Eddystone User Group


Refurbishment of an EA12 by Victor Jenkins

October 05, 2023 By: chris Category: News

Those of you who have read Victor’s previous articles, especially the one on his Eddystone 888A restoration, will know that they make very interesting and informative reading. Victor is a man who knows his way around RF circuits and has a passion for getting the best out of his receivers which he uses on a daily basis for shortwave listening. Victor has now written up his work in refurbishing an EA12 so that he could get the best performance out of it. A fascinating read and I am sure many readers will enjoy and benefit from his experiences and expertise. You will find the article in the Restoration folder but you can download if from here.

Eddystones in more usual places

May 26, 2023 By: chris Category: News

In recent months I have discovered a number of Facebook sites which show pictures of the radio rooms of various merchant marine ships. Eddystone supplied a number of Marine Radio Communications companies, throughout Europe with Eddystone receivers. Usually they were badged under the name of the company (MIMCO, Debeg, Hagenuk etc) who supplied and had responsibility for the radio equipment, and the provision of the ship’s radio officers. The role of Radio officer was phased out in the 1990’s with the introduction of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System which was a maritime communications system used for: emergency and distress messages. vessel-to-vessel routine communications. vessel-to-shore routine communications, Radio Officers often retrained as Technical or Engineering Officers and stayed in the Merchant Marine or took land based jobs.

I like to see if I can recognise sets of Eddystone origin in some of the FB pictures. EC958s and S830 seem to be the most popular main receiver with S1002 taking the role of the reserve receiver. There is also a Eddystone Radio Owner’s FB page which whilst nothing to do with the Eddystone User Group does throw up some interesting sets that are still in use by their current owners. The links to FB pages are shown below.

A friend of Gerry O’Hara VE7GUH sent him the photo below of an S880/2 together with a Marconi Atalanta, mounted in an unusual shallow-angled console aboard the ‘Tonga’, a bulk carrier vessel operated by Wilh. Wilhelmsen in Norway, in the late 1960’s. Gerry thought having S880/2 on a ship was unusual?  This was found on the Marine Radio Group site (see below)

 

I found the following picture of a very young operator in charge of the radio room of a supertanker with the callsign A8VD with what are clearly two S830 sets on the FB page of the The Marconi International Marine Communications Company (URL below)

 

 

The picture below shows Norwegian Ship MV Kingsville with Radio Officer Per Mikalsen operating another S830 which was published on the Maritime Radio Group FB page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture shows Radio room on the Pride of Bruges with a Main Receiver Marconi Marine Pacific X (Rebadged Eddystone EC1837- and I think a S1002 reserve receiver to its left).

Have a look at these Facebook pages;

The Marconi International Marine Communications Company https://www.facebook.com/groups/62027358433

Marine Radio Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/148087645522509

Eddystone Radio Owners https://www.facebook.com/groups/151222598354706

Radio Officers https://www.facebook.com/groups/sparkslist

Eddystone AW-2 User and Radio Constructor Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/702709910330466

Enjoy the hunt for “Eddystones”

Chris G0EYO

EUG Admin

Eddystone S640 and S688 speaker go to a good home

March 20, 2023 By: chris Category: News

Those of you who are members of the Eddystone User Groups.io forum will have seen the generous offer on17/3/23 from Andy in  Northumberland of a S640 receiver and S688 speaker Free of Charge to someone who would give it the TLC it deserves. Following his mother’s passing Andy had found the receiver, which belonged to his father, whilst clearing her loft space and he remembers having it in his bedroom as a youngster more than 40 years ago. The set and speaker were quickly claimed by Mike who lived in the same area  and picked up by him the same day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike contacted me to confirm he had picked up the sets and sent in few photographs of himself with his  S940, which he bought new in 1968, waiting for BBC World Service to come on air whilst working in Boston, Massachusetts in 1971. The second picture shows Mike, repairing the RF stage on that same S940 in Northumberland 40 years later. The third picture shows Mike’s impressive collection of Eddystone sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My collection moving from left to right an 850/4, my 940 under repair, an “as new” 830/7, an EA12, 770 MkIIR and 770U MkII and an 840C.

Intrigued by such a layout, I asked Mike if he would give us some history about his love of Eddystone’s. He graciously obliged.

