French "Blue Ribbon" radios

[irvine]

I bought one of these in a fleamarket in France.

Has anyone ever heard of the brand?

The tube lineup is 6E8 6K7 6Q7 6F6 and 5Y3 rectifier. The speaker's field winding doubles as a PSU choke.

I have searched a few French sites - valve radios are called "TSF" over there - Telegraph Sans Fil.

It is very nicely put together and the wiring insulation has not gone brittle so it should be a please to work on.

[J.B. Wood]

Post by irvine
I bought one of these in a fleamarket in France.
Has anyone ever heard of the brand?
The tube lineup is 6E8 6K7 6Q7 6F6 and 5Y3 rectifier. The speaker's field winding doubles as a PSU choke.
I have searched a few French sites - valve radios are called "TSF" over there - Telegraph Sans Fil.
It is very nicely put together and the wiring insulation has not gone brittle so it should be a please to work on.

Sorry, the only radios manufactured in France that I've encountered were
made by Reela, and those were transistor models. Sincerely,

[Peter Wieck]

The "big" French brands are SNR and Ducretet-Thompson. They, in turn, made "House-Brand" radios for a good number of re-sellers.

Look inside and see if you see any of their fairly distinctive trademarks.

http://www.tsf-radio.org/pg.php?p=1-2&ord=1


Will show other French and Euro-brands as well.

I keep a Ducretet L624 and an SNR55.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[irvine]

Post by Peter Wieck
The "big" French brands are SNR and Ducretet-Thompson. They, in turn, made "House-Brand" radios for a good number of re-sellers.
Look inside and see if you see any of their fairly distinctive trademarks.

Absolutely nothing...
It would be nice to find a schematic and alignment procedure.

Given that it is late 1930s (some of the valves only were introduced
in 1935) is it safe to assume an IF of 455kHz?

[Peter Wieck]

Post by irvine
Absolutely nothing...
It would be nice to find a schematic and alignment procedure.
Given that it is late 1930s (some of the valves only were introduced
in 1935) is it safe to assume an IF of 455kHz?

Probably not. Remember: The French copy no one and no one copies the French.

Look at the Radio Museum website. They specialize in Euro radios and, with registration, may be able to lead you directly to where you need to go:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[irvine]

Post by irvine
is it safe to assume an IF of 455kHz?
Probably not. Remember: The French copy no one and no one copies the French.

Cheers Peter...

I looked at https://www.radiomuseum.org/

and the closest it comes up with is this:
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/blue_ribbo_inconnu_unknown.html

Do you have access to Facebook?

I have some pics there.

[Peter Wieck]

Post by irvine
Do you have access to Facebook?
I have some pics there.

I find the price of admission to Facebook is far to high.

Take care!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Fox's Mercantile]

Post by Peter Wieck

Post by irvine
Do you have access to Facebook?
I have some pics there.

I find the price of admission to Facebook is far to high.

Irvine, go to your pics, and one by one, "open image in new tab"
Copy the link and paste here on R.A.R+P
Use < and > before and after the link.
That way, non-users like Peter can view them.
Example:
<Loading Image...

[irvine]

Cheers Mr Fox

<Loading Image...

[Peter Wieck]

Wowsers!

That, if ever there is one, is a candidate for heroic cleaning methods. I have put such devices through the Dishwasher as kill-or-cure. However, it must be the type that does not have a heating ring inside. We keep a Bosch which is ideal for the purpose. Top Rack. "China" setting. 1/4 the amount of detergent - but you MUST add some. Re-lubricate all moving parts prior to doing anything after it is out.

Leave in hot sun for 24 hours after cleaning to get thoroughly dry.

Remove dials, paper parts, tubes, lamps and speakers first, of course.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[irvine]

Post by Peter Wieck
Wowsers!
That, if ever there is one, is a candidate for heroic cleaning methods. I > have put such devices through the Dishwasher as kill-or-cure. H

Indeed:-) however I am a bit wary of that as this is the first time I am using a soldering iron in 30 years. The insulation of the wires is still flexible but I do not see it surviving a dishwasher and I do not feel confident enough to remove all the oscillator coils and IF transformers.

The tuning condenser is fair game for a dishwasher though, it needs a good service.

My plan is to replace all the paper and wax caps and the PSU smoothing caps, clean and lubricate the tuning condenser, replace the line cord of course and power it up carefully.

I have already found the rectifier filament is open circuit.

Once I get glowing heaters, B+ and some noise out of the speaker I will take it further.

[Fox's Mercantile]

Post by irvine
Cheers Mr Fox
<https://scontent.fjnb1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/66529648_10157275392115692_4316840387617488896_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_eui2=AeGgpNlCIfx-mAyYQjYEcW49uIuKK8H2RwYn__r_secINoUNfV6EmkUQUYz_R9Y6cBUCO_VYMc3dDyuaUln8C2OzTenmWxOUIy9zvEAep2_nLA&_nc_oc=AQnCTX7dxdBCCLJhtdfY-AJcZkb1L3Eg76a1begtEsXrakB_h68Q2OeFGYP3mPxEIHc&_nc_ht=scontent.fjnb1-1.fna&oh=9f77ef1906e4502321c4b0546c0d9108&oe=5DAE562F>

That worked perfectly.
Heh, it's a bit on the crusty looking side.