Vintage Philips Prestige radio

[a.kr.sriv]

Hi friends,
I have old vintage Philips prestige valve radio, but the reception is not that clear. Can you all guide me as to how to improve the reception. Also if I use antenna, then which kind of antenna would that be ( I remember, when I was a kid, my big brother used to connect some kind of copper mesh to our old valve radio, which finally got damaged and thrown and all that) .
I don't know the name of antenna and where would I find it...
Regards
Srivastava..

 

[reubensm]

Regarding reception, the valves would probably need replacement by now as your radio is apparently very old. Reception would better if the valves of the RF section are replaced. Also you can fine tune the trimmers. IFs are better tuned using a signal generator. As you have rightly mentioned, valve radio reception is highly dependent on the aerial (antenna) and earthing. The mesh aerial you are referring to, is an indoor antenna which was available for use with valve radios in the olden days. People would normally have these hung close to the roof of the living room, in the loft or perhaps, under the sunshade, outdoors. A simple external long-wire antenna would be good enough, however please note that the airwaves of then and now are extremely different. These days we have so many RF transmissions around, mobile towers and what not. Also, a lot of the Short Wave stations of old, have disappeared from the airwaves as not too many people listen to shortwave radio these days.

 

[miroflex]

Hi friends,
I have old vintage Philips prestige valve radio, but the reception is not that clear. Can you all guide me as to how to improve the reception. Also if I use antenna, then which kind of antenna would that be ( I remember, when I was a kid, my big brother used to connect some kind of copper mesh to our old valve radio, which finally got damaged and thrown and all that) .
I don't know the name of antenna and where would I find it...
Regards
Srivastava..

Hi A K Srivastava,

The copper mesh antennas or antennae were not very efficient.


You can use ordinary insulated copper for an aerial antenna which if placed outdoors will be more efficient than an indoor copper mesh antenna. Ideally the length of the wire should be the same as the wavelength being tuned or half or quarter of that.

If you are tuning a station on the 16 metre wavelength, you should ideally use a wire of 16 metres or 8 metres or 4 metres length. In practice a fairly long length of wire will serve the purpose.

You can further improve the reception by connecting the Earth terminal of the radio to a length of pipe buried in the earth or to the domestic water supply pipe (which passes through the ground and serves as an earthed pipe).

All the best.

 

[aks07]

Dear Shri Srivastava

Poor reception across the band? Did you try MW in night. As for SW it is best at bands such as 31m, 49m, 41m at night and 25m, 19m, 16m during the day time.

What reubensm ji has mentioned about the antenna is correct but dont yet start fiddling with the trimmers and IFT. They are last to be touched and only if you know know what you are doing. Also, I will leave the valves for the moment as they usually dont wear out so fast. They operate under very benign condition. Secondly, the ECL82 output valve will be very hard to find in India today. RF section valves are still available cheaply.

First try to give a good clean. Use the blower function of a vacuum cleaner to force out dirt etc from the tuning gang. It is that industrial looking thing which rotates as you work the tuning knob. Be careful about high voltages inside the radio.

Domestic Valve radio are usually less sensitive than modern day solid state portable radios. They need a substantial antenna and a good earth to pull in signals. They are also less susceptible to modern day RFI noise so your overall listening experience is better.

Philips Prestige is very simple but sweet sounding radio. I use my '71 model everyday to catch Vividh Bharati transmitting from Banglore at 9870 kHz

Let us know if things improve after the cleaning and lubrication of the innards. We can go to next step if that doesnt help. And dont forget the antenna atleast 30 feet of a simple longwire strung about 20feet above ground should be sufficient to start with.

Dont worry there is still plenty to hear on the airwaves so it is worth while to resurrect your radio.

Warm regards
aks

PS: Those wire mesh antennas were such a scam! :lol:

 

[a.kr.sriv]

Dear Shri Srivastava

Poor reception across the band? Did you try MW in night. As for SW it is best at bands such as 31m, 49m, 41m at night and 25m, 19m, 16m during the day time.

