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 Cambron Radio?
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 31 · Written at 1:07:58 AM on 28 May 2016.
JamieLee's Gravatar
 Location: Clare, SA
 Member since 27 March 2016
 Member #: 1894
 Postcount: 510

Well in any case my decision now, as I bought it mainly for my mum, to listen to 5RM, not "Radio Luxembourg" is whether or not to worry too much about the short wave or not, but my heart is telling me to restore it properly to replace the AK2 and make the appropriate changes, which is basically why I'm here, because I'm not pragmatic in the sense that my idea and passion for restoration is "originality" not compromise, and although a novice, I'd prefer to nut it out and get it functioning as it was originally designed! Cheers.

Thank you very much for your input, it is much appreciated and I'm listening intently with much interest.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 32 · Written at 8:32:46 AM on 28 May 2016.
MonochromeTV's avatar
 Location: Melbourne, VIC
 Member since 20 September 2011
 Member #: 1009
 Postcount: 1182

Two questions.

Is there any evidence that the power transformer has been changed at some stage?

Or has the P-base socket heater leads been rewired to the 6.3 volt tap on the power transformer?

I'm still running with the idea that this could be a bitza Breville chassis made for the generic home brand models. Maybe using up no longer needed stock from previous seasons models. The chassis is deep like a Breville & it has the same style valve layout label as a Breville too.

Here is a list of all the radio models with short-wave from the AORSM volume 2 (1938) with the valve line-up of EK2, 6U7G, 6B6G, 6F6G & 5Y3G:

Beale 752 & 752A.
Breville 107 & 108. (108 is a triple wave)
Briton 38 ( which is the dogs breakfast Theatrette - so that one is ruled out)

As Marcc mentioned, sometimes you have to think outside of the square when trying to identify radios by the valve line-up. For instance, 6U7G, 6B6G, 6F6G & 5Y3G are the octal versions of 6D6, 75, 42 & 80 respectively.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 33 · Written at 2:11:01 PM on 28 May 2016.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7307

The chassis is deep like a Breville & it has the same style valve layout label as a Breville too.

It is the same colour and has the same valve layout plaque as a 1936 Breville 6 volt farm radio I have too.

One other thing I noticed was the chalky look to the logo on the tuning dial. It is a different colour to the dial markings and appears to be of a different material - not screen-printed enamel like the rest of the dial appears to be. This would indicate that the same chassis had probably been put in numerous cabinets and each type given a different brand. Breville would have been big enough to supply chassis to other companies.


‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 34 · Written at 2:53:01 PM on 28 May 2016.
JamieLee's Gravatar
 Location: Clare, SA
 Member since 27 March 2016
 Member #: 1894
 Postcount: 510

Monochrome TV, it is possible that the power transformer may have been replaced, as there are marks in the chassis consistent with the bolts holding the transformer being turned and thus rubbing, seems like original wiring re-used apart from the rectifier valve which has new white wires and the dial lamps also having new wires. The Breville theory makes sense. The p valve heater socket leads appear wired to the 6.3v, but the wires are not new? Short wave gets reception, 1st position gets a sketchy facsimile of the broadcast channels in the same respective dial positions and a bit of motor boating here and there when attempting to find stations, the second SW band gets some distant stations, last night I picked up something sounding like SE Asia...


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 35 · Written at 4:47:21 PM on 28 May 2016.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6688

Short wave gets reception

See how it goes with a decent aerial.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 36 · Written at 5:17:21 PM on 28 May 2016.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5257

I assume the 385 is the AC side of the rectifier? 385-0-385 is not an uncommon transformer 400VAC into an 80 yields around 390VDC with a capacitor input filter. So I would suggest they were aiming for a 250V DC "B" Voltage.

Most Australian sets had three tappings on the primary of the mains transformer and moving to 240 -260VAC tap is desirable. It is not unusual for changes to be made in production & the EK2 may have been a factory mod as everyone else was using it, & that affected price as much as performance.

Breville's wire was nothing to write home about. I have a 730 & most of its was cactus. It has a Philips ECH35 as its a later SW.

Antenna will improve SW but a lot of stations have fallen by the wayside.

Marc


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 37 · Written at 7:25:56 PM on 28 May 2016.
MonochromeTV's avatar
 Location: Melbourne, VIC
 Member since 20 September 2011
 Member #: 1009
 Postcount: 1182

Are you sure it has two short-wave bands?

The third position of the switch could be for the pick-up. Those two terminals on the centre of the chassis look like pick-up terminals. One terminal will be grounded and the other should to go the grid of the 6B6G via the volume pot.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 38 · Written at 8:39:16 PM on 28 May 2016.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5257

I think it has reached the point where we need a photo of the inside of the pan to get an idea of where some things are.

This should actually be done with a camera that is not using the bottom of a beer bottle as a lens. The last lot are out of focus and lacking detail. There is a limit as to how close, some things masquerading as cameras, can get to the subject. If it is digital 256 colours, big apertures, and too close, is not going to help us. Even the basic "Paint" can crop a picture if you take too much area, which is some times necessary to get things sharp, or let the flash spread & soften.

Brutal, but............


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 39 · Written at 10:21:45 PM on 28 May 2016.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7307

Re: Marc's post, the two extra photos I received are too blurry to publish and would need to be taken again to satisfy the site's recommendations on images. I sharpened the others as best Photoshop could however even those are just south of the borderline.

It would be best to take these photos outdoors where possible and avoid using mobile phones where possible. Despite claims by all mobile phone manufacturers, the cameras in them are quite mundane and cannot capture detail and have little depth perception because the lenses in them are simply too physically small to do the job of even a cheap point and shoot camera.

Photos of radios and their innards need lots of diffused light on the subject and if your camera has a zoom feature I'd be moving the camera back a bit and then using the zoom to bring the subject back to 2/3 of the size of the frame. Use the highest resolution possible - my e-mail account has no size limitations for attachments.


‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 40 · Written at 10:41:30 PM on 29 May 2016.
Pa Man's Gravatar
 Location: Golden Grove, SA
 Member since 10 April 2015
 Member #: 1726
 Postcount: 149

Was Glad to help JamieLee, gota to keep all this Radio and electronic history alive.

Josh


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 41 · Written at 11:39:30 PM on 3 June 2016.
JamieLee's Gravatar
 Location: Clare, SA
 Member since 27 March 2016
 Member #: 1894
 Postcount: 510

Thanks, will pull it apart again once I get my capacitors, so I can get the tone working! The pan photo was the best of 10, but I only have my phone for a camera and without glasses they look fuzzy anyway, but hard to take with them on. Will have another go when I pull it apart again.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 42 · Written at 10:44:25 PM on 28 July 2016.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6688

"Cambron" was a trade mark registered way back in 1919 by the Sydney furniture retailer and wholesaler WW Campbell & Co and was used on a wide variety of goods.

Cambron Article


The question remains: who manufactured the chassis for their Cambron radios?


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 43 · Written at 7:13:30 PM on 31 July 2016.
JamieLee's Gravatar
 Location: Clare, SA
 Member since 27 March 2016
 Member #: 1894
 Postcount: 510

Yes, although now the post about the "Remo" radio, another store brand, with push-button chassis, but same valve lineup, the EK2 "Philips" valve, all clues! The scent appears to be getting warmer!


 
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