Valves for forces radio

[Gott Mit Uns]

Hi guys

Can anyone point me in the right direction for beveled glass valves used in the forces radios? I have two in mine but am missing another two As well as an aerial and a power lead.

Cheers
Tom.

[pzrwest]

I take it by valves you are referring to a tube? The glass things with prongs on the bottom end. Been along time since I have heard them called valves must be a British term for them

[Gott Mit Uns]

Yes the tubes. Sorry, I think it must be a British term.

[pzrwest]

Do you know the number on the tubes(valves) There are a lot of ham sites that have tube references and suppliers. Also what is the pin configuration ie: 5, 7, 9, If the tube is no longer available and you know the pin config and the specifications of the tube it is possible to find a tube with the same specs but you may have to rewire the socket for the new tube. You must have guessed by now I used to be a radio technician and yes I did work with tube units there goes my age lol. I will see if I can find a tube chart/replacement list. Would also help to know what radio these tubes are from as well. Usually inside the unit there is a tube layout chart with tube numbers listed

[jimmyvonk]

Hi guys

Can anyone point me in the right direction for beveled glass valves used in the forces radios? I have two in mine but am missing another two As well as an aerial and a power lead.

Cheers
Tom.

Here are a few radio Valve places....
(There called 'Vacume Tubes' in the USA, strange people the Colonials don't you know. )

http://www.chelmervalve.com/ - very good, wide stock.

http://www.watfordvalves.com/home.asp mainly guitar amp stuff but you never know.

http://www.crowthornetubes.com/valcont.htm

You'll probaly need to contact them with all the details from the ones you have left.

I think the German word for them is Röhre if you wanna search e-bay etc[/url]

[pzrwest]

The reason the British call them valves because that's basically how they work as a valve. simply put it's like a tap or valve. the more you open the handle the more the flow through the tap or valve. the tube workes the same way. You put a negative charge on the cathode and a positive charge on the plate and by varrying the grid voltage you increae or decrease the flow of electrons through the tube/valve. Sorry about the electronics lesson lol

[Gott Mit Uns]

Excellent advice guys. I will take some photos of the radio and look at the valve/tube numbers.

Cheers
Tom.

[jimmyvonk]

Excellent advice guys. I will take some photos of the radio and look at the valve/tube numbers.

Cheers
Tom.

What radio is it? There may be a specialist 'club' for these things or someone that has one already complete and has done the donkey work that it could be worth asking for the valve specs you need?

[Gott Mit Uns]

This is a quick image I nabbed off ebay when I baught it. I cant actually find a name/maker for it unfortunately.

After recieving it I'd say it was a forces entertainment radio because it has 3 settings: Short wave, Medium and Long. I could be wrong though, Im not really into radios much but it had 4 minutes to go and I nabbed it thinking it might be something worth having. The house is cracked at the front, side and bottom, its not got the back....theres no arial, no power lead and 2 valves are missing.

Which is a pain in the arse as the guy didnt list the falts with it.

[jimmyvonk]

This is a quick image I nabbed off ebay when I baught it. I cant actually find a name/maker for it unfortunately.

After recieving it I'd say it was a forces entertainment radio because it has 3 settings: Short wave, Medium and Long. I could be wrong though, Im not really into radios much but it had 4 minutes to go and I nabbed it thinking it might be something worth having. The house is cracked at the front, side and bottom, its not got the back....theres no arial, no power lead and 2 valves are missing.

Which is a pain in the arse as the guy didnt list the falts with it.

Looks like most sets from the 30's, I would say civilian more than military.

These guys could be a great help

http://www.vintage-radio.com/index.html

[pzrwest]

Yes that is a civilian radio. Radios of that era did have the 3 bands LW,MW, and SW. Sometimes the SW band was split into several bands ie: SW1, SW2, or more

[Gott Mit Uns]

Ahh right. Well, I still think its a nice part to the collection

If I take a picture of the power lead socket, do you think you guys could tell me whether I can get a replacement?

Cheers
Tom.

[les hearn]

tom i have in my collection a few valves which i have collected over the tip(for this very ocasion)
many are new and still boxed .
if you have any idea of numbers let me know and they are yours free of charge fella

[Stigroadie]

If they are the power tubes the amp should work with 2 out of the 4 missing but at reduced volume. Try it with one tube at each end of the line of sockets.
Works in Marshall valve amps too. Class A-B.

[Alex]

most valves have a number on them, and those numbers have UK, USA, French, DE, USSr equivalents.

its unlikely you'd get an old radio that you can't get thermionic valves for.

I used to repair old valve amplifiers from the 40s, and to be honest the most important thing is the tuning of the capacitors and resistors, you can basically chuck a variety of valves in there as long as the impedence is correct.

There are some valves now that are priceless, like the 6973, but mostly you can make a little mod to a circuit to accomadate a different valve. Even the 6973 has a czech counterpart, the 6cz7 which is almost as good.

My mum has a big stock of old valves from the 40s, she sells em off one by one on ebay