Need more involvement by members

We still need more involvement from you members. Any suggestions will be seriously considered.

I will start a Solid state Forum now.

1948 - 2011 = 63 years. Yeah, old enough, lol.

Hi all,

My feeling is that this forum can consider transistors as well as tube stuff. The transistor is over 50 year sold now, so I feel it fits in to the general topics of what we are/could be interested in.

Bob

Tried the blog but seems that topics can go willy nilly so I am keeping the forum format for right now, too many details and not enough experience for me.

Still considering maybe a seperate forum for transistor radios though, will see how it goes.

I will take a look at that I just changed the format today from a forum persay to a blog. Soooooo
I might need to do some more tweeking.

Cliff Jones wrote:

Solid state is not out of the question, however most solid state new stuff is not repairable by the average technician, Older solid state stuff can be repaired though. Its a shame its all throw away mentality.

We do have a Portable radio section that includes solid state, more discreet devices, and not microchip stuff at present.

Thanks for your input.

"Antique Radios of Collectors and Hobbyists" would seem to preclude new stuff, but INclude Transistor sets with discrete components that were manufactured from 1954 to sometime in the '70's.

The Vintage Portable Radios forum has a total of one thread, and it's about a Zenith Transistor set. Why not change that forum title to "Transistor Radios"? I would be happy to try and contribute to it, as I can.

We welcome your experience and your knowledge of electronics and even answering electrical-electronics math and theory will help. I can see a need for answering antenna, cable and connectors being important too.
Even Just starting to tread into repairs and your problems, solutions and questions are needed. Thanks for checking in.

Hey Cliff,
I will try to check in more often and do some posting. My trouble is I have a lot more questions then answers!
I am a long time Extra class ham operator but never did much work on the tube stuff and old radios. I am now 100% retired and other then some eye problems will have more time. I have collected vintage radios for about 10 years now and have around 200 including transistors. I have just started to work on one of them this week to restore. I also would like to post a few odd types and enjoy looking what others are working on. Will try to help your site.
I just love these old quality built America radios and the history.
Good luck
W8WHO
Cliff Dice

Solid state is not out of the question, however most solid state new stuff is not repairable by the average technician, Older solid state stuff can be repaired though. Its a shame its all throw away mentality.

We do have a Portable radio section that includes solid state, more discreet devices, and not microchip stuff at present.

Thanks for your input.

Hey Cliff; stopped in B/C I received an inactive notice in my email.

You have a great little site here, but I am guilty as many are, of just frequenting ARF, or the Tube Radio Forum when ARF is down. The basics of all three sites, at least in a cursory view, is the same, but ARF is where all the action is, B/C that's where everyone goes.

The community is apparently sufficiently small enough that one main site seems to pretty well cover things.

You could consider changing it to a mainly solid state venue, which would make a very strong alternative to ARF...(I can already hear the groaning...).

Hi again Cliff,

I do have Access, but have found, to my brain anyway, the learning curve was a tad heavy for me.

That's why, when I was able to have Filemaker Pro available to me, I thought I would try that. So far, it seems to be working quite well. I still have a ways to go, but I seem to grasp this software better.

Here's a screen shot of my semiconductor page so far. I'm going to add pics as well as play with the overall appearance to the page as I go along. Not because I need to, but it's a great way to learn more about the program. Maybe someday though, I may try Access again.

Click Here --->FIlemaker Pro Screen shot

Your idea of taking data sheets off the internet sounds like it could take some time, but you would really have something when you finished for sure. I've wondered about finding a tube manual that has the binding falling apart, so I don't have to destroy a good copy, scanning each page and using an OCR package to convert it to text, then arrange all the info into comma separated info to be used in a spreadsheet environment or even later, to a data base system. How's that for a task?

ve1arn:
I read in your post that you have MS office Access. That is a wonderful program, There are wizards that help you construct the database, fill in forms, and reports. It takes some getting use to. I learned it on the job and taking a course at college to learn basics, I had prior experience with DBaseIII which helped.
Get an old book from goodwill on Access, the fundamentals don't change for setting up , the only thing is all the bells and whistles they add with each new edition. You can import text into Excel with text delimited, set the basic conversions and then export to Access, I found its the simplest way to go for ease.

