Hi

Im new. Just in for a short time to see if I can get help with my valve radio.

I found an old thread about it, but thought Id make a new one. I'm no techy, but I can wield a soldering iron. I'm an old blogger.

So, I have a Kingsley RKR. It is missing the RKR badge. Chassis No 405103. Made in Melbourne. Perhaps a 1961 model.

I just put a new EBF80 valve in it from Europe to replace the broken 6N8. It works.

The old VRTV thread mentioned 50 ohm speakers for fitment. I hooked up a pair of 6ohms. They work, but there is no great volume. The circuitry looks original to me.

Questions: How can I add some sort of ariel?
It seems to need one. I can get 3AW from 250 ks away, but only if I put my hand near the square tuning trimpot.
Do I need bigger ohms speakers?
Also, I need a four pin plug for the speakers.

So, can anyone here help me with these few things, especially the antenna.

Thanks everybody

Not at all familiar with this unit, but putting your hand near a tuned circuit and making it work better suggests it needs alignment, which
includes RF peaking. I suggest we probably need a circuit so that voltages etc can be checked.
Some caps may be leaky or high ESR, some resistors may be O/C or out of tolerance
You mention volume low, is it low on radio or phono?. Do you get a loud buzz if you put your finger on the centre wiper of the vol pot.
If someone has a circuit for this model, I'm sure that there are many that can help you get this unit working like new.
JJ

If it was made in Melbourne by Kingsley it cannot be 1961 or made by them. I believe the original factory moved to Sydney after the war & was closed after he died (1948). So someone bought the brand perhaps. Miniature valves did not start appearing in quantity until around 1950

50 Ohms is not a normal valve radio speaker. The speaker has nothing to do with reception but can upset the performance of the audio, if its wrong. Normally a four pin plug says it was either stereo, or it had a field coil speaker.

I think you need to take some photos of it & perhaps list all of the valves. To me things are not adding up.

Googling around, suggests 6AN7, 6N8 and two 6GW8's.
So broadcast performance probably only fair.
Two 6GW8's should give plenty of volume, and output impedance probably 15 ohms or less.
JJ

If it truly is a Kingsley RKR then we've done this one before: https://vintage-radio.com.au/default.asp?f=2&th=476

Hi folks

Thanks for replies.

Yes GTC of sydney, that is the one. Identical> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=20aa23q&s=8#.WAwmuvS4JXM

I am wrapped it works. I haven't got to the record player yet, just doing the radio side of it at the moment.

If needs be, I have the photos in camera of the machine.

For Johnny, I don't know where to put the finger, but I get what you mean. As for the deeper specs people, I cant suggest or say anything much. I don't know.

Its up to you guys. I can follow any suggestions.

The four pin plug suggests two things to me. Stereo, which it is. And I think it had external speakers as I can see no sign of where internal speakers might have been. I'm thinking of putting in some modern plugs for headphones and external speakers. There is also places and fittings for four legs to screw in.

I was only guessing the year, but it seems to have been made, or part made in Melbourne.

Under the chassis on the floor of the box are two stamps>
1:
Prestige Furniture Co
PTY LTD
WAXMAN PARADE
WEST BRUNSWICK
European (??????)
2:
A finger size number stamp> 730


I plan to sell it when ready.

Thanks

Could someone please talk to me about my radio reception.

Tanks

BC has a good chance of not being fair, one is looking at the number of valves and not what they are. It actually has a converter (6AN7 Triode Hexode): Triode will be the separate exciter. 6N8 RF Pentode as 1st IF and it has diode plates for detection & AGC.

All that is different after that, is that the 1st audio is in the 6GW8's as it is a Triode Pentode. 1st Audio is the Triodes & the outputs are the Pentode's. So on BC Band it would actually have similarities to having a Push Pull output, but done with two separate speakers, & separate two SE amps.

So one channel only is the equivalent in valve elements, of many radios that run 6J8, 6U7, 6B8, 6V6,

What sort of antenna has it got. Ferrite rod (internal), or provision only for an external antenna? Ferrite rods are directional.

Marc

Hi Mark Thanks

If you look in the links above, you'll see the schematics and photos of another one.

The antenna is the size of a matchstick (I think that.s it). I cant see fittings for an external areial. Obviously, things were different in those days.

If I could get it to pick up 3aw by itself, that would be great.

I am uncertain of the valve numbers, as the markings are gone. But I went of the above thread link, and added a new 6N8 and it is OK.

After I get reception, I plan to work on the turntable.

Ta

Ads, from your first entry post, you mention the station your trying to get good reception for is 250 Klms away.
Even with a really good receiver and antenna system one would get at times very good reception, and other times poor reception.
Depending whether its day or night. And other conditions.
The fact that when you put your hand near a part and the reception improves, means that it needs front end tracking/peaking alignment.
And probably an IF alignment would help. Rotating the unit 90 degrees may improve reception as well.
These budget priced and built Kingsley's were only fair(average) performers when new. I've worked in my day on many of them.
For Marcc's benefit if it were say for example a Peter Pan CQN, then I would regard that as an excellent(above average) performer.
And the CQN also has a 6AN7 in the tube line up. .
Not to mention the RF amp and two stages of IF amplification, and additional quality tuned circuits.
But in Ads situation I don't think even a Peter Pan CQN or similar is going to pull in 3AW consistently.
JJ

Thanks Johny

I think 3AW is here after going through several booster towers.

To me I thought it was cool. What do you think I could do about reception.

Sometimes hanging a wire in the circuit can work, but where. How about getting an aerial from another radio?

What does people think?

The easiest way would be to put approx 4 turns of insulated wire around the ferrite rod antenna.
One end connected to the chassis the other to a long lenght of aerial.
Keep the turns away from any other windings on the rod.
JJ

Johnny

I could add the winding's to the matchstick aerial (if thats it) There is room, but only half. The wire would have to be tiny. Like fuse wire.

And when you say connect the 'other [end] to a long length of aerial" what do you mean?

Do I add like a telescopic type aerial, a piece of heavier wire; I'm lost mate

Unfortunately you are losing me also.
I think you need to upload pix of "matchstick aerial", so we all know what you mean.
A long length of wire will become the "aerial".
For the broadcast band it needs to be very long, a whip aerial is only suitable for the very high frequencies, e.g. FM band.
A circuit of your radio would be very helpful as well.
JJ

Ok Johnny

The last one shows what I think is the matchstick. Try these:-

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPIMmfyZnigM_LxNq4C6YI9OVWJZyi4MPY0I1qJ4irSv_TrRtfcKnCxmHqu-8b6qw?key=WUROUE1KUDZQZFdpVVUzaVkzNG1WY3FySllCVHhna