I recently picked up a Grundig-Majestic 2260
tabletop BC/FM/SW radio on a lark. Sounded nice,
looked great, and didn't cost much. Now that it's
home I realize what a fascinating and fine radio
it is. I also realize that the SW doesn't tune
anything but static and the FM tuning occasionally
fades a bit.
I have read around on the web and am thinking I should
start by replacing most of the capacitors and poking
around a bit for obvious problems. But I have never
done this before and don't have a lot of electronics
experience or equipment.
Should I leave it to the experts or give it a try?
If I should try it, what resources do you think I
should have? I saw that someone on an earlier forum
noted that there is an article on this model in
Sam's Photofact #657, so I figure I should start by
ordering this from Michelle Troutman (found on
the web). Any other suggestions?
Thanks.
Hello Seth
I think, you should give it a try. That's a nice and not too complicated radio to start with. And you can get help at this forum if you need it.
First i would recommend to clean the pushbutton contacts. Then the replacement of the electrolytics - mainly at the cathode of the EL84 and the 5 uF in the ratio detector. And of course a control, if the selenium bridge gets warm. If so - replace it.
I have a schematic of the European version (hardly readable) that i can send if you want so.
Have you connected an external antenna for SW? This radio has built in antennas for FM and the BC-Band but not for SW.
Kind regards, Walter Haring, Switzerland
The
Hello Walter,
Thanks so much for your quick response.
No, I haven't tried an external antenna for the SW
and suspected that might be the problem. I have a
good one (a big TV antenna in my attic) which I will
hook up.
I wonder why you suggest cleaning the pushbuttons and
the cathode of the EL84. Both work fine as they are.
Would they be related to the occasional FM tuning
fade? I don't know what the fuF, selenium bridge,
and control might be? Could you recommend a good book
on radio repair? Do you recommend Carr?
Is your schematic online or hard copy?
The place where I picked up the radio had another,
a Lowe-Opta, in worse condition. I may go pick that
up (if it's inexpensive) and start with that. I
believe it was not in working order and might be a
good way to learn. I take it those were also good
radios?
Thanks and I invite everyone to comment!
Seth
Hello Seth
Electrolytics and selenium rectifiers age. In consequence, as only one problem, working voltage can be lower than normal. Stages can thus work instable.
The push button contacts often cause problems, as they oxidate.
The schematic can be sent by e-mail (please just give me your mail adress - you find mine in this post.
As my mother tongue isn't english, i cannot recommend you good english books about radio repair. But if you tinker with a tube radio, keep always in mind, that they operate at much high voltage than transistor stuff (typically >= 250 Volt....)
Kind regards, Walter Haring
Hello Walter,
Thanks again for your advice. I can't seem to figure
out how to get you address from the post, as you
suggest. But that is okay. I think I will not try
to change the capacitors yet. I will start by
cleaning the contacts as you suggest. Overall, the
radio has been working very nicely.
I would put my address here, but I think it is a bad
idea to post such information in a public forum. I put
my email address into the form when I sent this mail
but I don't know where that goes (it does not get
posted publically).
My biggest problem now is that I want to fill my
home with the wonderful German radios of this period!
Thanks,
Seth
As for the television antenna in your attic, this may work very well for FM reception. It will not work well for short wave. Actually, just to make me swallow my shoe, it may work very well. What is generally recommended, however, is a long wire of about 75 feet, strung horizontally outside your home. It must be insulated from all objects. Glazed porcelain insulators are recommended, as rain water does not stick to them. The following may be a bit too much to understand right now, but just for the heck of it I will mention it. If your radio happens to have two terminals in back for the short wave, both labeled antenna (do not confuse these with the FM terminals), you may use a V-Doublet antenna, which picks up far superior short wave than a long wire. There will be less static, too, though short wave doesn't really have much static. It is listed in the Resources section of this web page under General Electric. Scroll down to V-Doublet.
As for condensers (capacitors), for optimum radio operation and knowing that your radio is operating safely and not a ticking time bomb waiting to short out, you really should go over all of your condensers. The electrolytics (large values from about 4 to 50 or 100 MFD) are polarity sensitive, so you must connect your multi-meter to them properly in order to get a proper reading. If the electrolytics are in a multi-section can, you must disconnect all wires except for the common so that you get an accurate reading. For all small paper condensers (values of .1 MFD and smaller, and the color dot mica condensers), disconnect one of the two wires. To test an electrolytic, connect your multi-meter, set to its most sensitive resistance setting (thousands and millions of ohms....should be able to touch leads and deflect meter). Connect the meter to the condenser, keeping proper polarity in mind. The meter should rise up high, and then slowly fall back down. With large value electrolytics, this can take some time. If it is a fairly large value electrolytic, and the meter doesn't deflect up much at all, then it is likely dried up. If your radio doesn't hum, though, when it's played, then your electrolytics probably havn't dried up. If, after waiting for the meter to fall back down to infinity, it doesn't, check to see where it falls. If it falls at less than about 5 or 10 million ohms, then the electrolytic is starting to get leaky. This is not good, and calls for replacement. Leakage puts undue strain on the power supply. Large leakage can actually destroy the power supply. Electrolytics should be replaced with same value, same or higher working voltage, and the new units must be placed in properly, keeping polarity in mind. Reversing the connections of the condenser can blow up the selenium rectifier.
