https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:03:27 +0000 MyBB https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9660 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:33:13 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9660 I regard them as a sad poor copy of the originals, made in China for a rock bottom price, a blatant copy of a much loved model, iconic for its time and still regarded as outstanding.

What is it?

Well, its the bent "U" retro copy Bush TR82.

Yes, one of those horrors, all plastic, next to no electronics inside and low, low quality I assumed.

For those that don't know, the Chinees got hold of a TR82 that had been heated, by sun presumably, and the "U" on the from had softened and sagged.  So they faithfully copied it!
This example came to me very cheap, in fact free, as it came with another set that I wanted, I would never have gone out and bought one of these.

It was filthy but not scratched about and it worked just fine considering the lack of components ( I think the circuit is a basic 2 chip affair ) and the small cheap speaker.
The mains lead was present with the obligatory white emulsion spots, ( why do folk do this? ) and no signs of leaked PP9 battery inside. The handle was not even bent surprisingly and there was no damage due to it being dropped either.
The plastic wood grain finish is different, not very Bush, as is the white tuning dial. The extending aerial is whole and straight.
Having worked out how to take the back off, the normal big screw in the center but then it has to slide vertically to unhook, I found the inside to be very clean and undamaged. I doubt that anyone has ever opened this radio.
The filthy outside meant that it would have to come completely apart for a thorough soak and clean which involved taking out the mains power module, the main pcb and the speaker. The inner panel which is a large plastic moulding is held together in the front panel with lots of screws, I left the brown top panel with the holes for the knobs and buttons in place, it seemed to be stuck.
Taking the pcb out involved removing the reduction cord drives for the tuning and the tuning knob and pointer.
This cord arrangement is quite clever, two strings on one tuning drum to two different diameter pulleys on the tuning dial assembly gives the required slow motion tuning without any gears. It looked terrifying to restring so I photographed the lot and taped the cords to the pulleys before lifting them off. It all went back together easily then.
I changed the battery snap on connector to a small PP3 type so that it will take a 6 AA pack instead of the exorbitantly priced PP9.

So what about it as a radio? Well it works very well, reception on MW LW and FM is very good. The sound is OK considering.
Would I buy one for real money? No, but it did surprise me how well made it was and how well it works.

Sam.]]> I regard them as a sad poor copy of the originals, made in China for a rock bottom price, a blatant copy of a much loved model, iconic for its time and still regarded as outstanding.

What is it?

Well, its the bent "U" retro copy Bush TR82.

Yes, one of those horrors, all plastic, next to no electronics inside and low, low quality I assumed.

For those that don't know, the Chinees got hold of a TR82 that had been heated, by sun presumably, and the "U" on the from had softened and sagged.  So they faithfully copied it!
This example came to me very cheap, in fact free, as it came with another set that I wanted, I would never have gone out and bought one of these.

It was filthy but not scratched about and it worked just fine considering the lack of components ( I think the circuit is a basic 2 chip affair ) and the small cheap speaker.
The mains lead was present with the obligatory white emulsion spots, ( why do folk do this? ) and no signs of leaked PP9 battery inside. The handle was not even bent surprisingly and there was no damage due to it being dropped either.
The plastic wood grain finish is different, not very Bush, as is the white tuning dial. The extending aerial is whole and straight.
Having worked out how to take the back off, the normal big screw in the center but then it has to slide vertically to unhook, I found the inside to be very clean and undamaged. I doubt that anyone has ever opened this radio.
The filthy outside meant that it would have to come completely apart for a thorough soak and clean which involved taking out the mains power module, the main pcb and the speaker. The inner panel which is a large plastic moulding is held together in the front panel with lots of screws, I left the brown top panel with the holes for the knobs and buttons in place, it seemed to be stuck.
Taking the pcb out involved removing the reduction cord drives for the tuning and the tuning knob and pointer.
This cord arrangement is quite clever, two strings on one tuning drum to two different diameter pulleys on the tuning dial assembly gives the required slow motion tuning without any gears. It looked terrifying to restring so I photographed the lot and taped the cords to the pulleys before lifting them off. It all went back together easily then.
I changed the battery snap on connector to a small PP3 type so that it will take a 6 AA pack instead of the exorbitantly priced PP9.

So what about it as a radio? Well it works very well, reception on MW LW and FM is very good. The sound is OK considering.
Would I buy one for real money? No, but it did surprise me how well made it was and how well it works.

Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9659 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:22:04 +0000 Ruairi]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9659 https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9657 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:07:10 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9657 This one I am struggling with has uncontrollable high volume and its not the volume pot. I have only 849 ohms across the pot pcb terminals with it disconnected. Searching around I can find no simple reason and the pcb is not easy to follow through.

Most grateful for any assistance, thank you.

