Author Archives: retrovoltage

Building the SSTRAN Part 15 Low Power AM Transmitter Kit

Posted on February 21, 2016 by retrovoltage

Have a bunch of old tube radios, but nothing good on the air in your area? That’s a common problem, and SSTRAN has the solution! I just built one of these to give as a gift, and thought I’d write up … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, Electronics, Projects, Radio | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Retro 1956 Cyclometer VTVM – Hycon Model 615

Posted on February 19, 2016 by retrovoltage

A pretty cool, very rare piece of test equipment turned up on eBay recently: a 1956 Hycon model 615 AC/DC VTVM. This was a precursor of today’s digital, using analog servo circuitry to drive the numeric digit display. These were … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Gadgets, Test Equipment, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Building a Better Voltage Regulator

Posted on February 17, 2016 by retrovoltage

Glancing through my feeds, I stumbled across a note on The Paleotechnologist describing a new replacement for the venerable LM7805 linear regulator IC. It turns up in a ton of devices, pretty much anything with a medium-current 5V rail including … Continue reading →

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The Speaker Spotter – February 14th, 2016

Posted on February 14, 2016 by retrovoltage

Another installment of the occasional series “The Speaker Spotter”, showcasing interesting speakers for sale right now on the local Seattle Craigslist. As always, I am not affiliated with any of these postings. If the linked ad doesn’t load, it’s likely … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Collections, Speakers | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

ARCANE RADIO TRIVIA: Electric Banana

Posted on February 13, 2016 by retrovoltage

Arcane Radio Trivia found a really cool banana-inspired portable record player, allegedly from the Andy Warhol era. Plays in any position…even upside down! I’d love to see one of these in person. I wonder how many were ever manufactured in … Continue reading →

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Like Classic Receivers? Check Out This Blog

Posted on February 3, 2016 by retrovoltage

If you’re reading this, you’re probably at least somewhat interested in vintage stereo gear, since that’s a huge amount of what I work on. There’s a lot of it out there! I just discovered a great new blog that showcases … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Internet | Tagged , | 2 Comments

How to Read Capacitor Codes

Posted on January 24, 2016 by retrovoltage

I ended up with a massive stash of mil-spec CDE Mica caps recently, and was searching for a refresher on decoding their military part numbers like “CM05FD221GP3”, since the caps came marked for their values but not their voltage ratings. … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, DIY, Electronics | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Philips High Fidelity Laboratories 673 Tuner Repair and Alignment

Posted on January 4, 2016 by retrovoltage

This Philips 673 tuner just came through the shop for an overhaul and adjustment. It was working for the most part but the alignment had shifted and there was room for improvement on the sound quality. Philips designed this tuner … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Radio, Vintage | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

HH Scott 233 Stereo Integrated Amplifier Overhaul

Posted on December 31, 2015 by retrovoltage

I was lucky enough to get to work on a very nice Scott 233 stereo integrated amplifier. This example was wonderfully well preserved, coming out of a storage unit looking like it had just left the showroom floor. Unfortunately, though, … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Radios and Tubes, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Service Shortcuts December 1932

Posted on December 30, 2015 by retrovoltage

Due to a technical problem, this post was initially published with no content on Tuesday, December 29th. Retrovoltage regrets this error. Hints for the service shop, from December 1932’s Radio Retailing: A.V.C. Accessory for Screen-Grid Sets by Joseph E. Soos A … Continue reading →

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