As for testing paper condensers and mica condensers, they do not have a polarity, and can be connected any way you wish. Values larger than about .001 MFD will deflect the meter slightly. You have to have a careful eye to see this deflection sometimes. The key thing you want to look for here is that the needle falls ALL THE WAY BACK TO INFINITY. Wherever it starts, this is where it MUST fall back to. These condensers CANNOT have any leakage if you want your radio to perform properly. If you ever come across a unit that looks like a mica condenser and has three color dots and perhaps a silver or gold dot in the corner, and it checks with resistance, becareful, as this may actually be a resistor. These were used on occasion. Generally, though, the little rectangular units with the colored dots are mica condensers. They should have not current flowing across them.
As for the selenium rectifier, with it being disconnected, if you test it on your meter using the most sensitive setting, current should flow through it only one way. If you get a resistance reading going both ways, then it is starting to get leaky, and should be replaced. Be absolutely sure that when you reconnect it or a replacement, that it is reconnected properly. Reversing it will destroy the electrolytics.
Be careful when making all of these tests using your meter's most sensitive resistance setting. If you touch the leads, the resistance in your fingers will throw off the reading.
Good books can be found at Antique Electronic Supply. Go to www.tubesandmore.com and request their catologue. Though the site is very informative and is updated regularily, it is a lot more fun looking through their catologue. They will send it to your door for very little money. They have a lot of books listed, and may even have some listed for FM radios. Generally the AM radio books are enough to get by, but it helps to have a descriptive FM book. Their company is also very good for radio parts.
Thomas
Hello Walter,
:::
:::Thanks so much for your quick response.
:::
:::No, I haven't tried an external antenna for the SW
:::and suspected that might be the problem. I have a
:::good one (a big TV antenna in my attic) which I will
:::hook up.
:::
:::I wonder why you suggest cleaning the pushbuttons and
:::the cathode of the EL84. Both work fine as they are.
:::Would they be related to the occasional FM tuning
:::fade? I don't know what the fuF, selenium bridge,
:::and control might be? Could you recommend a good book
:::on radio repair? Do you recommend Carr?
:::
:::Is your schematic online or hard copy?
:::
:::The place where I picked up the radio had another,
:::a Lowe-Opta, in worse condition. I may go pick that
:::up (if it's inexpensive) and start with that. I
:::believe it was not in working order and might be a
:::good way to learn. I take it those were also good
:::radios?
:::
:::Thanks and I invite everyone to comment!
:::
:::Seth
::
::
::Hello Seth
::
::Electrolytics and selenium rectifiers age. In consequence, as only one problem, working voltage can be lower than normal. Stages can thus work instable.
::
::The push button contacts often cause problems, as they oxidate.
::
::The schematic can be sent by e-mail (please just give me your mail adress - you find mine in this post.
::
::As my mother tongue isn't english, i cannot recommend you good english books about radio repair. But if you tinker with a tube radio, keep always in mind, that they operate at much high voltage than transistor stuff (typically >= 250 Volt....)
::
::Kind regards, Walter Haring
: Hello Walter---I too have a grundig 2260u. It has been working fine until now. All of a sudden after sitting unused for some time, tubes light up--but no sound. I understand you have schematics--can I get copies and some ideas. Thank you--John
Syed
::Hello,
::
::I recently picked up a Grundig-Majestic 2260
::tabletop BC/FM/SW radio on a lark. Sounded nice,
::looked great, and didn't cost much. Now that it's
::home I realize what a fascinating and fine radio
::it is. I also realize that the SW doesn't tune
::anything but static and the FM tuning occasionally
::fades a bit.
::
::I have read around on the web and am thinking I should
::start by replacing most of the capacitors and poking
::around a bit for obvious problems. But I have never
::done this before and don't have a lot of electronics
::experience or equipment.
::
::Should I leave it to the experts or give it a try?
::If I should try it, what resources do you think I
::should have? I saw that someone on an earlier forum
::noted that there is an article on this model in
::Sam's Photofact #657, so I figure I should start by
::ordering this from Michelle Troutman (found on
::the web). Any other suggestions?
::
::Thanks.
:
:Hello Seth
:
:I think, you should give it a try. That's a nice and not too complicated radio to start with. And you can get help at this forum if you need it.
:
:First i would recommend to clean the pushbutton contacts. Then the replacement of the electrolytics - mainly at the cathode of the EL84 and the 5 uF in the ratio detector. And of course a control, if the selenium bridge gets warm. If so - replace it.
:
:I have a schematic of the European version (hardly readable) that i can send if you want so.
:
:Have you connected an external antenna for SW? This radio has built in antennas for FM and the BC-Band but not for SW.
:
:Kind regards, Walter Haring, Switzerland
:The