Bush VHF80c completed

Here's the completed VHF80c sitting on soak test in my workshop tonight.

I'm getting to like this little set, and its later cousin the VHF81. They are easy to work on, and with a bit of effort they can be made to look quite smart.  They are also good performers, with nice quality sound and good sensitivity on AM.

The good AM performance is probably due to the unusual circuit design, in which the VHF 1st IF amplifier doubles as an RF amplifier for LW and MW. In most domestic AM superhets the tuned RF is applied directly to the mixer (frequency changer) valve without any amplification, and all the gain is in the IF and audio stages.

Bush VHF80C after restoration

The trickiest part of the restoration was replacing the four rubber anti-vibration mounts between the tuning capacitor and the chassis, basically rubber grommets with a brass bush through the centre. The old rubber had become hard and brittle. Getting them out was much easier than persuading the new grommets to go in, but at least the new ones should last another fifty years before they need replacing again!

Here's the list of materials that were required to do this restoration.

5 x 10nF polyester film capacitors
1 x 2.2nF  polyester film capacitor
1 x 4.7uF electrolytic capacitor
1 x 0.22uF 275V AC X2 rated capacitor
2 x MES lamp holders
2 x 6V 0.1A lamps
4 x rubber grommets (to fit 8mm hole, centre hole 5mm)
Odd bits of silicone sleeve
2 core mains flex
Mains plug with 1A fuse 
Cord for replacing the tuning drive
White enamel spray paint
Masking tape and newspaper
Brasso for cleaning the Bakelite


With one more done...the question is which set to do next.

Keep listening!