Frequently asked questions

Ever noticed how a page full of 'FAQs' is published before the questions are physically able to become 'frequently asked'? Anyway, in anticipation, I have written this page as such. By the way, at times, all of the questions below have been asked, either by email or by people I have directly invited to visit this site. The subject matter of the questions is very wide ranging at times.

This page has been updated as of 9th April 2005 with many questions that have been asked by email contacts since this site has been updated. The new entries are underneath grouped under a new heading with the date they were added.

How long has Vintage Radio been on the web?

This website is about three years old and has been recently updated with a brand new interface. Vintage Radio will be around for at least another three and quite possibly more.

Do you regularly get emails from people discussing the subject of Vintage Radio?

I have received dozens of emails over time either requesting information or offering information to questions that I have placed on the front page here. This is what sites like this is all about - exchanging information. As a rule if someone asks me something that I don't know the answer to I will do a quick search on the internet and then if something relevant is available I will reply to the email with the URL to the information. I have to say that the emails bring a source of fulfilment as a discussion about vintage radio is part of the hobby itself.

Do you get sick of this hobby and do something else for a while then come back to it?

I have to admit that I do, yes. If we all only had one thing to do in our spare time then life would be boring. I also chat with mates online using the real-time medium known as IRC, or Internet Relay Chat. Real life activities also include photography and spending time in the bush. I also like to make good websites and I hope you think this is one of them.

This site has alot of technical information. Are you employed in an electrical/electronics field?

I am an electrician by trade and have numerous post-trade qualifications. I have 11 years post-trade experience with six of those years as a senior manager. I am also fairly well respected throughout the wider realm of my employer which tends to pay dividends as they have a presence in almost every state and there are plenty of opportunities to further that experience and take on bigger roles. I speak a lot about safety with electricity on this site as a way of letting people understand the dangers involved but also as a way of protecting myself from being sued. There are unfortunately too many cases these days where people expect the rest of the community to wrap them in cotton wool instead of the more appropriate notion that people take some responsibility for their own actions.

Why do you bother having a website about vintage radio... who cares about all these dust collectors?

I care. A lot of other people care too. I, for one, believe that saving the remaining examples of our broadcasting heritage is very important and I applaud anyone who is of the same opinion. I have the website because people derive enjoyment from seeing how radio equipment worked before the era of transistorisation. Note that many people in the current young generation hold a keen interest in this too.

What is your favourite radio?

There are two, though I like them all a lot. The King (1920's coffin shape) because it's the oldest set in my collection and very rare. The AWA Radiolette (dial pictured in title banner) because of its status as a formidable receiver of its time and its clean looks. One day I'll get both of them working.

Do you sell any receivers?

I have not yet begun to either swap or sell anything. I don't consider my collection large enough to engage in those activities though if I was to dramatically increase the size of my collection then I'd be tempted to swap or sell some things, especially if it is something that I have more than one of.

How much are you prepared to pay for a radio?

It depends. I have to want or need what someone wants to sell for a start. I then consider value based on age, scarcity, looks, performance, whether the item even works or not and the amount of money I have at the time. I've paid a lot of money for some things in the past but I have also received radios for free too. I treat all acquisitions with the respect they deserve, no matter what it cost. Some of my sets are true vintage relics.

Some people leave receivers as they are found while others choose to restore. Where does your opinion lie on this matter?

I am a bit of both and can understand the sentiment of both sides of this debate. When a radio is acquired it should first be checked either by you if you have the knowledge and some experience with valve radio, or failing that by giving the set to a knowledgeable person to check for you. A newly acquired radio should never be 'fired up' before being checked - you'd be surprised what modifications are made to some sets. This initial check is simply for your own safety.

After I check a receiver I remove the valves and clean them, then I remove the chassis, evict the huntsman spiders, dust off the chassis with compressed air and a toothbrush. I then give the cabinet a dusting with the air compressor and a quick wash if it is a wooden cabinet or in the case of a bakelite cabinet I run a bath and give it a good scrubbing in there with lots of dishwashing liquid and a nail brush. I then polish the bakelite cabinets with Kitten car polish before re-assembly. Restoration is not out of the question for me but it is a last resort. If a wooden cabinet is suffering just the usual minor cracks in varnish then I let it be. If it is weather-beaten, suffering from dry-rot, borers, veneer flaking off or the varnish is completely stuffed then I book it in for a complete revamp.