What reubensm ji has mentioned about the antenna is correct but dont yet start fiddling with the trimmers and IFT. They are last to be touched and only if you know know what you are doing. Also, I will leave the valves for the moment as they usually dont wear out so fast. They operate under very benign condition. Secondly, the ECL82 output valve will be very hard to find in India today. RF section valves are still available cheaply.

First try to give a good clean. Use the blower function of a vacuum cleaner to force out dirt etc from the tuning gang. It is that industrial looking thing which rotates as you work the tuning knob. Be careful about high voltages inside the radio.

Domestic Valve radio are usually less sensitive than modern day solid state portable radios. They need a substantial antenna and a good earth to pull in signals. They are also less susceptible to modern day RFI noise so your overall listening experience is better.

Philips Prestige is very simple but sweet sounding radio. I use my '71 model everyday to catch Vividh Bharati transmitting from Banglore at 9870 kHz

Let us know if things improve after the cleaning and lubrication of the innards. We can go to next step if that doesnt help. And dont forget the antenna atleast 30 feet of a simple longwire strung about 20feet above ground should be sufficient to start with.

Dont worry there is still plenty to hear on the airwaves so it is worth while to resurrect your radio.

Warm regards
aks

PS: Those wire mesh antennas were such a scam! :lol:

The band selector is giving me some trouble. Also the gang and the indicator in the front are not aligned properly (I think)..
Well let me give it a good blowing(by vacuum cleaner) and that antenna... Ad then will report..
Thanks for guidance, will revert back...
Srivastava

 

[a.kr.sriv]

Hi friends, can I get philips prestige radio's circuit diagram from anywhere?
I was thinking of resoldering it, and maybe replace some capacitors, as whole mw band and sw3 band is humming like anything... sw2 and 1, the humming is negligible.
Regards...

 

[aks07]

Dear Shri Srivastava

Kindly PM me your email ID. I will send you the complete Service Manual which includes Circuit diagram, component layout, wiring diagram, tuning data; everything that is needed to service your Prestige Radio. I live near you anyways.

Humming is a sure sign of reservoir condenser going dry. Buzzing hum (which increases with volume) can be anything from bad components to interference. Ideally your Philips Prestige radio should be dead silent when not tuned to any frequency. Servicing will restore it to that state.

Warm regards

 

[star]

Dear aks07

I have a Philips Prestige 4 band radio having poor reception & humming sound in SW 3. If you don't mind can you forwd the Service manual to me also. My e mail id is
[email protected].

Thanks

 

[aks07]

Dear aks07

I have a Philips Prestige 4 band radio having poor reception & humming sound in SW 3. If you don't mind can you forwd the Service manual to me also. My e mail id is
[email protected].

Thanks

Dear Sir
Sent the manual as asked.
Warm regards
aks

 

[star]

Dear AKS,

Thank you very much for this help.

Hi friends, can any one guide me how to avoid or reduce the humming sound caused by the disturbance from CFL & electronic chocke?

Rgds
Star

 

[reubensm]

Dear AKS,

Thank you very much for this help.

Hi friends, can any one guide me how to avoid or reduce the humming sound caused by the disturbance from CFL & electronic chocke?

Rgds
Star

Simple tips:

1) ensure that you have good earthing connected to the radio (dont use the electrical earthing of your home's electrical wiring, make separate earthing for your radio

2) ensure that your aerial wiring does not pass near any electrical wiring, do not keep your CD player/DVD player near the radio, keep the radio away from electrical appliances like lighting, fans, etc

3) you radio would be connected to an AC mains plug point. This plug point may be connected to the grid in the room to which tubes/CFLs may also be connected, ensure that you use incandecent lighting in the room where the radio is used

4) set up your radio in your basement or in the stair-case tower, with a long mains cable running to your home's electrical circuit

lastely 5) if nothing works, just switch to incandecent lighting at home

 

[helion]

Hi friends, can I get philips prestige radio's circuit diagram from anywhere?
I was thinking of resoldering it, and maybe replace some capacitors, as whole mw band and sw3 band is humming like anything... sw2 and 1, the humming is negligible.
Regards...

