Blaupunkt Arkansas stereo tube radio restoration - Part 1. First look and initial testing.

[@NorbertWigbels]

Dear Mr. Caldeira, I am very happy you made this video series! I have successfully repaired the Blaupunkt Stockholm of my father, which had the not-turning-capicitor problem as well... A very detailed, calm and knowing explanation. Thanks alot!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Norbert Wigbels : Glad to know that this helped you. Thanks for your kind words.

[@hi-fidude6670]

I am almost done restoring my Arkansas model 4345, an early 1957 model in mono but with 3 speaker drivers one woofer and two tweeters with a single cap crossover. It has the iconic Blaupunkt bar cabinet on the left side. Capacitors should arrive by tomorrow when I have recapped it's finally finished

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Have fun. It’ll sound great.

[@hi-fidude6670]

@@electronicsoldandnew It works pretty darn well now! It is no hi-fi but after recapping and swapping out the EL84 for a less used one it really began to sound like something I could enjoy using on a regular basis. Bass is strong and solid and it plays all the high frequencies very clear on modern music! Must have been a high fidelity piece in 1957 it even has bass and treble knobs

[@saarike]

Nice work and interesting radio! I'll wait part 2.

[@steelcity321pb6]

Sir, Looking forward to the next instalment of this restoration series. Regards Phil.

[@sinewave4236]

I was interested to see that 'Telefon-Rundspruch' is called out at the end of the LW scale - I believe that was a signal actually transmitted over phone lines in Switzerland and amplified by a radio connected to a special socket - makes sense with so many mountains !

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Monstermash423 : that’s interesting. I had no idea they did that.

[@Wenlocktvdx]

You said it was unlikely the would be an Arkansas on the island. This one is much later than my grandads which was likely a '57 or 58' model. The cabinet is a terrific piece of furniture.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Wenlocktvdx : I don’t recall saying it was unlikely, in fact it’s very likely to find blaupunkt, Phillips and telefunken equipment from the valve era on the island of Madeira, because these three brands had very strong representatives here.

[@Wenlocktvdx]

Correct, you didn't say a Blaupunkt was unlikely, you said an Arkansas was unlikely due to shipping costs for such a big heavy radiogram. Hoping you can show us the cabinet when it's all done.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Wenlocktvdx : yes, getting sunshine to this island is a lot easier than getting big pieces of equipment, intact at least. I will make sure to show the final result in the cabinet.

[@Wenlocktvdx]

Lovely

[@tommcglashen8447]

Re Testing on shortwave Bands, what antenna do you use? Is it an amplified whip?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Tom McGlashen : yes.

[@tommcglashen8447]

What brand of whip?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Tom McGlashen : built it myself.

[@GeorgeChristofi]

Very nice looking set, a similar antenna rotating mechanism to another set you did recently. I think it was a Grundig. I'm just about to start on a Pilot 85a which has a strange way of running. The primary of the power transformer is used as an autotransformer to series filament the valves, the secondary is run as a standard secondary with a B+ of only 90v. It shows that both the 85a and 85u were identical except the psu area, the 85u being AC/DC but the 85a was AC only 200-240v. Look forward to this restoration. What do you use to clean the boards? Is it isopropyl or something else?

[@andygozzo72]

i know of those pilots, dunno why they did both ac and acdc versions, may have well just done the acdc , also some were made ac only with transformer, but the transformer was only for the parallel fed 6.3v heaters , ht from direct rectified mains ! several other firms did similar for a while , mostly bush and ekco,

[@nor4277]

I would have gotten rid of the selium rectifier,put in a n4007 silicone diode with correct diode those parts are cheap,and the old selium rectifier,if it fail s the smell is quite bad I understand ,and the filter caps would have replaced them to also pretty cheap to.,so the radio will have a reliable and safe life.I also saw some.Google looking resisters in the redio.

[@andygozzo72]

i've never ...yet.... had a selenium fail short, low output/high resistance, yes, so i dont change the things on sight, i dont think it necessary if output is up to tolerance , as for replacing the electrolytics, if it reforms ok ,and again measures within tolerance and esr, ,and doesnt warm up in use, i see no need to replace, modern caps can go bad after a short while, these old ones are generally longer lived...

[@bikematt5781]

I think it would be wise to always replace Selenium rectifiers with safer diodes (2 in series provides greater maximum voltage) and a dropping resistor if needed. I feel the same way about reforming old electrolytic capacitors. Penny wise and pound foolish.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Good point.

[@maxebaumann6467]

Hallo, that is not a magic eye/magisches Auge, is a magic line/ magisches Band. Best Regards from Germany

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Maxe Baumann : yes, it’s the EM87. I have a couple spare if this one is too worn out.

[@wellenjaeger]

Very nice! Have you ever tried restoring old TV's? I have an "Graetz Kurfürst F271" from 1959 and i'm living in Germany. :D

[@electronicsoldandnew]

No. I like doing radios because I get to use them daily for FM reception, etc. TVs are a different thing and much more complicated. Never tried them. Maybe one day ...

[@MrHBSoftware]

@@electronicsoldandnew you should try while there are still some up for sale in Portugal....It takes you one or two months of theory studying in the spare hours to get used to the tvs...then pratice comes in...if you buy a 60's philips for example they are very complex but easy to get to work because of their reliability, the result is very satisfying. the advice i can give you is dont do a bulk recap on a tv or you will regret it.. you may possibly find out you have a weak crt or a dead flyback... ..you need a different approach than the one you have on your radios.. there are some critical parts (capacitors) you need to check then you need to power up the tv...no variac or too much bulb limiting because if vertical oscillator doesnt start before the high voltage starts there may be damage.. you preety much plug it and check for smoke... then you do one or two caps at a time...there is no need for IF alignment in the end, only a full setup of linearity agc,horiz frequency and other crap to get it to display a nice picture. you can hook up a modulator and watch dvds or like i do i have a vga to composite box and an RF modulator and i can have for example windows 10 on a 1950's tv wich is preety cool..

[@lynton09]

That looks a seriously nice receiver :)

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Hugo B. : maybe in the future.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

@@lynton09 : It really is.

[@douro20]

Did you learn English in Britain?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

douro20 : South Africa.

[@EdgarsLS]

that radio is so russian style!