You’ll find it at this link, or just click on the “History” portion of the blue ribbon above, and go to the “Electrical Transcription Disc Project”.

First Electrical Transcription Disc download now available is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

De FOREST BOOK and BAY AREA RADIO BOOKS Available – Be sure to pick up your copies of Mike Adams’ new book, “Lee De Forest: King of Radio, TV and Film”, for $25 and John Schneider’s and CHRS’ new book, “Bay Area Radio”, for $22. Both available in the KRE CHRS Museum Store.

CHRS ON TV – Recently, John Schneider, author with CHRS and BARM of the new “Bay Area Radio” book was featured on KGO-TV, Ch.7 News. Here is the LINK to view this feature report. The reporter is Don Sanchez and this aired on April 20th. Enjoy!

BASIC ELECTRICITY & SOLDERING CLASS – We are now accepting reservations for this class on May 12th at 10;00 AM. This is a “hands on” class and you will be required to review our safety materials and complete a short quiz. The safety materials will be e-mailed to the members that sign up for the class. The completed quiz can be emailed back to Fred or turned in the morning of the class. This and all CHRS Classes are for current members. If your membership is not up to date, please be prepared to pay your dues before class. These 6 spots are on a first come first served basis. Please contact Fred Meehan to get on the list.

SCHEMATICS & TECHNICAL ADVICE – Remember that CHRS Librarian & Technical Advisor, Larry Clark will send you hard copies of schematics and give technical advice. Contact: Larry Clark (707) 745-9132.

SAVE THE DATE – July 21st, 10 AM it’s “Live! at KRE – RADIO DAY BY THE BAY”. A big day of radio fun. Master of Ceremonies, KCBS morning news anchor, Stan Bunger. Music by the Tamsen Donner Blues Band. The Broadcast Legends perform the hilarious “Fibber McGee & Molly”. Stand by for more details. If you have radios to consign for the auction please let us know.

JOURNAL – The New full color CHRS Journal is a Hit! Many great comments have been heard about this Journal. Congratulations to Editor, (temporary), Richard Watts and crew for an outstanding job. If your membership is current and you have not received your copy in the mail, please let us know.

CHRS NEWS YOU CAN USE is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

Please visit the project page to learn more.

Elecrical transcription disc project is up! is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

The California Historical Radio Society is pleased to honor the The Society of Wireless Pioneers in this merger. The Society of Wireless Pioneers is a unique and outstanding society of professionals and amateurs nearly all of whom have a common bond of having mastered the art of radio communicating over world-distances via ‘Morse Code’ with hand key or ‘bug.’ As that Society has so rightly said:

“Many of us have had the weight of responsibility for safety of life directly upon our shoulders. We traveled and were paid for it. At the core of everything we did was our ability to hear through atmospheric noise and make sense of ‘dits’ and ‘dahs,’ voiced code-words, and even at times to ‘make sense’ out of unusual silences. And in our amateur radio operating today the thrill is still present, we have a language that relatively few members of the world’s population even remotely comprehends.

The art and science of wireless communicating is changing more and more rapidly as each year comes into focus and disappears over the horizon. But in spite of the adoption of geo-positioning satellites, burst transmissions at thousands of characters per second, and spread-spectrum techniques for making our communications confidential, CW is an art that we hope will be with us for centuries to come. It is done with the minds and muscles of man, the only artifacts being the key and the ear and their meld with the mind.

SOWP is dedicated to the preservation of both the history and the art of CW radio communication, and of its offshoots. We collect and preserve the history of each advance in the art, but our hearts remain with Morse, and we are content to know that one day some one’s life may be in our hands and only our knowledge of Morse Code will bring help to preserve that life.” Click here for an archive of old SoWP Journals in PDF format

Press contact: Steve Kushman / CHRS  kushseal@flash.net

or

Richard Singer / SOWP #662  rpsinger@howard-co.us

THE SOCIETY OF WIRELESS PIONEERS MERGES INTO CHRS is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