Mike’s Story

“I purchased my 940 from Aitkin Bros in Newcastle in late 1968. I had seen a 840C in their window along with a couple of the smaller transistorised models. Aitkins was where we went in Newcastle to buy valves and other radio and TV components and even to get valves tested for a fee. So after some thought I went in and put a £5 deposit on a 840C. But I picked up some brochures at the same time which included one on the 940. So I went back and changed my order to the 940. When it came in I carried it home on the bus with some difficulty. Later I ordered a plinth speaker directly from Eddystone. Around that time I saw an advert in Wireless World which covered the 830,770R and U so I always wondered about them.

 

Then I was transferred by my employer to the United States near Boston where I lived for many years and took my 940 with me, originally working in Image Analysis Scientific instruments and later in NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) and MRI which are both radio frequency technologies. Whilst in the US the BBC sent me a monthly program and that is what I have in my hand in the photograph.

 

I was repairing the RF stage on my 940 after Gerry O’Hara had asked me to make some voltage measurements for him. I had not been using my 940 for other than local radio stations at the time and had not realised that there was a fault but in checking for Gerry I found the usual out of spec carbon resistors so set about replacing them using Graham Wormalds tips for this awkward job. I had gotten to know Gerry when I appealed for some help with the repair of my 770U MkII and Gerry replied. Later by chance both of us together would be replacing and tuning new turret coils at the same time. In my case the Band 3 and 6 coil substrates had deteriorated and crumbled through damp. I did more work on my 770U MkII than any other radio tracking down an intermittent IF gain problem which turned out to be in the coils of the first 50 MHz IF transformer. This differs from the second 50 MHz IF transformer in that it is a a wider band tuning but only the narrow band second stage transformer was available and that worked just fine. I used a modern Marconi digital signal generator to align the set as I did not have much luck using the higher harmonics of my old AVO sig gen.

 

I also owned at one time an EP17R VHFand an EP20 HF Panadapter and used the EP17R to align my 770U and this work is featured in Gerry’s Detectors and Discriminators article. Also owned a very early 888 but sold that when I got the EA12. My other hobbies are E-Type Jaguars of which I have two so sticking with the “E”

Some additional photographs”   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the story Mike. Good luck with the S640, but you might need a bigger bench

Chris G0EYO

EUG Admin

 

merry Xmas Everyone

December 25, 2022 By: chris Category: News

Saw this picture on Facebook this morning and it had the caption ” Even Santa collects vintage radios”. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Story about an Eddystone 888A

December 21, 2022 By: chris Category: News

 

The Eddystone User Group website was started in 2006 when EUG Administrator and Newsletter Editor, Graeme Wormald G3GGL, decided at 75 years of age it was time to retire. The objective was to take all the Eddystone service manuals, archives and newsletter information that Graeme had written, collated, found and stored over the years and load it on to a single website where it could be freely downloaded by any Eddystone enthusiast. To this was added articles on the Restoration of Eddystone receivers, mostly produced by Gerry O’Hara VE7GUH, but added to by others who wanted to share their experiences. To date we have some 60+ restoration articles from various authors  plus 28 Technical Shorts written by Gerry, each focussing on a specific technical issue in repairing and restoring these receivers. We encourage anyone, who wishes to pass on their experience working on Eddystone sets to write it up and submit it for publication.

Every so often we get to hear of someone who purchases a set with the sole aim of getting back to factory specification (or even better). No small feat when we remember we are talking about radios which could be anything up to 80 years old and, of course, not everyone has the skills or facilities to be able to do such a thing.

Victor Jenkins purchased a Eddystone 888A together with S meter and speaker which had been generously donated to the Eddystone User Group by a long time member Richard Hall GM0OGN, to raise funds to keep the website running. Victor paid a very generous price for the trio which were in nice cosmetic condition even though I had not powered the set up. Victor is well known for the thoroughness of his restorations and as a retired electronics engineer knows his way around valve circuits. He has now fully restored his 888A and kept a diary of his experiences which we are publishing here. It makes a great read and takes us through the ups and downs of working on these old sets. I hope you enjoy it. I certainly did and thank Victor for sharing it with us.

Chris G0EYO EUG Admin.

PS.    Your Administrator and the EUG gnomes wish all EUGers a Very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. These are difficult times but if anyone is feeling generous, a donation towards the running costs of this site and the EUG groups.io forum is always very welcome.

