I've had personal experience of the books and magazines listed below. There are, of course, many others.
Jump to [Books out of print] [Valve Manuals] [Magazines] [back]
Please note: Due to the specialised nature of the following books, they may not always be in print.
| Suggested books | |
|---|---|
70 Years of Radio Tubes and Valves John W. Stokes The Vestal Press Ltd ISBN 0-911572-27-9 First published 1982 | The title tells it all. It's simply essential for valve aficionados. |
History of the British Radio Valve Keith R. Thrower MMA International Ltd ISBN 0 9520684 0 0 First published 1992 | Similar to the book above but restricts itself to UK valve development up to 1942. |
Radio! Radio! (third edition) Jonathan Hill Sunrise Press ISBN 0 9511448 20 First published 1986 Second edition published 1993 third edition published 1996 sunpress@eurobell.co.uk | This is a very readable book about the development of the domestic radio set from its beginnings through to the arrival of the transistor radio. It boasts nearly 1,000 photographs of domestic radios, loudspeakers and valves. The latest edition has a new section describing over 3,000 transistor radios made between 1956 and the early 1970s. Expensive but undoubtedly the best book of its kind. |
Old Radio Sets (Shire Album No. 295) Jonathan Hill Shire Publications ISBN 0 7478 0219 X First published 1993 | A rather slim volume nowhere near as good as Radio! Radio! but nice enough. |
The Setmakers Keith Geddes and Gordon Bussey BREMA (The British Radio & Electronic Equipment Manufacturers' Association) ISBN 0 9517042 0 6 First published 1991 | An excellent volume covering the history of radio and TV manufacture in the UK. |
Secrets of Homebuilt Regenerative Receivers C.F. 'Rock' Rockey Lindsay Publications Inc. ISBN 1 55918 170 2 First published 1996 | Good introduction to tuned radio frequency receivers.
More suited to the beginner than to the experienced
radio enthusiast. A practical approach with valve and
f.e.t. receiver designs. Available in the UK from the Practical Wireless and Short Wave Magazine book services. |
Those Great Old Handbook Receivers The Amateur Radio Relay League Lindsay Publications Inc. ISBN 1 55918 171 0 REPRINT first published 1996 Content originally published in 1929/34 | Selected reprints of chapters from the 1929 and 1934
ARRL Handbooks. Covers radio transmission,
receiver design and construction and power supplies.
Great for enthusiasts of ancient amateur radio
equipment. See what amateur radio was like sixty
years ago. Available in the UK from the Practical Wireless and Short Wave Magazine book services. |
Radio Designer's Handbook Edited by F.Langford Smith Newnes ISBN 0 7506 3635 1 | An excellent book for theory. This is a reprint of the final revision of the 'classic' fourth edition. This book is neither cheap nor for the squeamish. But for anyone serious about valves and valve technology, this is the book to own. |
Principles of Electron Tubes Herbert J. Reich Audio Amateur Press ISBN 1 882580 07 9 | A textbook all about valve theory. Written for engineering students and probably the best of its kind. One for the serious valve aficionado's bookshelf. |
Audio! Audio! Jonathan Hill Sunrise Press ISBN 0 9511448 55 First published 1995 sunpress@eurobell.co.uk | The valve audio enthusiasts version of Radio! Radio! This book gives brief details of loads of valve amplifiers and has some lovely photographs of classic valve amps. |
Valve Amplifiers (3rd Edition) Morgan Jones Newnes ISBN 0-7506-5694-8 | A designer's guide to valve audio amplifiers. This book covers the fundamentals of audio amplifier design, both voltage and power stages, power supplies, equalisation, construction and safety. Morgan Jones also examines several classic amplifier designs and comments on their design and performance. A contemporary valve book suitable for the beginner yet still interesting enough for the seasoned valve enthusiast. The 3rd edition has 617 pages and is 60% bigger than the first edition. Probably the best book of its type. |
Valve Radio and Audio Repair Handbook (2nd Edition) Chas. E. Miller Newnes ISBN 0-7506-3995-4 First published 2000 | The first edition of this work was called the Practical Handbook of Valve Radio Repair (see below). This is a very practical guide to repairing old radio sets and audio amplifiers. If you're new to valves, old radios and valve audio amplifiers and want to know how to fix them, then this is the book to buy. There's lots of valve data at the back of the book which will help beginners. Having said that, even old-hands might learn a thing or two. |
Electronic Classics Collecting, Restoration and Repair Andrew Emmerson Newnes ISBN 0-7506-3788-9 First published 1998 | This is an excellent book all about collecting, restoring and repairing old radio sets and the like. It's not a book of circuits, nor does it give a step by step account of exactly how to go about fault finding. Rather, it's a general guide to the whole subject. Particularly, it covers buying the sets in the first place, and then making them look nice. Most useful is a comprehensive guide to people, societies and companies engaged in the restoration and repair of electronic equipment. This book is a 'must-have' if you're just begining in the hobby. |