Extra Volunteer Day at KRE – 9 AM,

this Saturday…Then next

Saturday, April 7th 9 AM…

It’s Radio Activity Day  At KRE – Featuring for the first time our Hi-Fi Clinic & A Special Presentation. We will again host our increasingly popular Radio Repair Clinic in the Russ Dillberg Repair Shop. This time we will have our first Hi-Fi Clinic. Tube gear preferred. Have you been stumped by a problem Hi-Fi repair or a new build? Bring in your problem sets and our experts will help you get them running. First come, first served. 6 slots available. To reserve a spot for this clinic, email VP Scott Robinson. Let Scott know the make and model # of your set with a brief description of the problem. We hope you enjoy these Radio Activity Days at KRE. If you have ideas or suggestions for other activities on these days, please let us know. Want to come by just to check us out? You are more than welcome to take the KRE tour.

After the Clinic, Gilles Vrignaud will give a talk on the International Restoration Contest in which some of our members are involved. Gilles will also present an in depth Power Point presentation featuring a complete restoration by a member of the Quebec Radio Society. Don’t miss this informative talk.

SUBMISSIONS WANTED – Our new CHRS web site is up and running well. We want to post your restoration tips & articles and completed restoration projects on our site. If you have material you want to share, please email Director Tom Bonomo.

A reminder that CHRS has a discussion group at Yahoo Groups. This is a place you can post messages and pictures, (items for sale, wanted, questions, etc). It’s free. Sign up here: CHRS Yahoo Group.

The CHRS Sacramento Chapter - Meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7:30 PM. 3755 Durock Road, Shingle Springs, CA, 95682. Thanks to Bob Moore for hosting the meetings. Come join us for lively radio conversation. For more information email Bob Moore.

The CHRS Central Valley Chapter – Meetings on the 3rd Saturday of the month at Larry & Marsha Gonsalves’ farm on the corner of Washington and Bradbury in Turlock at 2 PM. For more information call Rich Lane at 209-605-0290 or email Rich. And be sure to check out the CHRS CVC web site. Remember –  October 6th, Saturday, 9 AM – Turlock, CA – CHRS Central Valley Chapter Swap Meet – Turlock Fairgrounds, 900 N. Broadway, 95380

CHRS Hi-Fi Clinic & Special Presentation is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

Lowly Heathkit.  “Gets no respect,” as Rodney Dangerfield might say.  But I’m about to tell you about a piece of Heathkit gear every vintage radio restorer should own:  the IT-28 Capacitor Checker.

Sure, I know what you’re probably thinking.  The trouble-free nature and accuracy of modern test equipment is just too tempting to ignore.  Usually, I’d be nodding my head with you.  I’m generally not a fan of vintage test equipment—tube test equipment in particular.  There’s nothing more frustrating than getting all set up to work on a radio, only to be forced to stop your nailing to work on the hammer.  But this is one piece of test equipment that is fairly reliable, and whose most useful functions are not easily duplicated at the low prices these testers usually command.

Like many modern digital meters, this vintage capacitor checker can measure capacitance, resistance and inductance. In truth, however, I rarely use these measurement functions.  They’re handy, to be sure, and the accuracy is usually good enough for most broadcast radio applications.  Only if I am running one of the tests discussed below do I bother to let the eye tube tell me if a capacitor’s value is “in the ballpark.”

The secret to this tester’s usefulness lies in its ability to measure capacitor leakage under working voltages from +3 to +600 volts.  Countless times I’ve wondered if a capacitor I’m about to replace is responsible for the faulty performance of a certain radio stage.  It’s sort of a curiosity thing with me.  The IT-28’s green eye tube can easily show if a capacitor is leaky.  The unit provides standardized leakages tests from a front panel switch marked “Electrolytics”, “Miniature Electrolytics”, and “Paper, Mylar, Etc.”  Even if I intend to replace an old paper capacitor with a modern Mylar, running a leakage test on the old cap at its working voltage satisfies my curious nature.  You can’t do leakage tests at working voltage with most digital testers–not unless you buy a much fancier one than is commonly available.  And you’ve got to admit, the glowing green eye tube is just cool to use. Something utterly magical about it.