 

 

1930’s Eddystone Brochure “Proof of Eddystone Supremacy”

December 15, 2021 By: chris Category: News

Richard, F4WCD/ZS6TF has found this brochure ” Proof of Eddystone Supremacy ” dated 1934 which lists Testimonials from Stratton customers world-wide (including some very exotic places), stating how pleased they are with their purchase of Eddystone All Wave receivers. The back page has a list of 105 countries which have purchased Eddystone receivers. I have filed is in the Technical/Technical Information folder.

 

 

Obituary: Howard Turner of Centre Electronics, Birmingham

December 09, 2021 By: chris Category: News

Howard Turner, of Centre Electronics, now silent key.

Howard Turner, known to many of us as the owner of Centre Electronics in Birmingham and as a dealer in vintage Eddystone radio receivers and valves, sadly passed away this October after a short illness, aged 80 years. Over the past several decades, many of us met Howard at the numerous radio rallies held throughout the country, or at his shop in South Yardley, Birmingham which was a cornucopia of electronics treasures and where a bargain was always to be had.   Howard is survived by his wife and business partner, Maureen, and son Christopher. His Funeral Service was held at St Giles’ Church, Exhall, near Coventry on 22nd November 2021 and was attended by family and friends, including some of his old customers. There were numerous floral tributes including one from the Eddystone User Group.

Howard was born in 1941 near the village of Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull. Eventually the family moved to Balsall Common and at aged 15 years, Howard left Lode Lane School and started work as a cabinet maker in a local furniture factory. However in the early 1960s the factory closed down and Howard found employment with a local builder and thus learnt his trade as a bricklayer/builder which was to be his main occupation for the next 20+ years. However in the 1980s, Howard become disillusioned with the building industry and decided to start a new venture.

Since the age of 10, Howard, with the encouragement of a local farmer, Mr Arthur Blaymire, developed an interest in Electronics and Radio. Howard was self-taught, reading books and magazines, asking questions of anyone who could help and sometimes servicing his friend, Mr Blaymire’s, television. Mr Blaymire and his brother Percy were amongst the early pioneers of radio in the 1920s so like many of that generation, were equipment was experimental and often self-built, they were good teachers to Howard.

Eventually Howard put his vast knowledge to good use by starting a brand new venture in the 1980s with Maureen, dealing with radio and test equipment and electronic parts at a shop in Stockfield Road, South Yardley, Birmingham. Thus Centre Electronics was born. With the help of their friend, Paul Bicknell, G8KFW, they gain a contract for servicing and repairing radio equipment for the London Fire Brigade. Simultaneously with the shop business, Howard and Maureen would be regular stall holders at radio rallies up and down the country and sometimes overseas, selling Eddystone and other rare sets and parts. It was at these rallies that he would meet Eddystone collectors, many of whom were to become his customers and, not a few, firm friends for life.

I first met Howard around 1990, when I was managing director of Eddystone Radio in Birmingham. We had already started to support the Eddystone User Group and Howard heard through a friend of mine that we were going to close down our service department for sets more than 15 years old, which meant that we had a large quantity of radio valves for sale. He came and saw me and we struck a deal for him to buy them and we would direct future customers for them to Centre Electronics. Looking after the valve business was largely in the hands of Maureen who shipped them to customers all over the UK and world-wide. For me that was the start of a life-long friendship with Howard and Maureen.

In 1993, Tony Sale, and other experts, were proposing re-building the Mark 2 Colossus computer at Bletchley Park, secret home of the war-time Codebreakers. Colossus was the world’s first programmable electronic computer. Its sole purpose was to help decipher the Loren encrypted (Tunny) messages sent between Hitler and his top generals during the war. Churchill had decreed that all machines, plans and drawings of Colossus, which was designed by Post Office engineer Tommy Flowers, should be destroyed after the war for security reasons. Thus the challenge that Tony Sale and his team set themselves in 1993 was enormous.  Howard and Maureen responded to Tony’s request for help obtaining valves and rare components through their numerous contacts and were able to help Tony with this important project which was eventually finished in 2008. It is on permanent display at Bletchley Park. Howard and Maureen carried on the business at Centre Electronics until Howard’s retirement in 2004.

