Good Morning Gentle Folk,
I am a long time Musician who loves Valve Amps. I've got a R65 handed down to me from my father and would love to get it stored.

I live in Greensborough Victoria, any assistance greatly appreciated.

Damien
0409 868468.

Bob from the other side of the planet (USA). Way too far away to assist directly, but usually what vintage radios need are new replacements for wax paper capacitors, and new electrolytic filter caps. Usually, new tubes are NOT necessary (tubes last forever on the shelf or in a radio that isn't used). Not so for the mentioned caps, wax paper caps absorb moisture from the air and become electronically leaky. Modern caps are of much higher quality and are low cost.

Don't plug the radio into power as the old electrolytic caps may become shorted and then ruin the power transformer. If you did and got away with it, well don't do it again, as the caps may decide to short the next time. Do a "recap".

Just to clarify, it is pretty much the same treatment required for any vintage valve equipment, whether it be a radio, jukebox, amplifier, telephony gear or even a valve tester.

Awesome!

I have a feeling this uint hasn't been used/powered up since it was the centre piece of House hold entertainment.

It sounds like all I need is either a local (to Melbourne, Victoria) Enthusiast or Repair/Restorer.

I have seen in my 24 hours of web surfing, a Power supply out of UK that does the 90V and 1.5V Supply from a sauce feed of 240V which is advertised for Valve Radios (I must look for that site again). Is this a recommended upgrade for such a project instead of looking for Batteries?

Could you tell me if I can expect a good reception and sound from my AWA R65 all work well?

There's no reason why a portable shouldn't sound as good as a mains model. I have one of AWA's bakelite portables from the late 1950s and it sounds okay, albeit a wee bit on the tinny side due to the small speaker. Reception is still perfect after 50 years and because it is a portable there's yet to be a reason to restore it - portables were seldom used and the high tension voltage is a lot lower in these sets so components like condensers tended to last the distance.

Original batteries are no impossible to obtain. I've heard that a niche manufacturer in the United States of America makes A and B batteries for collectors but you can make your own providing you know the voltages your set requires.

For mine, I have two C-size cells in parallel for the A battery and seven type-216 9 volt batteries in series for the HT supply.

Thanks Brad,
your all over this stuff.

Would you by any chance know of someone I can contact here in Vic to access/restore my Radio?

All this came about because I have just finished a National tour with a guy named Bruce Egnater out of Detroit USA, who had designed, build and modified Guitar Amps for the Stars of the music industry over the last 30+ years.
He is such lovely guy who made me feel like everyone who like the sound of Valves should get involved in it and I am loving the community that you have built here on the net.

Some of the people here may be able to help.

Thankyou for your feedback too. I am currently working on a few new functions for the forums so it is a work in progress but can only get better.

Mmm

I think I'm going to have to hold my horses till Monday at the earliest as I've already tried the business in Nth Geelong (being a Saturday, I wasn't expecting them to be about) and I got no response.

I'll keep you/the Forum posted as to my results as they unfold.

My R65 will end up in my Shed, much loved and listened to instead of the Bose system I have to fire up indoors and mess about with amps and speaker routers etc to get the Football (AFL) on Am Radio outside while I run around with my 3 Girls (8 and 6 Yr old Twins) on the Quad bike or building a thing-a-ma-jig out of crap around the place. I'm not expecting the Radio to be louder than Shouting (1 Watt) but be loud enough to hear it if I wish to strain my ear in that direction.

What ball park would you put a (working well) R65 is as far as price wise Brad?

My guess is around the $150-$200 mark, particularly if the leatherette is mickey mouse. The easier a portable is to get going the more a collector will pay for them.

There is no need to go to US for a battery eliminator.

You can get these from Wodonga Vic.

Contact – Howard Sheeran - Pro-Vision Electronics – 3 MULQUEENEY ST, WODONGA, VIC, 3690 –
Ph: 0260 244558
Mb: 0427400063
provisioniinet.net.au.

I built one from the kit to use on an Airzone 612 (Console) that I major overhauled. The pair of them were still working 2 Weeks ago. (2V & 135V)

The other I supervised its assembly and it will be used to power a National SW5.

I have resorted to building them, but that can be a pain.

The best one was an Astor GP. It has a plug for external batteries.

Without a circuit mod.(it was overhauled however) Two 1.5V Batteries, Ten 9V 216's from discount store. Not a lot of work to fit them in (they interlock). All good. Battery eliminator can use the same plug, if customer wants to go there.

Marc

Thank Marcc,

I have reason to be in Wodonga in the next couple of weeks (I'm a Rep for a Music Instrument Importer. CMC Music) so I' get onto Howard on Monday.

Cheers

I would advise contacting him re his availability & perhaps take set with you if it's convenient?

Marc