A second great use of this tester is to season electrolytic capacitors.  Many NOS  modern electrolytics have been sitting on the shelf for years since they were manufactured.  Put one in a radio and then hit it with full working voltage, and you sometimes get the sound and smell of an instant barbeque—one you’d rather avoid.  You can use the IT-28 to easily bring an electrolytic up to its full working voltage in incremental steps, all the while monitoring the eye tube for leakage.  I do this with every new electrolytic I replace. Some of the new electrolytics in my parts inventory have sat, unused, for a decade or more.  Who knows how long they sat on a distributor’s shelf before that.  The IT-28 will save you from all those unnecessary radio fireworks.

A word about Heathkit equipment.  Based on my experience, I’d say 90% of these kits have at least one bad solder joint or wiring error. No surprise then, that you often see dysfunctional performance.  The IT-28 you see in the photo had no less than 7 bad solder joints on the voltage and range rotary switches.  The guy who built this unit failed to see that he was only using enough solder to properly attach the top lead.  The leads underneath often had no solder on them whatsoever.  The result was erratic performance, and many “dead” positions on the function switches.  So if you purchase one of these, open it up and examine every solder joint.  The good news is that the IT-28 uses straightforward circuitry, is easy to work on, and is simple to calibrate.  All you’ll need is a manual, which is easy to find online.  When conducting tests, especially if you use alligator test leads, don’t forget that there is up to 600 VDC applied to the part under test.  Forget, and you’ll find yourself suddenly much more “alert to your environment.”

Heathkit introduced an earlier version of this tester in 1961 as the IT-11.  Minor changes were made in 1968, and the updated model became the IT-28. The IT-28 was available until 1977—a 16 year life for the line.  The IT-28 featured Heathkit’s tan color scheme, a grounded three-wire power cord, a spring-clamp on the 6AX4 rectifier tube socket, and a power transformer that could be wired for 240 volts.  Unlike the earlier IT-11, which used adjustable set-screw knobs, the IT-28 used less desirable push-on knobs that can’t be easily re-adjusted.

There are plenty of similar testers on the market.  Knight, EICO, and Lafayette manufactured units with comparable functionality.  The EICO 950B is very popular, often seen at swapmeets, and it uses the less expensive 1829 eye tube.  There is a good YouTube video showing the many uses of this type of tester at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2yo0AVm9tY

If you spot one any of these testers at a swapmeet, by all means grab it, fix it, and use it! Happy testing.

A Tester Every Restorer Should Own is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

I’d like to share with you my “secret weapon” for radio chassis cleaning.  The dirtier the chassis, the better.  Like many restorers, I’m not a fan of the “dishwasher method”, so I used to clean chassis the hard way:  rubbing with a rag, a Q-Tip, or a soft brush dampened with some cleaning product. The results were usually only marginally satisfactory. Even using brushes, I was often unable to remove the accumulated crud from tight areas. The chassis looked noticeably better, but never like new, and there was always the risk of ending up with that dreaded “rubbed” look.

I have seen many, many chassis permanently marred by an eager restorer who supplants an inadequate cleaner with generous amounts of elbow grease, leaving behind swirls and a “rubbed” look. Fellow collectors have suggested many cleaners, and I’ve tried them all:  Simple Green, 409, Windex, ammonia, etc. etc. These cleaners work to varying degrees, depending on the type of dirt to be removed.

There is, however, another type of cleaner from the automotive field that I’ve found to be far more effective. This product, made by Castrol, is called “Super Clean” and it is based upon a new chemistry in cleaners. This stuff instantly solubilizes oil, grease, and dirt and, most importantly, brown nicotine. This cleaner is not just another soap-based cleaner, yet is biodegradable and phosphate-free.