Some stuff I may be able to assist with in setting up (I'll have to see if I still have tutorial instructions on it)
And you can still get a plethora of tutorials for free on the web too.

One of the things I am thinking about is, downloading a couple of tube lists off the Internet, converting it to text files and then uploading into a database or spreadsheet, then using the database to extract the files into a database, Should save a lot of typing that way.

I did that 15 years ago when I was working at the Navy yard and they scrapped all the tubes, to go to, DROMO. I had the sad task to pack them all and provide a list to the recycle program it took me almost 6 months on and off to get it done so using a database sure helped.

Did about 4000-4500 tubes, and I couldn't take any because they were Govt. Property, This included even EYE tubes. Radiac tubes, Magnetron, and lighthouse style tubes and almost all receiving type tubes, most were JAN specific.
---------------------
I had a local Ham give me his entire lot of tubes that he tried selling on the Internet but didn't know the prices, so I told him if he would give me a list I would help price them, He said don't bother, I'll just give them all to you. So I have huge flats of tubes (about 100 in each flat, and I think I have at least 6-7 flats. I'm sure most of them are TV tubes, but I also was given some O'Scope CRTs too. Think Ill trade or sell most all except for radio tubes. Thems Ill keep.
-------------------
I'm also going to do a database for the same reason with solid state devices,resistors, caps and Test Equipment, and radio collection just to keep track of the locations

PS; Here's a link that has a LOT of tube descriptions and links to data pages for free, also has lists of solid-state stuff. exhaustive
>Electronic data source< click Here
Heres a sample: This is in an HTML format with boxes like a spreadsheet, but it doesn't work here on this text forum format.
Number, Construction Basing, H/F Voltage, H/F Current Description, Use
RCA-00-A 4-Prong S-14 5VDC 250mA Vapor-Type Detector
RCA-01-A 4-prong ST-14 5VDC 250mA Detector, Amplifier
0A2 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 5BO n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 150V regulator
0A3, 0A3A 6-pin Octal ST-12, T-9 4AJ n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 75V regulator
0A4G 6-pin Octal ST-12 ? n/a n/a Gas Triode Relay Tube
0A5 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 0A5 n/a n/a Switching
0B2 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 5B0 n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 108V regulator
0B3/VR90 6-pin Octal ST-12, T-9 4AJ n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 90V regulator
0C2 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 5BO n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 75V regulator
0C3, 0C3-A 6-pin Octal ST-12, T9 4AJ n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 105V regulator
0D3, 0D3-A 6-pin Octal ST-12, T9 4AJ n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 150V regulator
0E3/85A1 3-pin Loctal T-9? n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 85V Regulator
OG3/85A2 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 n/a n/a Voltage Regulator 85V Regulator
0Y4, 0Y4G 5-pin Octal MT8G (0Y4) or T-7 (0Y4G) ? n/a n/a Half-Wave Gas Rectifier
OZ4/OZ4A (metal),
0Z4G (glass) Octal, Metal MT8, Glass T-7 4R n/a n/a Full-Wave Gas Rectifier (CC) car radios
RCA-10 4-prong S-17 7.5V 1.25A Power Amplifier Oscillator
1A3 7-pin Miniature T5-1/2 5AP 1.4V 150mA HF Diode (H-K)
RCA-1A4, 1A4-P 4-Prong ST-12 ? 2V 60mA Pentode (F) RF Amplifier
1A5G, 1A5GT 7-pin Octal T-9 6X 1.4V 50mA Power Pentode (F)
RCA-1A6 6-prong ST-12 Metal 2.0V 60mA Pentagrid Converter
1A7G, 1A7GT Octal T-9 7Z 1.4V 50mA Heptode or Pentagrid Converter (F)

Hi Cliff,

That graphic looks almost like the data base I have set up for my semiconductor stock and for my vacuum tubes. Though, in my case, I'm using Filemaker Pro for software.

