Hello from Cuba

[Terry]

Meantime I had to learn a few German terms to better understand the schematic.

That reminds me of a 'German' word that doesn't appear in any dictionary.

Röhre and Röhren are the German words for valve and valves.

Back in the 60s, a colleague came up with the term Röhrenbanger for the workshop hammer ...

[Nick]

Meantime I had to learn a few German terms to better understand the schematic.

Back in the 60s, a colleague came up with the term Röhrenbanger for the workshop hammer ...

Akin to "nichtgerfingerpoken" as in:

"Das komputermaschine ist nicht für der gefingerpoken und mittengraben! Oderwise ist easy to schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparksen. Ist nicht für gewerken bei dummkopfen. Der rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottonpicken händer in das pockets muss. Zo relaxen und watschen der blinkenlichten."

[Nowhere-Man]

I work very slowly but sometimes I need a little time for stuff to sink in. I should have noticed that missing voltage before and the fact the voltages had been added to the schematic. Now I noted last night the oscillator voltage runs via a pushbutton switch. Plus a resistance. Today I will test to see if that ties in with ohms measurements since maybe the switch is a problem. Then I have the Soviet radio to explore. If that goes well I may adopt Miguel's idea of working on Soviet radios. Maybe a few Russian friends can bring a few over - they go back to the Fifties.

[Terry]

As you have proved, Nick, there is nothing new under the sun! I remember that well from the 60s when I came across it in an advert in an American magazine. The seller was producing little plates with that text on for engineers to fix to the back of equipment they repaired.

Funnily enough, I was wishing I still had the text when I wrote my previous post. Of course, the 1960s version started with just "Das maschine" - none of those "komputer" thingies around in those days, of course! Well, not in the average home, anyway!

[Miguel Lopez]

I do sustain that I have never seen any Astrad here in Cuba.

As an evidence that this means nothing, I want to share this beauty that was brought to me for repairing this weekend. It's a Selena B206. I have always thought that this model was never brought to Cuba, and here it is (I have never seen any before). Have to say that its performance is amazing. Except for the wooden frame its general condition is very good. It just had a (oh!!!, surprise!!!) MP37 transistor with broken legs. It is now fixed and working well. It tunes Cuban stations on FM that I did not know that were broadcasting there. Really amazing. It belongs to a neighbourg of my mum who knew about my "skills" on Soviet radios.

[alanworland]

Miguel, that looks a solid set! and It looks like it has the massive turret type wave change switch which could probably do with its contacts cleaning!

Alan

[Miguel Lopez]

Hi Alan

The turret is OK, as I cleaned it with a rubber eraser. This set has the characteristic that when you select FM in the turret, it has a sliding arrangement which switches several double-throw switches in the RF PCB. Very complex for my taste, but this one works very well.

Here a picture of the Selena that you gave me at Havana, together with another one that I restored for my uncle. 

Greetings to Suzanne.

[Nowhere-Man]

Is there a marking system for the leads? I read somewhere base is the central leg with collector and emitter opposite. Some of the English transistor sets I have also have positive earth. I will check for any broken legs when I retest. Actually some transistor radios won't work at all on my boat due to the steel walls that blockk the signal. I need to retest my Auriga outside of the boat. I will print off a schematic too.

[Miguel Lopez]

Is there a marking system for the leads?

Yes, usually a color dot marks the emitter

I read somewhere base is the central leg with collector and emitter opposite.

That is true for MP transistors. MP40, MP41, MP25, MP37........ Not for the others. For example, P422 and P423 (both present in the VEF-206) has the emitter marked by a color dot, but the central lead is the collector, not the base. You should need to check this page:
http://www.5v.ru/ds/trnz_ru.htm

some transistor radios won't work at all on my boat due to the steel walls that blockk the signal

You're inside a Faraday's Cage. Radio signals don't like to go throught metal walls

[Nowhere-Man]

I will make sure I follow your "consejos", Miguel. I will report how I get on with the Astrad Auriga. It could be the steel boat just eroded any signals. I am very keen to learn about Soviet Radios as it's a slight branch off the mainstream.