Category Archives: DIY

What do you get from a $25 multimeter?

Posted on October 4, 2014 by jwk

Fred Clift wrote over on his blog about why it’s worthwhile to pick a more expensive multimeter. He’s comparing a $200 Fluke to a $6 Harbor Freight multimeter, which really is a no-brainer. I’m not sure the Harbor Freight model … Continue reading →

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Getting Started With Vintage Radio and Electronics: Basic Tools for the Hobbyist

Posted on September 18, 2014 by jwk

A few people have asked me variations of  “What tools do I need to fix my first radio?”, “What do I need to put together this soldering kit?”, and such. It’s not as simple as you might think. There’s a … Continue reading →

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1936 GE Model A-52 Antique Radio Repaired!

Posted on November 22, 2013 by jwk

A change of pace from the Bose equalizers and hi-fi I’ve been working on a lot of lately, I had the pleasure of working on a 1936 GE Model A-52 antique radio. This is a nicely designed and straightforward table … Continue reading →

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Evidence of Past Repairs

Posted on September 16, 2013 by jwk

It’s always interesting to see what’s happened with equipment that’s been worked on previously. It’s often a mixed bag with some great repair jobs, some that have a lot of room for improvement, and some that really just don’t measure … Continue reading →

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KN0CK HF Converter Rev. 4 is Released!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by jwk

The complete Rev 3 KN0CK HF Converter has sold out and been discontinued. That’s okay, though, because it’s been replaced with the KN0CK RTLSDR for HF Revision 4! This model incorporates a lot of the feedback from the community about the … Continue reading →

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Overloaded 1931 Transformer [Fried Electronics]

Posted on June 7, 2013 by jwk

I’m working on a 1930/31 Westinghouse WR-8 Columnaire clock-radio which had a bad transformer. The filter capacitors failed and shorted the high-voltage secondary, burning it open and causing a lot of heat and melting.   The replacement is a General … Continue reading →

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A Most Convoluted 1934 Philco 66B Antique Radio Repair

Posted on May 31, 2013 by jwk

Recently, I took in a beautiful Philco 66B for repair. Manufactured in 1934, this chassis ended up in several different models – a couple of tombstones, a cathedral, and at least two console radios. They’re all 5-tube radios with the … Continue reading →

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1934 Silvertone 1708A Repair and Restoration

Posted on April 23, 2013 by jwk

I recently had the pleasure of working on a 1934 Silvertone 1708A which was brought to me for repair locally. This was great – having a radio repaired can be a big decision, so I’m happy to show off my … Continue reading →

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KN0CK HF Upconverter Fits Inside the USB Tuner’s Enclosure

Posted on February 19, 2013 by jwk

Marty KN0CK sent me some details to publish about his great looking miniature HF upconverter board for the RTLSDR, the HF Alchemy DVB-T Active HF Upconverter. It’s an incredibly miniature SMT board with an SA612 mixer and SMT oscillator, and … Continue reading →

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Thrift Store Jamo MPA-101 Repair

Posted on February 11, 2013 by jwk

I started working on a Jamo MPA-101 amplifier back in August for a friend and after some early work it sat for a while. He’s re-doing his audio system at home so I spent a few hours to finish troubleshooting … Continue reading →

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