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 4 valve home constructed radio
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 1:20:12 PM on 21 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Hello all. I have a 4 valve radio I would like to repair. It was home made and was quite a nice job, although now in a sad state. I think it may have been built from a radio and hobbies magazine. The valve line up is. 6J8, 6G8, 6V6, 80.
Would anyone have the circuit?
Some of the components have become detached I could make some educated guesses however it would be nice if I could acquire a circuit.
Kind Regards. Jimb


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 1:26:46 PM on 21 September 2018.
STC830's Gravatar
 Location: NSW
 Member since 10 June 2010
 Member #: 681
 Postcount: 1253

Sounds like it might be a "Little General" from Radio and Hobbies, 1942, which is listed in Radiomuseum:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/radiohob_little_general_1941.html


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 4:12:35 PM on 21 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Thank you STC830


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 7:29:17 PM on 21 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

It turns out to be the original 1940 version of the Little General, I bought it on eBay about 12 years ago and stuck it in a cupboard. Lookkng forward to getting it working.
Regards Jimb


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 8:45:34 PM on 21 September 2018.
Robbbert's avatar
 Location: Hill Top, NSW
 Member since 18 September 2015
 Member #: 1801
 Postcount: 2011

I've heard so much about the many versions of the Little General, but never seen one.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 10:13:07 PM on 21 September 2018.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I have a Little General in my round tuit cupboard.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 10:32:50 AM on 22 September 2018.
Fred Lever's Gravatar
 Location: Toongabbie, NSW
 Member since 19 November 2015
 Member #: 1828
 Postcount: 1245

Hi Jimb, there were many versions of the Little General over the years of Radio and Hobbies.
The easiest way of picking the version would be to look through the Radio and Hobbies CD, that has all the editions of R&H on it.
If you don't have the CD you should!
I made my version last year and you will find it in the Special Projects section in VR.
The original was made with the then latest valves and used as few components as possible, the article is a good read from a clever person.
There were kits from the radio suppliers but I guess a lot of experimenters made their own from the bare metal upwards like mine.
Love to see a photo of yours.
Fred.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 8 · Written at 11:54:46 AM on 22 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Hello and thank you all for your interest.
I will take some photos as it is and upload them and when I finish it I will take some more.
My workmanship is not too good these days I have the shakes and soldering is a nightmare and I never have had a good relationship with paint and varnish so please dont be too critical. I may not do anymore after this one.
Fred, yes I should have a copy of R&H on cd. I have seen it advertised somewhere, it would be a good read
Kind Regards Jimb


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 9 · Written at 1:11:45 PM on 22 September 2018.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

Silicon Chip sells a CD with all of R&H/RTV&H on it I think.

http://siliconchip.com.au/


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 10 · Written at 1:19:19 PM on 22 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

From Jimb
I have sent some photos to Brad for uploading
Robbbert there was an article published in the HRSA Radio waves magazine April 2010.page 5 by Kevin Poulter.
70 th Anniversary __, The R&H Little General. It has some nice photos.
Kind regards Jimb

Little General Valve Radio
Little General Valve Radio
Little General Valve Radio
Little General Valve Radio


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 11 · Written at 5:25:56 PM on 22 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Thanks Brad I will check it out


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 12 · Written at 8:21:08 AM on 23 September 2018.
Fred Lever's Gravatar
 Location: Toongabbie, NSW
 Member since 19 November 2015
 Member #: 1828
 Postcount: 1245

The original article is in the April 1940 issue Vol2 no1 page 27.
Fred.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 13 · Written at 9:30:36 PM on 24 September 2018.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

Photos uploaded to Post 10.

I've always believed that if something walks like a duck and talks like a duck then it's a duck. This radio is a Little General, the most popular kit radio ever devised in Australia, which also outsold many of the less popular commercial models.


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

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 14 · Written at 10:13:51 AM on 25 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Thanks Brad for uploading the photos.
I am glad I have this radio.
Kind Regards Jim.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 15 · Written at 1:26:21 PM on 25 September 2018.
Jimb's Gravatar
 Location: Kanahooka, NSW
 Member since 18 November 2016
 Member #: 2012
 Postcount: 712

Hi all having problems with the circuit for this Little General. I have down loaded 3 versions none resemble this .I know there were many versions and the guy who made this may have improvised. Some resistance values seem to be expressed in megohms and some in ohms.
this has the following valve line up and is not the loop aerial version. 6J8,6G8,6V6,80. The cathode of the 6J8 has an 150 ohm resistor to ground bypassed with an 0.025mfd capacitor. there is a 50K ohm between cathode and pin 5 which is the g1 of triode section the circuit shows this as 0.05 I am assuming this is .05 meg ohm. Grid 1 of the 6V6 is shown on the circuit to have a resistor marked as 1. to the power transformer centre tap and negative end of 8 mfd filter cap .
There is an 260 ohm wire wound resistor floating around loose and a 25mfd. electro . I cannot place these. Should I just find a circuit with the same valve line up and rewire this to suit? This makes it a much bigger job than I intended.
Am I correct some of the resistance values are expressed in megohms such as .05 which would be 50K ohm. Maybe I have lost the plot.

looking forward to some constructive advice.
Regards Jim.


 
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