GMB's vintage technology web site

A great deal of valve technology was developed over a very short period from the mid 1930's to the end of World War II thanks to the realization that this would make up for the country's smaller military strength. The most sophisticated of this was carried by aircraft. Much of it works in a simple but clever way making maximal use of basic technologies. Films and stories of WWII, both real and fictional, show very little of this electronic warfare as it was all top secret. Some of these old systems moved to civilian use after the war, in some cases almost in their original form, still in use to this day.

Air Ministry equipment numbers including some Power Units and now with some Aircraft Radio Installations

Most valve and early solid-state equipment continues to remain serviceable, partly because there was less use of specialist parts than today, the basic components are still made, and also because there are still stocks of replacement valves (some are still in production). Actually it is modern equipment that is difficult to service, thanks to the use of custom ICs and computers and the trend towards withholding technical information.
The most common reason for old equipment not working is failure of capacitors, not valves. Here are a few manuals and circuits for some old equipment (and some not so old). Note that this is supplied on the understanding that there will be inaccuracies, and some of these may only be specific to actual items that I own, and that this information is for your own use and will not be distributed to third parties.

Link	Notes
Lafayette CR Analyzer TE-46	Measures capacity, resistance, transformer turns ratio and insulation leakage. Also handy for reforming electrolytic capacitors.
PACO C-25 in-circuit capacitor tester	The vintage precursor to the ESR meter, this can test a capacitor for being open circuit or shorted out without removing it from the circuit.
Hunts Capacitor Analyser and Resistance Bridge	A classic capacitance and resistance bridge.
Jason Stabilised Power Supply Unit PP-20	Variable floating 200-400V and 6.3V power supply.
Griffin electrometer (solid state)	Solid state electrometer.
Reforming Unit, Electrolytic Capacitor, No. 1	The Air Ministry solution to reforming electrolytic capacitors.
Dawe StroboFlash 1200E	A vintage neon stroboscope with built in calibrator.
Advance RF Signal Generator SG62 with SG62A updates	HF signal generator covering 150KHz to 220MHz.
Advance DVM5 Digital Voltmeter	Accurate autoranging 4½-digit bench digital multimeter.
Review (1937) of the Mullard Master Test Board	See what the trade thought of Mullard's first card-programmed valve tester.
Manual for the Mullard Master Test Board	This is a compilation of information from the Mullard MTB user manual and a German technical manual for the similar Cartomatic.
1937/8 Service Equipment Buyers' Guide	List of the best test equipment available at the end of 1937.
AKAI 4000D	Three-head stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder user manaual and circuit diagram.
Eddystone 770R	Redrafted circuit diagram of the Eddystone 770R VHF communications receiver with component values added.
Farnell MPU	Farnell stabilised voltage supply type MPU (0-6V 0.5A psu) manual and circuit
Farnell "S" series stabilised power supply units	Manual and circuit for a range of power supplies up to 50V and 50A

Link

Notes

Lafayette CR Analyzer TE-46

Measures capacity, resistance, transformer turns ratio and insulation leakage. Also handy for reforming electrolytic capacitors.

PACO C-25 in-circuit capacitor tester

The vintage precursor to the ESR meter, this can test a capacitor for being open circuit or shorted out without removing it from the circuit.

Hunts Capacitor Analyser and Resistance Bridge

A classic capacitance and resistance bridge.

Jason Stabilised Power Supply Unit PP-20

Variable floating 200-400V and 6.3V power supply.

Griffin electrometer (solid state)

Solid state electrometer.

Reforming Unit, Electrolytic Capacitor, No. 1

The Air Ministry solution to reforming electrolytic capacitors.

Dawe StroboFlash 1200E

A vintage neon stroboscope with built in calibrator.

Advance RF Signal Generator SG62 with SG62A updates

HF signal generator covering 150KHz to 220MHz.

Advance DVM5 Digital Voltmeter

Accurate autoranging 4½-digit bench digital multimeter.

Review (1937) of the Mullard Master Test Board

See what the trade thought of Mullard's first card-programmed valve tester.

Manual for the Mullard Master Test Board

This is a compilation of information from the Mullard MTB user manual and a German technical manual for the similar Cartomatic.

1937/8 Service Equipment Buyers' Guide

List of the best test equipment available at the end of 1937.

AKAI 4000D

Three-head stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder user manaual and circuit diagram.

Eddystone 770R

Redrafted circuit diagram of the Eddystone 770R VHF communications receiver with component values added.

Farnell MPU

Farnell stabilised voltage supply type MPU (0-6V 0.5A psu) manual and circuit

Farnell "S" series stabilised power supply units

Manual and circuit for a range of power supplies up to 50V and 50A

I am currently trying to build the definitive database of cards for the Mullard High-Speed Valve Tester. There are still many of these old testers about but most sets of cards are incomplete. If you own one of these testers then please check out the Mullard High-Speed Valve Tester Project

I am also recording the cards of the Mullard Master Test Board type 7629 also known as the Philips Cartomatic GM7629. If you own one of these testers then please check out the 7629 CARD PROJECT

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