Here is the best way to use Super Clean, along with a few cautions. First remove all the tubes, then spray the chassis with Super Clean. Avoid getting any liquid into IF cans or transformers, or onto dial scales and painted surfaces. The idea is to get the cleaner only on the chassis. Within seconds, rivers of dirt and nicotine will begin to run off–even from around tube sockets, screws, and rivets that would otherwise require rubbing and brushing. Use a small brush to quickly and lightly go over all surfaces to loosen thicker accumulations of crud. After no more than one minute, rinse the chassis thoroughly with water (avoid getting water in the IF cans and transformers) and let the chassis dry for several days before applying power.

A few words of caution. Super Clean is strong stuff. First, dilute the off-the-shelf product 50% with water. A 50% solution is strong enough to produce the result you want. Second, keep it away from painted surfaces (like the front panel) except for short periods. You don’t want streaking. Third, do not leave it on the chassis for more than one minute. If you must contend with painted surfaces or silk-screened tube designations on the chassis, test a hidden painted spot before proceeding. Some paints are hardier than others.  Following these guidelines, I have never had a problem, and I’ve probably cleaned at least eighty radios.

To help protect the chassis from tarnishing and corrosion after it has been cleaned, spray on a thin coat of silicone. Use water-based silicone (often referred to as food-grade silicone) rather than a petroleum-based product, which can attack rubber and some plastics. A commonly available water-based silicone is LPS Heavy-Duty Silicone Lubricant.

If a chassis is not permanently rusted or tarnished, this cleaning technique can often make a brown, nicotine-coated chassis shine like new. Collectors have looked in amazement at some of my “Super Cleaned” Collins amateur radios, thinking that they were new. Corrosion has never been a problem with this cleaner, either. Just flush the chassis well with water. Radios I cleaned back in 1996, including a Collins KW-1 transmitter, still work like a charm. Try this experiment yourself: clean a chassis with Simple Green, and then watch the rivers of brown flowing off the chassis during a subsequent Super Clean treatment. You’ll be amazed. Super Clean is available at most automotive stores and chains like Wal Mart. Simple Green and my other cleaners have now been relegated to more mundane tasks such as cleaning floors and toilets.

“Secret Weapon” Radio Chassis Cleaning is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

CHRS in Citrus Heights Saturday – 3/3/12 is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

From the President: 

February 24, 2012 News is a post from: California Historic Radio Society

The RESTORATION page is where you will be able to share your special techniques and how to’s for a successful restoration and repair. If you document your restoration of that basket case, you will be able to share your text, pictures and video of the project on the PROJECTS pull down. Our popular HINTS & KINKS is a pull down and available as a PDF. And your REPAIR DIRECTORY lists members who take in repair work.

We have a large HISTORY section with pull downs for BART LEE’S great articles, a LIVING HISTORY pull down where you can hear the interviews CHRS /BARM does with people important to Bay Area Radio history. Also under HISTORY we have pull downs for the HERROLD AWARD, 100 YEARS OF RADIO, our PHOTO GALLERY and the ET PROJECT.

Check the SUPPORT tab to JOIN, DONATE and VOLUNTEER. There is a tab for W6CF, a complete EVENTS page and more. Take a look around. Below the sliding boxes look for the LATEST NEWS from CHRS / BARM. At the bottom of each page you can go directly to our CHRS Yahoo Group discussion site, follow CHRS on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, see NEWS and UPCOMING EVENTS, search the site and join our Mailing List.

Please let us know how you like of our new site. Go to the CONTACT tab and tell us what you think. Big Thanks go to Max Elman of Razorfrog Web Design for his work on our new site.

Along with this new site we will be using a new email client to send notices and updates to you. We send about 2 updates per month to keep you informed. As usual all messages will come from your President or another CHRS / BARM Director. Our email address list is always private and will never be sold. No spam. Since we started sending CHRS email some years ago many of you may have stopped receiving notices from us because your email account or provider may have been changed. To get everyone back up to date, if you are not receiving messages from us now, we ask that you go to the lower right hand corner of any page and see, “JOIN OUR MAILING LIST”. Fill out your name, email address and click on ‘Subscribe’. That’s it.

Welcome to the New CHRS Website is a post from: California Historic Radio Society