Sam.]]> This one I am struggling with has uncontrollable high volume and its not the volume pot. I have only 849 ohms across the pot pcb terminals with it disconnected. Searching around I can find no simple reason and the pcb is not easy to follow through.

Most grateful for any assistance, thank you.

Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9648 Thu, 21 May 2026 16:48:37 +0000 singlepentode69]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9648 https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9645 Mon, 11 May 2026 09:52:13 +0000 Nancy08]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9645
Bit of a long shot, but I am looking to get my hands on a Toshiba 11L-769F. My usual contacts don't have any leads and I was wondering if anyone happened to know anyone selling one?

Thank you in advance!
Nancy x]]>
Bit of a long shot, but I am looking to get my hands on a Toshiba 11L-769F. My usual contacts don't have any leads and I was wondering if anyone happened to know anyone selling one?

Thank you in advance!
Nancy x]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9642 Sat, 09 May 2026 08:36:47 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9642 I need the telescopic section to fit to the existing fixed lower section by knocking the hinge pin out.
As far as I can tell the existing one is 7.73mm in diameter and the first lower section of the telescopic part is 128mm long so that it will disappear into the support tube.
Sam.]]> I need the telescopic section to fit to the existing fixed lower section by knocking the hinge pin out.
As far as I can tell the existing one is 7.73mm in diameter and the first lower section of the telescopic part is 128mm long so that it will disappear into the support tube.
Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9640 Mon, 04 May 2026 11:52:41 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9640
Example, the 205 amplifier pcb uses 80uf (2 in parallel), 6.4uf, 40uf and 400uf. None of these are present day standard values.
Is it a supply situation or deliberate act to use unpopular values?
I substitute the closest values from stock, 100uf, 10uf, 47uf and 470uf. With the wider tolerances these seem close enough.]]>
Example, the 205 amplifier pcb uses 80uf (2 in parallel), 6.4uf, 40uf and 400uf. None of these are present day standard values.
Is it a supply situation or deliberate act to use unpopular values?
I substitute the closest values from stock, 100uf, 10uf, 47uf and 470uf. With the wider tolerances these seem close enough.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9639 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:14:02 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9639
For £460.20, gee wiz.  Amazing what rarity will do.

I have looked for one for years but that price is way beyond my pay grade.

Looked to be a tidy set and confirmed working too.  Pye/Fairchild  germanium transistors still going, no tin whiskers of course, too early for that.  

Sam.]]>
For £460.20, gee wiz.  Amazing what rarity will do.

I have looked for one for years but that price is way beyond my pay grade.

Looked to be a tidy set and confirmed working too.  Pye/Fairchild  germanium transistors still going, no tin whiskers of course, too early for that.  

Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9638 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:04:56 +0000 boater sam]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9638 Now I understand that they have not been made for a long time but the prices that retailers want for them is now getting silly. I suppose its all the wah wah pedel makers pushing the price up.
I am dubious about buying a metal can one as they can suffer from tin whiskers, I will have to use the ceramic ones and change the heat sinks.
Whilst thinking of Hackers, what are others doing about the now difficult and pricy PP9 batteries? I am considering a pack of AA cells as a substitute and remove the PP9 battery clips.
Sam.]]> Now I understand that they have not been made for a long time but the prices that retailers want for them is now getting silly. I suppose its all the wah wah pedel makers pushing the price up.
I am dubious about buying a metal can one as they can suffer from tin whiskers, I will have to use the ceramic ones and change the heat sinks.
Whilst thinking of Hackers, what are others doing about the now difficult and pricy PP9 batteries? I am considering a pack of AA cells as a substitute and remove the PP9 battery clips.
Sam.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9632 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:53:44 +0000 valve-pilot]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9632 https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9631 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:05:06 +0000 Radio Fixer]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9631
Wkg on a radio that needs a few 5mm inside diam, say by 20mm long. These are the neoprene rubber type which need to be soft and flexible as its part of a drive mechanism.  I say this as old pre used ones may not be suitable.

I can buy a bag of 100 but will never use anymore and I have too many items like this.

3 or 4 would be enough and of course I'm happy to pay postage.

thanks Gary]]>
Wkg on a radio that needs a few 5mm inside diam, say by 20mm long. These are the neoprene rubber type which need to be soft and flexible as its part of a drive mechanism.  I say this as old pre used ones may not be suitable.

I can buy a bag of 100 but will never use anymore and I have too many items like this.

3 or 4 would be enough and of course I'm happy to pay postage.

thanks Gary]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9616 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:45:19 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9616 Hello all It has been a while since I was last able to get back to my work bench. Health issues slow me down a little but my doctor tells me that I am in good condition, (for my age!)


Anyway, back onto topic. I recently came across a basket case of a radio, and because it was a model I've never seen before, I put my brain into neutral and bought it.


