In another recent thread I mentioned that I was having trouble getting the magic eye (a NOS EM80) to work in this set. I'd restored the set in late Autumn 2011, intending to finish the cabinet when the weather improved in Spring/Summer of 2012. 2012 came and went, the cabinet languished forgotten about in the spare bedroom awaiting attention, and the chassis was shoved under the bench until recently, and really needs to go, along with several other large 'woodies'.
As I recalled, the restored chassis worked well in every respect - a new ECC85 restored the FM side on top form, and having replaced all the waxy and electrolytic caps, and some fifteen or so resistors that had gone high in value, LW and MW AM were both fine. The magic eye worked a treat. Recently I set about finishing the cabinet and reuniting it with the chassis so I can hopefully sell it along with other sets at the Hornsea Rally as I wish to downsize my collection.
So, I tested the set to make sure it worked on all bands, and was dismayed to find that it didn't. The magic eye wouldn't shift when the set was tuned to a station, and signals on MW/LW were weak to non existent. I made a little tester to check if the magic eye worked (it did), then started delving into the chassis, taking voltages, checking the 'switchery', substituting valves and so forth. The FM antenna is built-in on the back panel of the set, which I temporarily wired to the set with the back removed - AM bands need an antenna and a 20ft wire strung round the workshop usually suffices.
None of the sockets on the rear apron of the chassis are marked - they're all 2mm sockets to take 'wander pugs'. Then when staring at the rear panel labelling I noted that whereas I thought I'd been plugging in the AM aerial into the correct socket, I'd actually been plugging it into the gram socket. As soon as I plugged it into the correct socket, the set burst into life big style. I think this must rank as the most stupid error I've ever made in decades. What a numpty
If it wasn't for the fact that I still managed to do the Times2 Crossword and Codeword every day, I'd think I was starting to lose the plot!
The EM80 hadn't worked because the signals weren't strong enough for the AGC to operate. The EM80 display a peculiar beast as compared to most other magic eyes. The display is narrow when off tune, and when on tune, the 'angel wings' spread open. I've attached a few pics of the finished set, and the magic eye display both open (off tune) and closed (on tune). The eye wasn't properly aligned in the cabinet when I took the pics.
It performs very well and having a large speaker and tone control, the sound reproduction is very pleasing. Not a set I'd have given a second glance to but as it was given to me, I felt obliged to restore it. It provided useful experience in re-manufacturing broken knobs by skimming off the old shafts and making new acrylic shafts on the lathe, sleeved with aluminium tubes, referred to in another thread, but as so long has elapsed since I posted that, I've added a few pics.
The knobs on Pye Fenmans, and indeed other Pye sets of that era, are very fragile, made from polystyrene which becomes brittle with age.
As I recalled, the restored chassis worked well in every respect - a new ECC85 restored the FM side on top form, and having replaced all the waxy and electrolytic caps, and some fifteen or so resistors that had gone high in value, LW and MW AM were both fine. The magic eye worked a treat. Recently I set about finishing the cabinet and reuniting it with the chassis so I can hopefully sell it along with other sets at the Hornsea Rally as I wish to downsize my collection.
So, I tested the set to make sure it worked on all bands, and was dismayed to find that it didn't. The magic eye wouldn't shift when the set was tuned to a station, and signals on MW/LW were weak to non existent. I made a little tester to check if the magic eye worked (it did), then started delving into the chassis, taking voltages, checking the 'switchery', substituting valves and so forth. The FM antenna is built-in on the back panel of the set, which I temporarily wired to the set with the back removed - AM bands need an antenna and a 20ft wire strung round the workshop usually suffices.
None of the sockets on the rear apron of the chassis are marked - they're all 2mm sockets to take 'wander pugs'. Then when staring at the rear panel labelling I noted that whereas I thought I'd been plugging in the AM aerial into the correct socket, I'd actually been plugging it into the gram socket. As soon as I plugged it into the correct socket, the set burst into life big style. I think this must rank as the most stupid error I've ever made in decades. What a numpty
If it wasn't for the fact that I still managed to do the Times2 Crossword and Codeword every day, I'd think I was starting to lose the plot!The EM80 hadn't worked because the signals weren't strong enough for the AGC to operate. The EM80 display a peculiar beast as compared to most other magic eyes. The display is narrow when off tune, and when on tune, the 'angel wings' spread open. I've attached a few pics of the finished set, and the magic eye display both open (off tune) and closed (on tune). The eye wasn't properly aligned in the cabinet when I took the pics.
It performs very well and having a large speaker and tone control, the sound reproduction is very pleasing. Not a set I'd have given a second glance to but as it was given to me, I felt obliged to restore it. It provided useful experience in re-manufacturing broken knobs by skimming off the old shafts and making new acrylic shafts on the lathe, sleeved with aluminium tubes, referred to in another thread, but as so long has elapsed since I posted that, I've added a few pics.
The knobs on Pye Fenmans, and indeed other Pye sets of that era, are very fragile, made from polystyrene which becomes brittle with age.
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
