Hello from Norway!
I've just got hold of a lovely old transistor radio that I think will make a great sounding amp:
I've not done anything like this before, and I'm no electrician, but after a browse online I think I've got the gist of it (wire up an input jack, solder one wire onto the negative battery terminal and one onto the volume pot).
I think I've identified the volume pot, but the problem is that it's tucked away behind lots of other stuff that I know nothing about and am worried about removing/breaking. Can anyone advise? I think it's in the circular metal casing in the top right, highlighted in orange:
A close up:
Any ideas on how I get back there? And where I should solder? Do I need to remove that metal casing? Any advice would be most welcome!
Here's some more pictures that may help:
Replies
Gary;
The tool you made sounds great. I ran across this thread and would like to make one for myself. Would it be possible to post a couple of pictures of it with perhaps a closeup of the headphone jack connection? Thanks, I have a much easier time deciphering visuals than a written description, a typical artist trait I guess.
Thanks.
Ron
And here are the pics :O)
DSC_0309.JPG
DSC_0311.JPG
DSC_0310.JPG
Hi,
Can you see the 3 terminals on the pot?
What I did when I first starting converting these is make myself a nifty little tool to make
finding the right connections easier. Take two lengths of fairly stiff copper wire/rod about 8" long, solder a lead to the ends with a small headphone jack on the other end. Then put a point on the other ends and heatshrink sleeve all the way along it with just the points poking out. Then you can plug the headphone jack into any audio device to give you a sound source. Turn the radio on and prod around on the pot. When you find the right connection, your sound source will come out of the radio's speaker and that's where you solder your jack socket. Don't be too scared to disassemble what you need to, they're quite easier to figure out how to put back :O)
Hope that's of some help.
Cheers
Gary
cheers Gary - sounds like a plan. looks like the terminals are under those two black diodes (if that's the right word??). Two are accessible, but it looks like the third is tucked right under them. As far as taking things apart goes... it looks intimidating. I can see different sections screwed into various places - I'm not worried about unscrewing them, but what looks tricky is that there are a few a wires running from the circuits to the casing. There's hardly any slack, so I'm a bit concerned about removing parts and ripping the leads from where they're connected to the case. If you get my drift...
Elliott