Hello Everybody. I have acquired this wooden mantle radio.
looked at hundreds of radio on the internet but haven't found this one.
It's Australian made with valve line up: 6A8G, 6U7G, 6B6G, 6V6G and 5Y3.
It has had work done before, probably a few decades ago.
It maybe Astor?,

I don't think it is an Astor although it could have been made by them, as they and other large companies made radios for smaller ones. The dial glass is shaped like STC but this isn't an STC either.

That valve compliment was a popular one in the 1940s so it may be hard to pinpoint a maker when using it as a reference.

Its a SW/BC with a 6A8 so that would likely put it around 1937 as 6V6 did not arrive until 11/36. 6J8 superseded 6A8 in SW sets after it was brought in 2/38. There was a bit of reversion to non octal tubes during the War, so that's the era I would be looking.

Marc

Thank you. That narrows the search down. I did look for a five valve with a 6A8G but there are many..

It does look Astorish. Maybe a National by Radio Corp??

What is the serial no. stamped in the chassis?

Astor did tend to use the worst quality rubber covered wire of the four grades apparently available. Kriesler & I think Astor did do as I do and put a dob of paint on each node to show it had been inspected. Tasma seemed to like to use the minimum scanting on some of their heater wire and it had a habit of disintegrating the closer it got to the transformer.

There are tell tale idiosyncrasies and the parts used that can help. A lot of the Astor sets had a plug at the back connected with a cap to the plate of the OP tube & that was for a meter on AC to align it.

500K resistor looks 30's & check if that black mud cap has AWA on it.

The set has been got at: At the time that 220K probably plate resistor for the 6B6 was replaced, or that styroseal of the sixties was put there it should have had a birthday. Bet it was a serviceman: Just make it go was the motto.

That coil with a part number on it should appear in the parts list. Check resistors a lot of those 50K (green body paint, black tip, orange band) and the ones on the grid of 6V6 and the plate of 6B6 have a massive attrition rate. 100k next.

Photo should be a guide: I do dare after doing that attack without a circuit (or reverse engineer it).

Nice little set, be a joy to work on.

Back in 1960 I would not have turned a hair at how the mains comes into that set.
Now all I can see is a lethal death trap!

Look much better with a black bulk head gland fitting and a 3 core lead.
Problem is the 240 volt is going straight into that "time bomb" switch on the pot control.
Maybe there are some types with adequate spacing and insulation between the poles, but, the ones I have pulled apart have no barriers between poles and no barrier insulation to ground except good old fresh air and a mm or so spacing!
I may be getting too wary in my old age but what was passable in the 1960's certainly did not comply with the Australian Standards even of the time (appliances/wiring) and now, holy cow!!!!

There you go, comment on this, am I too gun shy?
Having had those things go splkkkttt...boom!!

Fred.

I'm tipping Tasma, and built in the early 40s, i.e. during WW2 from the ARTS&P transfer.

Work was done on it in the early 60's, from the newer paper caps and the blue 400v Styro.

Pity about the half a Goat shield!

As that is SW, I would be tempted to reverse engineer the mixer tube and see what the resistors are relative to a Tasma 710 or an earlier model.

My thought here is that 6A8, unless its marked on the chassis, is the wrong valve, most probable, 6J8 not improbable 6K8.

6A8 & 6J8 will work in each others socket however, especially on Astor's like JJ: That will alter the band spread.

Marc

The chassis colour makes it look a bit like a Peter Pan or equivalent. Apart from that I have no clue.

The point I would make here is that most of the sets of that era used a very tight range of valves and save for a few minor variances, all circuit wise followed the same plot. I have never let the absence of a circuit throw me.

Good sharp photo's, note any points that the Monkeys have been at. Continuity of the transformer windings is easily checked & the OP transformer (and speaker) of which there is a steady transformer attrition rate: Krieslers being the worst. Can be rough checked by cracking a 9V battery across the primary.

The cable is easily sorted with a "Gland" pointy end in. If you are not fussy IEC cables breed in moonlight; cut the end off it & that gives you often, a good freebie earthed cable: Earth it.

As before check resistors not just get rid of paper caps & old electrolytic ones bad wire etc.. I find after that that there is rarely a need for rework and there is better than 95% probability it will fire up and bugs like bad pots manifest. The first job after it decides to work is calibrate the IF.

Is there a name or a picture in that red rectangle in the middle of the dial? Close up of if there is. Pretty flower close setting on a digital camera.



Marc

The number stamped on the chassis is: A 11988.
The black cap has MSP embossed.
The round aluminium coil has been substituted, explains all the yellow wiring. The core or slug is missing.
The goat shield is complete, took photos while cleaning.
I have recapped it noticing there are a few mid-air connections- no tab strips.
It powers up (using inline globe first), mainly static but some very faint stations.
Where I live the reception is very poor although some radios are a lot better than this one.
At the bottom right there is a big resistor paralleling the smaller one. It was getting quite hot. Disconnecting this improved reception.
( I left the notes at the shed describing values and connections- next time).
I had a mains switch like this go in an Astor TV, yes very flimsy internals.
The chassis is almost army green.
Thanks for the interest. I will try to reverse engineer around the first stages.

The chassis is almost army green.

Aka olive drab.

That is likely a subbed IF can: Two scenario's (1) it should have two slugs (2nd) its a top or bottom trimmer type is the top solid, or are there trimmers?

No slugs no resonance so the IF will not calibrate & that could be the cause the weak signal? The other reason if there is weak signal & it wont tune stations is a dead oscillator. The signal you hear will be via the AGC.

Definitely need more info on that IF can.

MSP is not a great help: They made parts.

Marc

MSP (Manufacturers Special Products) was a division of AWA that made components for other local radio and equipment manufacturers.