After his retirement, Howard pursued his other interests, one of which was restoring vintage and classic cars. This hobby was inspired, when as a boy walking along the lanes with his mother, one of their neighbours, who was a doctor, drove past in his brand new Jaguar XK120 sports car. Howard told his mother that “when I grow up I am going to get myself one of those “. Howard restored many classic cars from his retirement, right up until his passing this year. I well remember him coming to the Eddystone factory several times in a Jaguar which was his favourite marque. He was also a “black powder” enthusiast, collecting, restoring and shooting flintlock muskets with a group of friends.

Sadly in February 2021, Howard was suddenly struck down with an illness that which was diagnosed as Mesothelioma (also known as asbestosis), most likely contracted all those years he was in the building industry. Once diagnosed Howard’s health declined very quickly despite the best efforts of the NHS and he was eventually admitted to the Marie Curie Hospice where he passed away on 31st of October.  Howard was a real character, who will be fondly remembered by many of us. RIP Howard and be assured that your life made a difference and the world was a better place for you being in it. You will be missed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Pettitt G0EYO

3/12/2021

 

Howard Turner of Centre Electronics, Birmingham now Silent Key

November 11, 2021 By: chris Category: News

It is with great sadness we heard of the recent passing of Howard Turner, lately proprietor of Centre Electronics, Stockfield Road, Yardley, Birmingham. Howard has been part of the Eddystone enthusiasts scene for more than 40 years.  Specialising in Eddystone and Racal sets, he was a familiar face for many years at the Radio Rallies held around the country pre-Covid.  He was often accompanied by his wife Maureen who also helped him with the business. Howard was diagnosed with mesothelioma (a form of asbestiosis) earlier this year.

Howard’s funeral will be held on Monday 22nd November at 2pm at Saint Giles Church, Exhall, Coventry,  CV7 9GZ. The church is close to the M6/A444 Junction but from map it looks like it might be easiest to go via Coventry Building Society Arena where there is also a train station.

Flowers can be sent to Howard’s home or the church. If being sent to Howard’s home they must arrive by 12:00. The family are using: Shellie’s Flowers,  Arden Oak Rd.,  Sheldon, Tel 0121 743 3021

 Because Howard was so well known amongst Eddystone Users, we will be posting his obituary to this website after the funeral. RIP Howard.

Rare Eddystone S910/1 receiver sold on E bay

July 08, 2021 By: chris Category: News

There was a little excitement on the EUG groups.io forum this week when a member spotted a rare Eddystone S910/1 marine receiver badged as a Marconi HR101. It eventually sold for the amazing sum of £487 which shows both its rarity and the fact that it was hard fought over.  Graeme’s G3GGL QRG entry states that “this set is a double superhet with interpolation tuning of first IF stage. Very similar in operation to the 830- series but in general appearance much like the 730-series. Contains 16 valves, 6 bands; coverage 1.5-30Mc/s and 375-525kc/s. First IF 1350-1450kc/s; second IF 85 kc/s. Production run 200. Very rare” Graeme didn’t have access to a picture of the set for the QRG but the seller was kind enough to provide one in his sale offer. The seller Ray G4NSJ from Worthing stated that “the receiver works but is a little deaf. Also, SSB reception isn’t quite right so that will need looking at. It probably needs a good overhaul, alignment, replacing capacitors etc.” The set looks in nice cosmetic condition considering it is 60 years old. Bet someone on this forum knows where it has ended up. 

Chris G0EYO Admin

 

 

 

Replacement Switch Wafers, new service from Ian Nutt M0ECQ

June 03, 2021 By: chris Category: News

Ian Nutt M0ECQ, who has provided a “not-for-profit” spares service for the Eddystone User Group for many years, has advised me that he has quite a sizeable stock of component parts for the switch wafers commonly used on Eddystone receivers and has the necessary tools for forming the hollow rivets used to hold the various parts in place. Ian has recently made a replacement wafer for an EUG member which is shown in the photo. The new one is on the right.

Ian tells me he may be able to repair other switch wafers for Eddystone users, (but he can’t guarantee it will always be possible).

Ian proposes the following procedure for those interested in this service

  • Interested persons should contact Ian by email ( iandcnutt@msn.com ) first and send him a photo of the wafer in question
  • If it looks repairable or replaceable Ian will ask the person to send the wafer to him
  • Ian  will then either make a replica from new parts or repair the old, whichever seems most appropriate, as long as this is possible from the parts he has.

Ian also has quite a few original NOS wafers in various styles including for some of the more modern sets, so it is worth checking with him if you need a replacement

 

Chris G0EYO EUG Admin