UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 1st Aug 2009, 1:43 pm   #1
davidw
Heptode
 
davidw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 641
Default "Good Companion" portable radio.

At a boot sale today I picked this radio up. It's only marking is "Good Companion" on the front panel. Apart from the obviously wrong knobs,the fact that the back panel has no markings, and having no screwdriver with me,to look inside, I decided to take a chance at £2.
What I appear to have bought is a vintage case with modern works. It looks to me as if it might have been a kit, or a magazine article type build.
The active component count is TBA820,ZTX300,ZN414. The tuning dial has MW and LW markings but electrically only the MW coil exists. ISTR PW published articles using the ZN414 radio chip. Anyone any ideas or thoughts?
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	S2020038.JPG
Views:	271
Size:	54.8 KB
ID:	27612   Click image for larger version

Name:	S2020036.JPG
Views:	207
Size:	56.8 KB
ID:	27613   Click image for larger version

Name:	S2020037.JPG
Views:	295
Size:	56.1 KB
ID:	27614   Click image for larger version

Name:	S2020042.JPG
Views:	235
Size:	69.9 KB
ID:	27615  
__________________
Dave G1AGK.
My perception is my reality!
davidw is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 1:48 pm   #2
AlanBeckett
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 1,686
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Dave,
Look on the bright side - you've got a case, speaker, battery clips, dial, tuning cap, ferrite rod, switch, pot, components .......
Alan
AlanBeckett is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 2:14 pm   #3
radiogammon
Retired Dormant Member
 
radiogammon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: County Down, Northern Ireland, UK.
Posts: 275
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Home Radio of Mitcham sold a 6 transistor radio kit called "Good Companion" in the mid 60's. Anyone remember them? Perhaps someone later used the case to make their own IC version.
radiogammon is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 2:18 pm   #4
paulsherwin
Moderator
 
paulsherwin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,787
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

I don't think you did badly for £2. You can have a lot of fun with those ZN414 chips

The case looks familiar, but I can't place it.

Paul
paulsherwin is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 2:36 pm   #5
mickjjo
Rest in Peace
 
mickjjo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Dartford, Kent, UK.
Posts: 1,661
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

The "Good Companion" was advertised as a kit for years, Attached is an ad from PW Jan '62 by Harris Electronics. .

Regards, Mick.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	good companion.jpg
Views:	237
Size:	167.5 KB
ID:	27619  
mickjjo is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 2:54 pm   #6
Brian R Pateman
Nonode
 
Brian R Pateman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Western Lake District, Cumbria (CA20) - UK
Posts: 2,136
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

The current works are not that modern!

I would imagine that the original set was built as the "Good Companion" and subsequently the case was used for a later design based around the ZN414, probably by the original constructor.

There were loads of circuits published in the electronics magazines. PW, PE and RC all had them. It would have been a quite reasonable thing to do when the ZN414 came out. I remember it being hailed as the best thing since sliced bread and built several sets using it myself.

I think you did very well for £2.00!

Regards,
__________________
Brian
Brian R Pateman is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 3:50 pm   #7
dominicbeesley
Octode
 
dominicbeesley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

I'm quite interested in these kits, I have four "good companion" cases but they look quite different to yours. They're red, with rounded corners and a gold cross-hatch grille.

If you'd bought one of mine you might have acquired a transistor radio, a 280Vdc PSU or a USB scrolling message display!

Dom
dominicbeesley is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 3:59 pm   #8
Neil Purling
Nonode
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Hull, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,083
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Have you attached a fresh 9V battery to it?
If it works, then for £2.00 you can't complain, even if the case needs attention because of water damage.
Neil Purling is offline  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 6:39 pm   #9
Paul_RK
Dekatron
 
Paul_RK's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 4,246
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Here's an Electronic Precision Equipment advertisement from the Oct. '62 Radio Constructor, showing both cabinet versions, and a shot of the interior of a Good Companion here. The set has Philco RF and Mullard AF transistors as described. Yours may or may not have had anything in it originally, as the cabinet seems to have been produced in excessive numbers. A version of the Good Companion with largely pre-assembled works (including AF117s - oh, joy! ) was still being offered in December '66, and completely unused cabinets have turned up more than once on eBay in recent years.

Paul
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	scan0001A.gif
Views:	275
Size:	200.0 KB
ID:	27640   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCF2001A.jpg
Views:	209
Size:	60.8 KB
ID:	27641  
Paul_RK is online now  
Old 1st Aug 2009, 8:37 pm   #10
JoshWard
Octode
 
JoshWard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 1,962
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Well done, even if it is more modern that what it looks, it still looks old and if it works does it really matter? It's still a radio

At the carboot I went to today all I saw was a Westminster for £35
JoshWard is offline  
Old 2nd Aug 2009, 7:57 am   #11
davidw
Heptode
 
davidw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 641
Default Re: "Good Companion" portable radio.

Thanks everyone for your replies It seems that both my assumptions were correct.It was originally a kit then a home brew.
John (radiogammon) Home Radio in Mitcham, I remember visiting a lot as a youngster,when we stayed with my gran in Carshalton.
Neil, yes it works very well. That battery was dated '96.
Josh, yes a bit like old cars, they can look old from the outside but have all new works!
With a bit of a clean and a couple of more in keeping knobs I'll find a place for it ..Thanks chaps.
__________________
Dave G1AGK.
My perception is my reality!
davidw is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:47 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.