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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only.

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Old 21st Jun 2021, 8:03 pm   #1
G6Tanuki
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Default What radios are you currently using?

I believe in actually _using_ my radio collection rather than treating them as museum-shelf-queens to be worshipped-from-behind-glass-cases but never actually listened-to.

Right now I have:

In the Living-Room: a Roberts R24 AM/FM [working off mains].

In the Bathroom: a Roberts R760 running off a bunch of NiMH cells.

In the Dining-Room: a Roberts R606 powered from a homebrew power-supply using a cheap-and-cheerful but sensible Velleman regulator-strip featuring a LM317.

In the Summer-House: a Roberts R707 powered by a 12V 4.1AH SLA battery - to get the most out of a R707's audio-stages you really need a power-supply that doesn't wilt when it has to deliver a bit of current.

These are all receiving content from a 'pantry transmitter' hooked to a Lenovo laptop - with the source being a bunch of J-Pop/K-Pop stations or the rather-good KEXP:


https://www.kexp.org/


which could be seen as 'Radio3 for the current-century'.



In the bedroom: my Eddystone 840A - "Steady Eddy" - perfect for tuning-round on shortwave at 3AM when I'm troubled by a bout of insomnia.

In the kitchen: a WWII-vintage Pye PCR - again good for listening to the various Asian stations on MW when I'm cooking-up a curry, or amusing myself with the odd religious-station ["Witness Lee" on shortwave is always fun for a giggle]

What are you listening-to, and on what ??

Last edited by G6Tanuki; 21st Jun 2021 at 8:10 pm.
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Old 21st Jun 2021, 8:19 pm   #2
bobhowe
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Hi G6Tanuki i am currently using 3 Bush DAC90A & 1 Bush DAC90 & 1 Bush VHF 61 & i take one of the shelf play it for 1 week on the living room table then every Sunday change it for another one and i listen to Greatest His Radio from 11.00 pm to 1.00 am on the DAC90 & DAC90A but the VHF61 is weak on AM so i listen to radio 2 kind regards Bob
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Old 21st Jun 2021, 8:19 pm   #3
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

I try to listen to all of my "working" valve radios (around 50) on a rota basis for an hour in bed on a Saturday morning. I do find breakdowns during this period rather annoying, especially if hot wax squirts out everywhere when I am trying to read the paper . Evenings in the kitchen I generally listen to short wave on the Halli S38 or Sailor 96D/66TS (wall mounted) unless there is a film on. The only thing that can scupper this is the local interference but thankfully short wave is reasonably immune.
Neil
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Old 21st Jun 2021, 8:37 pm   #4
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Hacker Hunter for breakfast news and just got home stuff, A22 for the odd period play same goes for the DAC90A. A few modern sets too, bedside a DAB, bluetooth thing that is good for recoded programmes from the tablet.
 
Old 21st Jun 2021, 9:14 pm   #5
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

In the lounge an ACE U50 usually on Radio Caroline and for portable use a Grundig Music Boy.
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Old 21st Jun 2021, 11:10 pm   #6
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Ho! You're going to get a LOT of answers to this one! Mine is/are: Kitchen - Roberts R900. Bedrooms - Bush: 2 x TR82's; 1 x TR130; 1xVTR103. Dining Room - Philco 444 'People's Set'; Grundig Type 97; Bush DAC90; Bush VHF 94; Perdio 'Piccadilly'; Hacker Hunter RP38; NorDmende 'Transita Spezial'; NordMende 'Clipper', NorDmende 'Transita Automatic' [on soak test]. Living Room - Ekco A22; Henry Kloss 1 etc.. They are all in use [tuned to various stations] - but I must stash them away and refresh them all with my Ferranti 145, Bush DAC90a, Philco 'Alabama', Philips V5 'Theatrette', Phillips 630 Super Inductance, and KB10 etc. etc. I mustn't get stuck in my ways!!
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Old 21st Jun 2021, 11:31 pm   #7
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

I have a single 8 transistor Sony about 35 years old. It's in our emergency pack with the batteries removed. I only use it when we have a cyclone because "normally" there is nothing but crap to listen to.

Even the FM stations have 3 minutes of ads and 2 minutes of some horrible thump thump thump repeated over and over.

When there is a cyclone the ABC have reports on the hour.

Joe
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 1:49 am   #8
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

A Hacker Herald for medium wave, a Helmsman for fun when roaming, and an Icom IC7700 in the radio shack

David
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 7:20 am   #9
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

My daily use set is an unrestored & battle scared Bush TR82B from 1959.
Bedroom set is a mint early 1970's Sony Sports 11 & a Woolworths DAB clock radio.
Kitchen set is a Grundig Yachtboy used on mains only.
All of my valve sets are being packed up in readiness for a house move.


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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 8:49 am   #10
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Quite unashamedly, the main current use for most of the 300-odd radios here is that it delights and engages me to see them and to know and imagine their histories. Listening is to the World Service, Radios 4 and 3, now and again 5 or Norfolk, and sometimes a spin around the short waves. In regular or frequent use, then, are:

Sitting room - Panasonic RF-9000, Pure DRX-601EX (first generation DAB), an Integral from Lithuania (NOS a couple of years ago, a 60th birthday present to myself).

