Radio Servicing Information
For use by legally qualified and licensed repairers only
Countries have laws regulating who is legally allowed to repair or work on electrical equipment that will be plugged into the mains electricity supply. This is to protect the public from the risk of electric shock. If you are not lawfully allowed to repair electrical equipment yourself, you must find an electrician, a licensed electrical mechanic or electrical contractor or electronic technician to do any work on the equipment.
Different countries use electricity supply at different voltages. The United States uses 110-120 volts AC. The United Kingdom and Australia (amongst many other countries) uses 240 volts AC. Any electric shock at Voltage 110v or above is likely to be lethal.
Many types of early consumer electronic equipment was constructed at a time when electrical safety was not as carefully considered as is required under manufacturing laws today, and many early radio sets etc have mains electricity wiring and metal mains voltage terminals fully exposed to be touched once the metal chassis is removed from the wooden case or bakelite housing.
This is why any electrical work to restore or repair an old radio must be done by a licensed qualified technician.
YOU MUST NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE RADIO YOURSELF UNLESS YOU ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DO SO.
PARTS AND INFORMATION
Clark Rubber: Grommets, rubber feet, rubber tube, rubber edging.
Brian Smith's Wireless Workshop: cotton wire, cotton covered mains cable, capacitors resistors, dial cord, dial scales.
WES components: Dial cord, alignment tools.
Lee Bros (Paramatta): Imperial screws.
Information and help: Historical Radio Society of Australia:
Transformer Rewinding: H.R.S.A. members.
Information: Ray Robinson
Information: Ian O'Toole. < http://vk2bv.org/museum/>
Circuits: H.R.S.A. or the AORSM circuits CD.
Vibrator Handbook: Mallory 1947
DEFINITIONS
A.O.R.S.M. Australian Official Radio Service Manual
NIFTY a cleaning product which removes dirt and grease
WINDEX a cleaning product that cleans glass
ESTAPOL a clear paint or lacquer
WD40 a cleaning and lubrication product
CRC a cleaning and lubricating product
DEOXIT a switch cleaning product
H.R.S.A. Historical Radio Society of Australia
ARTS&P a license label that was issued each year (can be used to date the radio)
FIGURE EIGHT a type of wire which has a cross section like the number "8"
VARIAC a variable AC transformer
LT Low Tension
HT High Tension
A.V.C. Automatic Volume Control (now called A.G.C. for Gain)
I.F. Intermediate Frequency
R.F. Radio Frequency
A.F. Audio Frequency
Q a measure of the Quality of a resonant circuit
Australian Vintage Radio