The Introduction of Radio, TV
& Electronics for G3NGD
John's interest in Radio began (1954) with the building of a Crystal set (after reading an article in
Hobbies Weekly Magazine). Things progressed when an Aunt gave John an old Radio Receiver
which was reported to be beyond repair. The Radio Receiver was a Romac Model 126. It didn't take long to find the fault, and the receiver was used to receive all the stations available at that time.
One Day during his school holidays, John paid a Visit to Blackpool to visit 'Billy Smiths'. Billy was a War Surplus Dealer - Radio Amateurs flocked
there to search through the 'War Surplus' items and purchase the 'goodies'.
It was on this visit that John called in a Radio Dealers called 'Wisemans'.
Having enquired about scrap receivers, John purchased an Invicta Model
T105, BBC only, monochrome, nine inch screen, television receiver.The receiver had been taken in on part exchange for a new set, and was purchased for £5. The receiver was unique in respect that it used a bank of EF50 Valves. Almost all the valves in the set were EF50's, and this valve
was readily available on the War Surplus Market as the VR91.
It didn't take long to get the receiver working, as the fault was a duff EF50.
Front view of the Invicta T105, 'BBC' only, VHF, 405 line ,Television Receiver.
Rear View of the Invicta Model T105, 'BBC' only, VHF, 405 line ,Television Receiver.
Of interest: In this country the EF50 was manufactured by 'Mullard' and also by
'Tungsram'. It was screened a metal case, was painted red and had a B9G base.
Unlike later Television Valves, it had a heater voltage of 6·3 Volts @ 0·3A.Equivalents to the EF50 were:
CV1091 - (Commercial Equivalent)
CV1578 - (Commercial Equivalent)
ARP35 - (British Army)
VR91A - (RAF)
VR91 - (RAF)
Once the receiver was working, John was motivated into building a Yagi
VHF Television Aerial. This was constructed using scrap aluminium tubing
(scrap television aerials), given by a local Television Dealer at Fleetwood.How could a schoolboy afford £5 in the early 'fifties?
At that time, new valve technology was being introduced to the design of Radio
Receivers and the 'wealthy' were trading in their old receivers for new receivers
using miniature valves. Many receivers had the 'Marine Band' available on them.
(The Marine band was used by the wives of 'Skippers' who were communicating
using the Radio Transmitters on their Trawlers). [This happened also to be the
Band known to Radio Amateurs as 'Top Band' - 1·8MHz to 2·0MHz.]
John was able to purchase (like the Invicta T105), these old scrap receivers, and
repair them using a mix/match method of repair. This gave John a good start in
Radio and Television Practice and Theory leading eventually to becoming a
'Qualified Engineer'. John soon found a market for reconditioned radio receivers, when approached by Mrs Yeo, who had a Second-hand Shop on 'Adelaide
Street' Fleetwood. In 1968, John established his own Radio Television and Electronics Business in Trafford Park, Manchester. [Colour Television had arrived].
| When John lived in lodgings at Stretford
(1960), in addition to building his own Amateur Radio Equipment,
he also built his own 'Hi-fi'. The technology used was the 'state of the art' at that time and used 'Printed Circuit Boards'. The final units were fitted into an old television receiver cabinet as shown in the photograph below. |
John's home built hi-fi equipment (1960).
