Vintage Valve Radios

A Practical Guide for

Collectors and Restorers

Our latest book is practical guide to chassis and cabinet restoration. It is a large-format perfect-bound book, laminated full-colour cover. 174 pages packed with diagrams and monochrome photographs, the book starts from the absolute basics and works through functions of components and valves. The building blocks of valve radio are fully described. Among the topics covered are test equipment, workshop and personal safety, AC/DC receivers, Superhet and TRF designs and component replacing and rebuilding. A very detailed section on fault-finding is helped by an example circuit with arrow references to the text. Full restoration methods of chassis and cabinet, with illustrated examples of wood, Bakelite and covered cabinet (portable radios, record players) restoration. A mine of information to the practically-minded restorer, regardless of skill level.

£14.95 +£3.75 p&p UK.

Please email for postage quote for overseas orders.

Vintage Radios - Crowood Collector's Series

Fully illustrated with hundreds of new colour images and with period advertisements and historic photographs. 

Sections include

How it all began - The 1920s, radio for all - Radio comes of age - A time of austerity - Britain recovers - Into the transistor years - Basic principles - The invention and development of the valve - Loudspeakers - The story behind some famous names - Safety - Obtaining vintage receivers - Collecting radio related equipment and ephemera - External care of vintage radios - American and Canadian receivers - European and imported receivers - plus post script, appendices, index and glossary. 

ALSO features on Who invented radio - Lodge and the mystery of transmission - Art Deco and Modernism - 1930s Germany, the Volksempfanger era - Competition for the BBC - Practical Wireless, the radio hobbyist's favourite magazine - Unusual materials for radio cabinets - The remarkable F.J. Camm -Ekco and Bakelite - How Bakelite cabinets were made - Ekco and the radio designers 

208 packed colour pages, excellent pictures, beautiful presentation and general quality. Just the thing for the armchair enthusiast! Makes a lovely and unusual gift, too. The book is available from this website at £19.95 plus £3.95 p&p IN UK. Overseas orders, please email for postal rate and please note, ONLY PAYMENT BY PAYPAL IS ACCEPTABLE FOR EXTRA-UK ORDERS: WE CANNOT PROCESS NON-BRITISH CHEQUES OR CURRENCY. If ordering by the link above, please ensure that you supply your full postal address and postcode, either by adding it as a message on the Paypal invoice request email or by emailing it separately to us. 

ISBN 978-1-86126-949-2

Vintage Radios - The Complete Guide (CD-ROM)

New for 2009 but fully revised in a second edition for 2010, this new CD ROM guide is designed to help the  valve radio enthusiast regardless of experience, so no previous knowledge is assumed - though many with an already good understanding will find much useful information. The emphasis is firmly on the practical - little maths knowledge is expected or required.

Written by an experienced teacher, the coverage of the absolute basics ensures a steady and gradual development of knowledge and understanding. Tools, test equipment, safety, hints and tips, radio theory, valve functions and much more all find a place in this CD-ROM. All aspects of domestic valve radio are covered, building toward exemplar circuits and fault tracing and servicing methods. Several popular vintage sets are examined as possible choices for straightforward restoration.

130 pages that are enjoyable to read and packed with practical information. Many line diagrams and colour photographs. FULLY PRINTABLE from your computer.

Cabinet repair and renovation, plus a very handy reference section which includes sources for components, valves and other items, and a glossary rounds off this unique CD ROM. Ideal for the beginner as well as the more experienced improver.

Cost? Just £12.95 plus £2 for UK addresses: Enquiries from overseas welcome but PLEASE EMAIL FIRST before placing an order. Request a Paypal invoice - that eliminates currency problems.

ABOVE PRICES INCLUDE POST AND PACKING TO UK ADDRESSES (WHERE APPLICABLE). Prospective purchasers of the book or one or more* of the CD ROMs outside UK should email for a quote - we can generate a Paypal invoice. (Sorry, we cannot send to South Africa, due to difficulties with post)

  VINTAGE VALVE RADIOS is a large-format 10" x8" book, perfect bound with laminated colour cover. 174 pages of diagrams and monochrome photographs. An ideal book for the practical enthusiast, whatever the skill level. 

Either book can be signed or dedicated by the author. Please request by email, with your choice of wording

VINTAGE RADIOS - Crowood Collector's Edition is a large-format 10" X 8" full colour hardbound 210 page book and can be signed by the author or dedicated as the purchaser wishes. It makes a superb gift for the connoisseur.

This price list correct as of January 2012

Payment can be by PAYPAL (very easy and quick. No Paypal account required) or credit card. Just click on the Buy Now button. Alternatively, personal cheque

 made payable to R.A. Thompson (NOT 'Tony', please!), postal order or bank draft drawn on a British bank in Sterling (£) currency.

*The two eBooks are available together or individually on disk to order. Please email for details.

Overseas orders: are welcome. Payment by Paypal only for any download or order. For postal disk orders, please email stating your location for a postal quote.