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38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - Printable Version

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RE: 38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - kiwi_steve - 01-04-2024

Cheers guys, progress has halted for the moment, since the 'long hot dry summer' we were promised by the weather forecasters has become a humid rainforest kind of summer instead. It's pouring rain again here today. But at least I can go and light the burn pile in the small paddock.

Arran, I don't have a press, but I will heed your advice, and keep the speaker to play with it later on. For now I'll use the working one I have, which should fit just fine. It's deeper, but there is nothing behind it in the cabinet.

I tested the valves, and replaced the 6K7 and the 6A8, then aligned the I.F., and it played all day yesterday just fine. Interestingly, it was very unstable and whistly coming onto a station (like a BFO almost) with the shield on the 6K7 (either old or new), but with it off, it played just fine. I haven't checked the voltages yet - I may do that today just to ensure things are in spec.

Overall it's about what I'd expect for a 5-valve set (it's a 6-valve, but only because the detector and first audio valve are separate instead of using a 6B8 or something similar), but there is one fairly strong AM music channel we get here, and I think with a decent aerial it should work well enough to listen to that, or my AM transmitter.

I guess I should move this over to the cabinet forum to try and finish that now, once the skies clear... Once I do I'll add a link to the post here. Thanks to everyone for the support and advice Icon_smile

Cheers, Steve


RE: 38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - radiorich - 01-04-2024

Hello Steve,
Well done on your set so far I need to get back to work on my Philco 38-10T but I have a customers Clock to finish up this weekend !

Sincerely Richard


RE: 38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - kiwi_steve - 01-04-2024

Cheers Richard. Thats the joys of working on other peoples stuff - it gets in the way of your own. I probably should be working on the AK708 I have here for someone... but I put it aside to do this one.

I think I've sorted the whistling... I went back and double-checked my sig-gen on a whim. I had thought its dial was accurate (it's not my main one, because I'm working in the spare room, not my workbench which is covered in the aforementioned Atwater Kent), but it was sitting around 490kc/s when I put the scope on it, so I re-tuned it to 470 using the scope, then re-aligned the I.F.s and its stable with the shield on now. Bit of a foolish mistake on my part - trusting the dial on an old sig gen. I've put a mark on the dial now for next time...

Cheers, Steve


RE: 38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - radiorich - 01-05-2024

Hello Steve,
Well all have been there I have a older Stark brand generator I have learned to use my Fluke Feq counter and scope .
My day job is working at a public school working with teens .

far as my Philco 38-10T my next step is making some new Dogbone style resistors !
I stuffed all the original Capacitors .

Sincerely Richard


RE: 38-9 bullet - how bad is too bad? - David - 01-05-2024

Steve  The tube shield is it grounded? Might be acting as a kind of gimmick cap.  https://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=12457&pid=91506#pid91506