Perhaps Truphonic produced a model that was very similar but had an extra PenA4 in a push-pull output stage?

There was indeed a Truphonic MA8RG, available with single play or automatic record decks at 32 and 39 guineas respectively. Valve complement:

VP4B
TH4B
VP4B
TDD4
2D4B
Two PenA4
IW4/350
TV4.

Only problem is, the press button tuning for both versions is said to have been motorised, and there don't seem to have been any Truphonics with non-motor driven press button tuning and as many valves.

Paul

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Peter, coil pack looks very HMV as does the button assembly.
I can probably find a suitable op trans for you.

Ed

[Reelman]

Thanks for all your suggestions, much appreciated.

On further examination the magic eye is proberly a TV4 rather than an EM? after looking at the NVM. Although the type is no longer visible on the valve it makes sense since the other valves are 4v heaters.

Unfortunately I can find no picture of the Truphonic MA8 but although the valve lineup looks good the lack of motor tuning seems to rule it out. Of the few pictures of Truphonic sets I have found there is nothing that even hints of a connection with mine.

The push button knobs look very similar to those on the later Bush DAC10. Any chance of it being a Bush do you think?

Thanks again for your thoughts and I’ll PM Ed regarding the output transformer.

Peter

[Edward Huggins]

There's something about this set (Mains TX shrouding?) that looks just slightly post war - 1946/47. Although it was a time of austerity, some "battleship" Radiograms were then being made viz Decca and RGD.

[electrogram]

I had a Barker radiogram with a similar looking chassis and valve line up but it didn't have pre-sets and had a straight line type of dial, I can't remember if it had a magic eye

[Silicon]

Can we have a photo of the underside of the chassis?

The component choice and layout might give us a clue.

[Reelman]

Sure, will try and do it tomorrow.

Peter

[val33vo]

You could try a 12volt mains transformer to act as a replacement for the missing o/p trannie , as far as I understand they do have differences but I suspect not that much

[Herald1360]

If it's push pull, you'll need a mains transformer with a split primary (0-120 0-120). It'll work OK though the fi may be a bit lo compared to a decent OP TX.

PEN A4s weren't usually used in P-P but assuming class A as per SE data, you'll need about 16K a-a load. For a 240V primary and a 3ohm speaker, ideal secondary volts is about 3.3V. Not so easy off the shelf, but 6V would work as a start.

Something like this, perhaps: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/chass...rmers/0504278/

If you have one. an HT/LT TX with a centre tapped HT secondary could be tried- play around with the heater windings for best results! BTDT in my yoof..... two EL37s, 400-0-400 TX- loads-a-noise

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by Reelman

Any chance of it being a Bush do you think?

I thought 'Bush' when I saw your initial post — the transformer cover reminded me of the SW45 and the valve types suggested Bush. I thought it might be a chassis out of that huge, push-button console they made, the SUG55, but that had eight valves.

That dial looks distinctly un-Bush, though. Maybe Ed's suggestion of HMV is worth following up, next…

[PJL]

Not sure it's HMV or Marconi. The 800 and 650 both have separate chassis for the amp. I have a chassis for a 580 which is a combined chassis but uses AC044's.

Push button tuning was fashionable from about 1937 onwards but by then the PENA4 would have been an odd choice. Did Tannoy do a large radiogram?

[Paul_RK]

I don't know that the PenA4 was becoming dated by the late '30s. The Truphonic MA8RG was an August '38 release, Philips had new models using push-pull PenA4s in 1937 and '38, and there was one from Milnes in '37 too.

The Trader's "Receiver Specifications and Prices 1935-40" covers the major manufacturers and quite a few fairly obscure ones, and doesn't include anything that this might have been: I think we're looking for a very minor player in the industry, and, unusually, quite an ambitious one in terms of chassis design. I'd be tempted to rule out HMV/Marconi from the tuning dial design alone, there was something of a "house style" which this just doesn't resemble.

Paul

[Reelman]

Thanks again for all the suggestions, hopefully we will get there!
As requested here are two pictures of the underneath, please ignore the bits of blue polystyrene packing that over the years have become stuck to it.

Peter

[Cobaltblue]

Yes possibly one of smaller players the one that keeps popping into my head is McCarthy Radio.

I am sure I had or have a set with (chassis only) with a similar dial but no push buttons or Magic eye .

McCarthy Radio were certainly active at the right time, but as far as I recall didn't sell complete sets just chassis to be incorporated into other people's cabinets.

Cheers Mike T

[rontech]

Mike T My father had a dozen or so copies of Wireless World from the 1934 - 1940 period.

I ( foolishly! ) disposed of them about 12 years back, but I distinctly remember seeing adverts for McCarthy radio chassis units in the rear portion of those magazines.

[Reelman]

I should also point out that judging by the heat marks on the chassis this set was installed vertically, ie the dial was horizontal.

Having a look through WWs from the 40s for a McCarthy....

Peter

[Cobaltblue]

Despite my earlier enthusiasm I am less confident now.

I have located my McCarthy service data.

I have originals for the following:

P.P.8.A.W.
B.S.4.
R.F.6.A.W.
B.S.6.A.W.
P.P.9.A.W.
B.P.4.
S.6.A.W.
S.5.A.W.
R.G.S.6.
R.F.7.A.W.

However none is a close match.

However the valve line up is similar on many.

Cheers

Mike T

All are Chassis not complete receivers