A lot of my sets don't work but they have all been cleaned and inspected for any booby traps included in any previous modifications, if any. As time permits I will do any needed restoration work though for the time being my priority is making sure a set is simply in a fit condition to place on display. To me, there is little point in collecting receivers to simply hoard.

Have you ever received a 'belt' [shock] from a radio?

Yes, 700 volts from a speaker field winding. It hurt but it was my fault. I let my fingers wander and that is what happens. Valve radios often have high tension voltages that far exceed mains voltages and the current flow is still high enough to kill if the circumstances are right. Be complacent at your own risk. I lived to tell the story but it doesn't always work that way.

Update: The follwing questions were added on the 9th April 2005.

I have a radio I'd like to get repaired/restored. Do you know any places that do this work?

I know of only one place in Australia but because Australia is a big place it is not economically viable for radios to be posted across thousands of kilometres of land just to have minor repairs done. Because of this it is my plan to set up a service directory with the contact details of those businesses and people who do repairs and restoration work. I am in the middle of compiling a small list at this time and will publish it soon.

Do you do repair or restoration work?

Not at this time and I do not have plans to start. It would be a good thing to get involved in but unfortunately I do not have the time. As as is often said, if I do it for one I have to do it for all, so the answer I always give is, sorry, I am unable to help in that capacity. Naturally, I will always try to locate a repairer in lieu.

I will offer you $X amount to repair my radio.

Respectfully, I will turn down the offer. Even if you are a billionaire, your money cannot buy enough time to allow me to carry out repair work. I don't even have time to repair my own sets (about twelve) at the moment. I work full time and am in the middle of some studies, then there is eating, sleeping and some recreation time such as camping, so please understand that I am not being a big meany when I knock back work.

I have a website that is dedicated to the preservation of old radio sets and related issues. I have a photographed collection on the site. I carry out repairs and/or restorations on sets. We run a club with a significant membership. Can we please swap website links?

If any or all of the above apply to a person or group then the answer is yes, I am happy to swap links. Please place a link on your site to this site, as per or similar to the suggestions outlined here, and then post a new thread on the General Comments section of the Vintage Radio forums stating that you'd like a link exchange. Please do not ask for a link if your site is not a site relating to vintage radio or some related field like old telephones, grammophones, phonographs, etc. I also won't link to your site if it contains, or links to, any forms of hatred, abuse, porn, the usual bad stuff. Also, please do not link to this site if your site contains any of the previously mentioned bad things. If you do then I will redirect the link to your webhost's Terms of Use page.

I'd like to buy out your website, including the rights to your domain name and all the material located here. My offer is $X.

It is hard to believe as Vintage Radio is largely a personal website, but once someone did offer to buy it, though I won't disclose the amount they offered for it. Needless to say, I refused the offer and for several reasons. Firstly, my domain name cannot be transferred to another party as Commonwealth law relating the .au domain namespace prohibits such transfers. This website is also a hobby for me. To commercialise it would be working against the spirit of why websites like this are provided. It is a plan of mine to sell radios and spare parts from here one day, perhaps within the next twelve months when I finally get my act together, though the main purpose of the website is to simply build and enhance an online experience for other hobbyists who enjoy collecting, admiring, restoring and displaying their receivers.

Will you ever place advertising banners on Vintage Radio?

There are occasionally some of the familiar Ads by Google but I have no immediate or future plans to offer advertising space for those annoying coloured flashing banners that take up so much valuable space on some other sites. There is a classified ad section in the Vintage Radio forums where site visitors can advertise for sale any vintage radio-related item and in the same section visitors can also advertise that they are seeking a receiver or spare part, etc. NOTE: Ads in the forums that are off-topic; meaning, they are not related to vintage radio or an associated hobby such as grammophones, military valve-powered gear, etc; are not permitted and will be removed.

More questions will be placed here as time permits.