Tube/Valve Radio show off thread

[manojrc]

Show us what you got

Moderator, i couldn't find a similar thread. If there any exist, please merge it with the existing thread or move it to the right forum. Thanks.

Here's mine. Saba Wildbad 100. Fully restored, imported from Germany..

http://youtu.be/8o2UW3dysEg


http://youtu.be/YwagAAKXg3o


http://youtu.be/ou3PR4AaZXg

 

[pksnathan]

Looks neat and impressive.Does it have FM band?How about the availability of spares?

Regards,

pksnathan

 

[reubensm]

what a lovely radio!! unfortunately gone are those glory days

Can only look at these pictures these days, and enjoy. I fondly recall my childhood when we used to sit around the radio and listen to Radio Ceylon, admiring the lit-up dial

 

[manojrc]

Looks neat and impressive.Does it have FM band?How about the availability of spares?

Regards,

pksnathan

Thanks..Yes,it has a nice FM band. In fact this is my work horse hyeah:

 

[manojrc]

 

[sgautam]

Hi, thanks for uploading the pics, we all are radio buffs and my father will be happy to see a working tube radio, its brilliant, nice to know that u use it daily.

 

[manojrc]

Imperial Maruf J 506 W-Stereo German Tube Radio. Total 5 speakers

The speaker placement is unique & interesting.

Power : 15 Watt. Here's the video, I shot.

 

[jsbhavsar]

National Ekco 8 band valve radio, model A731 from 1960, India
I bought this beauty in Mumbai chor bazaar area in year 2001. Replaced the power cord, volume control ON OFF switch and the EZ80 rectifier with EZ81.

Excellent SW reception in the 56th year of this radio with a long wire aerial on building roof. MSW 49m onwards, the reception quality is quite weak and disturbing. MW is unheard or it got misaligned during an attempt to insert a ferrite rod aerial in the circuit.
The set comes with a tuned RF stage and no ferrite rod aerial. There are 'coil packs' for the tuned circuits and aerial circuit.

 

[reubensm]

National Ekco 8 band valve radio, model A731 from 1960, India
I bought this beauty in Mumbai chor bazaar area in year 2001. Replaced the power cord, volume control ON OFF switch and the EZ80 rectifier with EZ81.

Excellent SW reception in the 56th year of this radio with a long wire aerial on building roof. MSW 49m onwards, the reception quality is quite weak and disturbing. MW is unheard or it got misaligned during an attempt to insert a ferrite rod aerial in the circuit.
The set comes with a tuned RF stage and no ferrite rod aerial. There are 'coil packs' for the tuned circuits and aerial circuit.

What a unique idea for the dial lamp. Is that OEM or was that an innovative idea, just like the ferrite rod exploration?

This is the first time I've seen a "zero-watt" bulb (assuming as it looks like one) used as a dial lamp.

 

[jsbhavsar]

The radio when I bought it in 2001 came with that bulb. If I am not wrong, that bulb of 2001 is still going on. Or maybe I replaced one.

I believe that this radio originally had other tiny dial lamps but as those became absolete, a mechanic in Mumbai (then Bombay) might have done this trick of pulling 230V AC from power transformer and assembling a holder for a bulb.
My Dad used to have a big trouble for his Philips 15RB487 Bakelite valve radio as due to variations in power, the bulb inside would short quite often and we had difficulty in getting the bulb. Replacing it was another big challenge.

These days I am still struggling to find a seller who will sell the Eagle brand copper mesh aerial. Yet to find anyone in Mumbai.