The radio is from about 1963, and is a five valve, live-chassis type, compact mantle. It has a four position rotary switch giving

• pick -up
  
• broadcast band
  
• SW-1
  
• SW-2.
  

A paper schematic label was glued to the inside of the cabinet, so I figured that would be enough to fix it.


Apart from one missing knob and and a cabinet that would make a cabinet maker cry, I began to fix the radio knowing that I would give it away after fixing it.


I disassembled the set as much as I could, cleaned off the chassis and had a good look at what was under all the dust. First the mains fuse did not look right. Hmm. 25A fuse? Seemed a little high. I replaced it with something around a quarter amp. Next I replaced all the paper caps. I changed the electro in the output valve's cathode, and re-formed the main filter electro at a low mains input for a few hours.


The power supply is a little odd, (read dangerous) in this set. The Aerial, the aerial's earth end, the pick-up, and the radio chassis, are all isolated from the mains by some wonderful sixty year old paper capacitors. what could possibly do wrong? Apart from the obvious, if the active side of the mains is the side being the, radio's earth, (a bus-bar from tag to tag underneath the chassis), the tuning gang and the dial drum will be live. It is connected to the-bus bar.
In this case of my radio, the insulating grommets had turned into a white goo and flowed away decades ago. Now every piece of the chassis would become live. Hmm. thinking of that 25A fuse again.


Long story short, it's now working.
Because the schematic was so poor, I used it in conjunction with the circuits for National EE-345J and GU-362.


If I can, I will try to attach a photo of what I am working on now.Let' see who can recognise it.

  642.jpg (Size: 573.33 KB / Downloads: 24) ]]> Hello all It has been a while since I was last able to get back to my work bench. Health issues slow me down a little but my doctor tells me that I am in good condition, (for my age!)


Anyway, back onto topic. I recently came across a basket case of a radio, and because it was a model I've never seen before, I put my brain into neutral and bought it.


The radio is from about 1963, and is a five valve, live-chassis type, compact mantle. It has a four position rotary switch giving

• pick -up
  
• broadcast band
  
• SW-1
  
• SW-2.
  

A paper schematic label was glued to the inside of the cabinet, so I figured that would be enough to fix it.


Apart from one missing knob and and a cabinet that would make a cabinet maker cry, I began to fix the radio knowing that I would give it away after fixing it.


I disassembled the set as much as I could, cleaned off the chassis and had a good look at what was under all the dust. First the mains fuse did not look right. Hmm. 25A fuse? Seemed a little high. I replaced it with something around a quarter amp. Next I replaced all the paper caps. I changed the electro in the output valve's cathode, and re-formed the main filter electro at a low mains input for a few hours.


The power supply is a little odd, (read dangerous) in this set. The Aerial, the aerial's earth end, the pick-up, and the radio chassis, are all isolated from the mains by some wonderful sixty year old paper capacitors. what could possibly do wrong? Apart from the obvious, if the active side of the mains is the side being the, radio's earth, (a bus-bar from tag to tag underneath the chassis), the tuning gang and the dial drum will be live. It is connected to the-bus bar.
In this case of my radio, the insulating grommets had turned into a white goo and flowed away decades ago. Now every piece of the chassis would become live. Hmm. thinking of that 25A fuse again.


Long story short, it's now working.
Because the schematic was so poor, I used it in conjunction with the circuits for National EE-345J and GU-362.


If I can, I will try to attach a photo of what I am working on now.Let' see who can recognise it.

  642.jpg (Size: 573.33 KB / Downloads: 24) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9609 Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:49:12 +0000 Danndad]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9609 They are on the out put pair collector so I would imagine they would be 6v, I enclose a snippet of the sheet.
  Screenshot_20260224-184144_OneDrive.jpg (Size: 423.79 KB / Downloads: 20) ]]> They are on the out put pair collector so I would imagine they would be 6v, I enclose a snippet of the sheet.
  Screenshot_20260224-184144_OneDrive.jpg (Size: 423.79 KB / Downloads: 20) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9593 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:52:46 +0000 thefish1000]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9593 Hi ,
Has anybody got any experience of the Grundig Melody boy 1000 FM tuner 
my problem is the FM oscillator is oscillating too high in frequency tried 2 replacement transistors no joy .

help]]> Hi ,
Has anybody got any experience of the Grundig Melody boy 1000 FM tuner 
my problem is the FM oscillator is oscillating too high in frequency tried 2 replacement transistors no joy .

help]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9585 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:21:45 +0000 thefish1000]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9585 Has anybody got any experience of the Grundig Melody boy 1000 FM tuner 
my problem is the FM oscillator is oscillating too high in frequency tried 2 replacement transistors no joy .

help]]> Has anybody got any experience of the Grundig Melody boy 1000 FM tuner 
my problem is the FM oscillator is oscillating too high in frequency tried 2 replacement transistors no joy .

help]]>