Dear Shri Srivastava

Kindly PM me your email ID. I will send you the complete Service Manual which includes Circuit diagram, component layout, wiring diagram, tuning data; everything that is needed to service your Prestige Radio. I live near you anyways.

Humming is a sure sign of reservoir condenser going dry. Buzzing hum (which increases with volume) can be anything from bad components to interference. Ideally your Philips Prestige radio should be dead silent when not tuned to any frequency. Servicing will restore it to that state.

Warm regards

I opened my dad's Philips Prestige 556 - Type: 15 RB 556/00S 10W a couple of hours ago, and found that some repair guy bypassed most of the actual hardware and installed a newer solid state radio inside the box. The actual oval shaped speaker was also replaced !! I would be much helped by a copy of service manual as well, if you would please.

About resoldering caps... I don't imagine those eclairs shaped caps being availabe anywhere these days - modern day ones have to be used.

From the appearance of the board which is 80mm x 130mm, it was made by hand in Nehruvian India, using excessive dabs of solder over the copper tracks. There's not even a solder-safe applied over the tracks.

 

[anoop mayickal]

Dear Shri Srivastava

Kindly PM me your email ID. I will send you the complete Service Manual which includes Circuit diagram, component layout, wiring diagram, tuning data; everything that is needed to service your Prestige Radio. I live near you anyways.

Humming is a sure sign of reservoir condenser going dry. Buzzing hum (which increases with volume) can be anything from bad components to interference. Ideally your Philips Prestige radio should be dead silent when not tuned to any frequency. Servicing will restore it to that state.

Warm regards

Sir

Will you please share that service manual to me.

Thank you


anoop

 

[shankar bhandarkar]

Dear Sir,
These are vintage Equipment, these need Careful handling, On the site of Ham Radios You may find people who solve excatly similar issues, I wanted a Antenna to receive MW broadcast and i have ordered a antenna from Palghat, from a Ham Master antenna Maker
there are people in Banglore who restore the Lovely equipments best of luck
regards Bhandarkar

 

[Arunkumar36]

Dear Shri Srivastava

Kindly PM me your email ID. I will send you the complete Service Manual which includes Circuit diagram, component layout, wiring diagram, tuning data; everything that is needed to service your Prestige Radio. I live near you anyways.

Humming is a sure sign of reservoir condenser going dry. Buzzing hum (which increases with volume) can be anything from bad components to interference. Ideally your Philips Prestige radio should be dead silent when not tuned to any frequency. Servicing will restore it to that state.

Warm regards

[email protected]

 

[Arunkumar36]

Hi friends, can I get philips prestige radio's circuit diagram from anywhere?
I was thinking of resoldering it, and maybe replace some capacitors, as whole mw band and sw3 band is humming like anything... sw2 and 1, the humming is negligible.
Regards..
[email protected]

 

[star]

Is there any service technician available in Kollam, Kerala to repair a Philips Prestige radio.

 

[anoop mayickal]

Dear Sir
Sent the manual as asked.
Warm regards
aks

Sir, please share the service manual to me.

 

[subramonian namboothiri]

WELCOME all loving friends. I regret on two issues 1.-I sold my Philips MINOR some Years ago , 2. I missed this forum in the long past being as and electronic enthusiast , with out hearing lovely and age old loving friends and guiders like the one engineer from COSMIC. I received from a best friend of me a PHILIPS -PRESTIGE OF 1971 . It is in a worst condition , I am in urgent need the service manual ; as the radio needs complete restoration . Can any one help me in the venture.

 

[shafic]

I have a Philips valve radio with piano buttons. It was removed from a console. No wooden body. Lying unused. No time for restoration.
If anyone interested PM me for further details and pics.
Regards.