The Saga of Marconi Osram Valve A History of Valve Making Barry Vyse and George Jessop Vyse Ltd. ISBN 0-9539127-0-1 (hardback) ISBN 0-9539127-1-X (softback) First published 2000 freespace.virgin.net/vyse.co/mov.htm | This is an excellent history of Marconi-Osram valve (M-OV) that covers 100 years, three generations, two world wars and the developments in broadcasting in the two post-war periods. It's a history of valve making with particular emphasis on wireless valves, both receiving and transmitting. There are many photographs, drawings and illustrations. |
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| Books (out of print) | |
|---|---|
Practical Handbook of Valve Radio Repair Chas. E. Miller Newnes Technical Books ISBN 0-408-00593-9 First published 1982 | There is now a second edition - Valve Radio and Audio Repair Handbook - in print (see above). However, this first edition is still very useful and, it has to be said, better produced than the second edition. |
Radio Engineers' Servicing Manual Edited by E.Molloy George Newnes Limited (1952) | Precursor to the Radio and Television Servicing volumes but only covering radio receivers from the mid forties to 1952 |
Radio and Television Servicing (yearly volumes) J.P.Hawker and others George Newnes Limited | Circuit diagrams and servicing information covering radios and televisions (some tape recorders) sold in the UK. The first volume covers up to 1955 (from about 1950-ish). The second volume covers 1955-1956, the third 1956-1957 and so on. Useful up to the early seventies after which the transistor dominated all radio and TV designs. If you see any volume at an acceptable price - buy it! |
Electronics Designers Handbook R.W. Landee-Donovan C. Davis-Albert P. Albrecht McGraw-Hill (1957 edition) | A good general electronics book. |
Engineering Electronics John D. Ryder McGraw-Hill (1957 edition) | Another good general electronics book. |
Radio Designer's Handbook Edited by F.Langford Smith Iliffe and Sons Limited | An excellent book for theory. There are several editions of this book in circulation. The later editions are more comprehensive than the earlier editions but are quite rare. Any edition is well worth having. Note - a reprint of the fourth edition is now available new - see 'books in print' above. |
Electronic and Radio Engineering Radio Engineering Radio Engineers' Handbook All by Frederick E. Terman | These are all excellent books for theory, much along the lines of the Radio Designer's Handbook (above). Any title or edition is worth having, although the later editions are larger and more comprehensive. Reprints of one or more editions may now be available. |
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Look for valve manuals by Mullard, Brimar, GEC, RCA and GE. These are amongst the best. There are no valve manuals currently in print from the major valve manufacturers of old. You will have to be content with second hand examples. But, some kind people are producing reprints of some classic manuals. They include -
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All the following magazines are published in the United Kingdom. Readers are strongly advised to write or telephone the magazine for further information. Most have book services. Practical Wireless/Short Wave Magazine stock books on electronics and radio including listening guides plus a few books to do with valves. The Radiophile and Radio Bygones both stock books related exclusively to valves and to vintage wireless.
Radio Bygones
Editor Mike Kenward
Allen House
East Borough
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 1PF
radiobygones@wimborne.co.uk
Tel: 01202 881749
Fax: 01202 841692
http://www.radiobygones.co.uk/
http://www.radiobygones.com/
Published every two months.
Covers all aspects of vintage wireless and valve-related topics
including military equipment and test equipment.
Practical Wireless
Editor Rob Mannion
PW Publishing Limited
Arrowsmith Court
Station Approach
Broadstone
Dorset
BH18 8PW
Tel: 01202 659910
Fax: 01202 659950
http://www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk/
Published monthly on the second Thursday in the month.
Has a monthly Valve and Vintage column.
Also has frequent valve-related construction projects and features.
Strong bias towards Amateur Radio.
Everyday Practical Electronics
Editor Mike Kenward
Everyday Practical Electronics Editorial
408 Wimborne Road East
Ferndown
Dorset
BH22 9ND
editorial@epemag.wimborne.co.uk
Tel: 01202 873872
Fax: 01202 874562
http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/
General amateur electronics magazine published monthly.
Has unusual constructional projects.
Has advertisements for companies not found elsewhere in the amateur
electronics press.
The Radiophile
Editor Chas. E. Miller
'Larkhill'
Newport Road
Woodseaves
Stafford
ST20 0NP
Tel: 01785 284696
9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm local time,
Monday to Friday ONLY.
Published every two months. Covers all aspects of vintage wireless and valves.
Emphasis on UK radios, their repair and upkeep. Very old-fashioned.
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