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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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20th Nov 2018, 8:15 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
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"Demon" transistor radio
This radio was bought untested from the Internet. It was a little grubby but complete with it's leather shoulder strap. I was pleased to find it working, in a fashion, once a 9v battery had been connected. Stations could be tuned in at low volume on LW, but MW reception was non existent. Closer inspection revealed that the ferrite rod aerial was cracked in the middle and the MW winding was open circuit where the rod had contacted a metal support on the chassis. After removing the ferrite rod assembly, I was able to glue it together again and repair the damaged winding without losing any turns.
After reassembly, both wavebands worked but volume was still low. There was a dramatic increase in sound level when I touched one end of the ferrite rod and careful adjustment of the two aerial trimmers restored normal operation on both wavebands. I don't know if the radio was damaged in the post or was like that already. As others have reported on this forum, the sound from this model, although loud and clear, is a little thin and lacking in bass. I may investigate this later and see if an improvement can be made. The picture shows the radio after it had a light clean up and a little dark furniture polish applied to restore some of the faded colour (tan though it looks dark red in the photo).
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Regards Martin |
20th Nov 2018, 8:38 pm | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,724
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Good job Martin, nice to see another Eveready set preserved and working. However seems strange but every one of these I’ve seen over the years has a “saggy” speaker cloth showing the outline of the speaker. Can’t think of another set with this “feature”.
Peter |
20th Nov 2018, 9:00 pm | #3 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Thanks Peter, I didn't notice the saggy speaker cloth but I see what you mean now. I was going to ask in my first post if anyone thought it was worth changing the Plessey electrolytics. Are they troublesome in old age?
Regards Martin |
20th Nov 2018, 9:40 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,577
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Generally those red/black/yellow Plessy caps are well past their best by now and regarded as change on sight (bit like Hunts waxies). As an example I am currently restoring a Bush TR82 from 1963. The Plessey caps in that were all poor (an ESR meter confirmed it). One was almost O/C, the others were in varying degrees of low capacitance/leaky/high ESR. Changing them produced a marked improvement.
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There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman..... Last edited by Sideband; 20th Nov 2018 at 9:48 pm. |
20th Nov 2018, 9:58 pm | #5 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dukinfield, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 2,038
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
I've got one just like that but it's a 'Skymaster'. It works but it's a bit rough and I haven't got a 'round tuit' yet. It's been on the shelf for years but as it's a bit of a wreck I keep putting it off!
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Andy G1HBE. |
20th Nov 2018, 10:19 pm | #6 |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
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20th Nov 2018, 10:28 pm | #7 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 4,259
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Quote:
Demons usually appear in a different cabinet that's never used for Sky Leaders - https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/berec_demon.html - but this form isn't especially scarce. Paul |
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20th Nov 2018, 11:11 pm | #8 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Basildon, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,100
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
It shouldn't sound "thin", my Sky Leader sounds just about right. Maybe there is one or more electrolytic capacitors which need changing, as suggested by Sideband.
These early pre AF11x transistor radios are normally very reliable and normally work first time, however they can tend to be a bit weak if they have not been used for some years, but they can sometimes improve after an hour of use as the electrolytic capacitors reform. Mike |
22nd Nov 2018, 5:00 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
I recently acquired an Ever-Ready Sky Leader, haven't looked at it yet.
Unlike the Berec Demon, the subject of this topic, my set has a hand wired chassis. Perhaps it's an early production version? DFWB. |
22nd Nov 2018, 5:35 pm | #10 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 4,259
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Quote:
Paul |
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22nd Nov 2018, 11:04 pm | #11 | |
Hexode
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK.
Posts: 373
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Quote:
Regards Martin |
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23rd Nov 2018, 1:11 am | #12 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,642
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Re: "Demon" transistor radio
Interesting that radios from an ostensibly export brand appear in such numbers here.
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