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

Library - Roberts RD1, early DAB/FM

Kitchen - Roberts RD6, early DAB/FM

Bedroom - sleep and alarm functionality required, so a Bose Wave Radio/CD on my good lady's side of the bed and a Pure Bug on mine.

There's always a choice of Hacker and other portables to accompany time in the attics, and a few valve sets are exercised often enough to keep their capacitors in shape (I hope).

Paul
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 9:10 am   #11
lesmw0sec
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Bedroom - a rescued R1155 - mainly used for radio 4 news.
Kitchen - Bush TR82/B
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 9:26 am   #12
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

At breakfast this morning it was a Hacker Hunter and at work I generally have the Marconiphone T84BT on.
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 9:56 am   #13
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Hi this is interesting.

In my bedroom in regular use is my 1990's Panasonic clock radio and a kettle style ghetto blaster Philip AZ1141, dating from late 1990's and owned from new, the radio on this is superb especially on FM.

I circulate my other working radios so starting with my favourites. All are running on batteries to cut down on mains born interference.

Bush TR130 circa 1966. Very sensitive with a very big sound.

Hacker Hunter RP38A circa 1971, Power hungry but very sensitive with a wonderful sound.

ITT/KB Tiny Super circa 1972. Made one good one out of two. Truly amazing little radio with a performance that matches that of the Hacker.
ITT Colt circa 1975. Owned since new and rebuilt may times. The AF output stage was not the best of designs from ITT. Its working ok but a bit power hungry.

Binatone Mustang dating from 1970. My nemesis radio. Got it working but needs a lot more work.

Other radios that I use on a regular basis are my ITT Tiny 220 dating from 1985, Roberts R250 which I have owned from new but has caused a few problems recently, Roberts R979 owned from new and love its fully featured RDS, Philips AE2345 5 band potable radio from the early 1990's. This one is another one I made up from two.

For Short wave I use some what are now considered to be portable classics dating back to the 1990's and early 2000's. All running off their internal batteries and aerials and all have their good and not so good points. These radios are used on a daily basis for DX'ing and my contributions to the BDXC.
Grundig Satellite 700, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, Sony ICF7600GR and an early version of the Degen 1103 which I have repaired.

Finally I do have one working valved radio, Bush VHF 61 which I run up in my workshop every now and again.

Simon
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 1:42 pm   #14
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Quote:
Hacker Hunter RP38A circa 1971, Power hungry
Mine lasts for months twixt batteries, used for at least an hour a day.
 
Old 22nd Jun 2021, 1:55 pm   #15
Paul_RK
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Quote:
Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
Quote:
Hacker Hunter RP38A circa 1971, Power hungry
Mine lasts for months twixt batteries, used for at least an hour a day.
Yes, it shouldn't be bad at all with quiescent current 18-22mA from a couple of PP9s. Worth checking that if you haven't already, and if it's at all high a first port of call is C2 on the amplifier board, 200uF straight across the 18 volt rail so it can be very leaky and a shortened battery life is the only effect.

Paul
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 2:10 pm   #16
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

Great fun discussion. Don't actually own many sets, but always got something on that I am testing post repair, very varied.

I do have a 1980's Waltham clock radio beside the bed that still gets daily use at night. Other listening is on my current Tecsun PL330. Have a Pilot little Maestro waiting for refurb which will be my main set in the living room when done.
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 2:24 pm   #17
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

I use a Roberts R606-MB in the office, Bush TR130 in the kitchen, Bush TR82B in the garage and a Pilot 75 in the workshop.

Robert
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 2:27 pm   #18
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

I'm currently making use of my Telsen Jupiter SG battery receiver and have had it in regular use for a fair few months now. It works very well but I need to source a higher impedance speaker for just a tad more volume. With a fairly good aerial and earth it's very sensitive and picks up stations from all over the place.

Here's a photo from when it was first put into use, I have now built a HT battery to power it instead of the amplion supply, this has improved its performance somewhat.
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 2:56 pm   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EF80TVVALVE View Post
I'm currently making use of my Telsen Jupiter SG battery receiver and have had it in regular use for a fair few months now. It works very well but I need to source a higher impedance speaker for just a tad more volume. With a fairly good aerial and earth it's very sensitive and picks up stations from all over the place.

Here's a photo from when it was first put into use, I have now built a HT battery to power it instead of the amplion supply, this has improved its performance somewhat.
Oooooooh ..... nice!
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Old 22nd Jun 2021, 4:21 pm   #20
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Default Re: What radios are you currently using?

I tend rotate the radios from my collection so they all get used, I have my favourites that get used a bit more than others. Its a good way of keeping an eye on them, I like to have them all earning their keep by working and entertaining me.
I do have a permanent radio in the kitchen, a Tivoli model one, I bought this when they first came out over twenty years now, wonderful radio! So good I've never been tempted to change it!
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