I might borrow your template for when I do my book inventory if you don 't mind. I have a medium sized library of books here along with a sizable collection of electronic versions in pdf, as well as other formats, that I want to catalog.

So much work........... so little time.

Thanks Bob.

I have had problems with Openoffice.org database. I have used the Wizard to make a form, but for some reason, it wouldn't save it. On the third attempt it worked but it only shows 11 entries, however when you add a new entry it accepts it and adds to the existing entries. (So It does Work)
I think I will see if I can display the form on the gallery. Just to Give everyone an Idea how simple it is to use.

I too have some physical issues, that prevent me from getting my repairs up and going, but am making slow progress nonetheless.

I uploaded the picture to our gallery
And Heres the photo from the gallery.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hi Cliff,
It's always hard to figure out what will get activity going in any venue. I'm a big fan of the ARF and drop by 3 to 4 times a day. The clubhouse and classifieds forums are a regular stop for me. However, I find it can tend to get a tad overwhelming by times.

I like this forum because you seem to be more into the basics. The ARF is good, but by times I feel some of the threads get a tad too technical for me to grasp anything from them. Hence, being overwhelmed as I stated above. And I do stop by here at least once or twice per day just to check for any new posts.

As for participating by me is concerned; if I was more active in actually getting into the radios at the moment, I'm sure I might get to the point of overdoing it with questions more than answers. I'm one that can only get so much out of a book. I need to see hands on to really get anywhere.

I have no shortage of radios to work on at the moment, so that is no issue. I'm dealing with a couple of health issues at the moment that has made me modify my collecting interests. Got rid of all my boat anchors and I've had to rearrange my radio room in the man cave in my basement to a space that is about half of what it was. What I didn't sell for cash, I made trades at 2 or 3 AA5's to one boat anchor. It was kind of a win-win in a way. I now have more radios than I had before, I don't need to move around heavy gear and shelf storage of the radios is easier. Or at least it will be once I get my room straightened out. 8c)

Your thread on doing an inventory on your library caught my attention as while I'm on some restrictions, I have more time to sit at my computer and do something useful rather than just web surfing. I was hoping to see a couple of more ideas posted on that. Aside from doing an inventory on my books, I'm also doing it on my vacuum tube assortment. I have about 2000 tubes on hand, and once I get that done, I'll be thinning out what I keep there as I really don't need that many tubes packed away here. It'll be the same with the assortment of parts I have stored here too.

Once I get more into working 'in' the room instead of working 'on' the room, I do see myself posting some questions for sure. Now that you have a gallery, I might even post a photo or 2 or 3. Mind you, I don't have anything that comes close to 'holy grail' material, so I hope that just regular everyday sets are OK. 8c)

Hopefully, others will chime in with better comments on this for you.

Cheers for now, Bob

It's been a long time since Anyone has been to This website .It's hard for me to keep coming up with new ideas To keep this website going. I would hope that those who are members of this website Would start In bringing up questions Of Repair problems , Radio Electronics Theory , Tools , Parts, questions In general . I would encourage you To take a more active Part In keeping this Website active .

There is no question that this is a small web site In comparison to Antique Radios.com Website . There is another website Called TubeRadioforum.com I am An Administrator on there. Since Tuberadioforum has been up and running, during the downtime of ARF it has been a alternative that has met with some success, however right now they only have a few that visit on a regular basis. My Idea of starting my own web page was to get away from non topic related discussions. So it seems that there is more interest in ARF and TRF about talking about cats, dogs, and such in their general discussions.

I thought maybe I could avoid that as there is a plethora of forums that cater to social banter.
We have lately been very quite, and I don't know how to get interest going. Any suggestions?