Demo of Refurbished Marconi CSR-5 Receiver and Look at a National 'RCK' Catacomb Set

I have recently completed refurbishing a Marconi CSR-5 WWII vintage receiver (Canadian Navy) for a friend, including building a power supply for it. The first half of this video provides a brief demo of the set operating on the Shortwave bands/upper end of the Broadcast band. The second half of the video provides a brief description of a National 'RCK' receiver - one of a number of versions of the National NC-100 receiver manufactured for the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Air Commerce or Civil Aeronautics Authority. The NC-100 line of receivers, including the 'RCK', uses an unusual band change system, whereby the coils and padder/coupling capacitors are contained in a 'catacomb' that traverses across the chassis via a rack and pinion system, the coils in use connecting with contacts on the underside of the tuning gang. This receiver will be my next project.

[@workingwiththelight3119]

Old radios have some kind of magic! I admire your skills and ability to find parts for old radio.

[@RadioRestoration]

Thanks! - and yes, they have 'magic' to me too...

[@brucemacmillan127]

Nice job as usual. I'm about to start on one of mine and was surprised to see so many parts needing replacement. I did keep two sets, a 5 and 5A plus a VP3. Winter project.

[@RadioRestoration]

Hi Bruce - good to hear from you. Hope you are still doing ok in the UK! Unfortunately, in my experience, most of the resistors in these sets have drifted significantly and for long-term reliability/optimal performance should be replaced (as well as the capacitors). You could 'get away' with a recap and only replacing open circuit and a handful of 'critical' resistors for the set to run reasonably well if its for your own use and you can carry out ad-hoc repairs as and when needed, but most of my refurbishing work is for other folks and I prefer not to have to revisit the sets(!)

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

What a beautiful receiver! Great job restoring it sir!
I love those older radios myself, and I am rebuilding a Hallicrafters SX-101/a as well as the HT-32 transmitter.
The SX-101 series originally had 160 meters, and the A had a 2/6 meter conversion band scale, with the loss of 160 meters, so I rebuilt the Mark III chassis with the A circuits added.

[@RadioRestoration]

Thanks Jeffrey. Good luck with the SX-101 - sounds an interesting project.

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

@@RadioRestoration Well, as long as my progress is positive, it looks good. Sad to say, I broke an IF transformer, but I have a spare! But I have to tear into it!

[@RadioRestoration]

IF transformers are always fun to take apart! @@jeffreyyoung4104

[@beamfinder8336]

that's a really nice looking receiver you got there!

[@RadioRestoration]

Thanks. Its a really classis design - especially with that large and very clearly-marked (and colourful) half-moon dial!

[@thevintageaudiolife]

I wonder if National Radio hand anything to do with that catacomb design? Lovely receiver!

[@RadioRestoration]

The National Radio Co. developed the 'catacomb' design to address the inconvenience of having plug-in coil packs as in the National HRO receiver, yet retain the advantages those had over the more usual band change arrangements of coils selected by a rotary switch, eg. frequency stability and isolation between stages

[@keithmckenney4970]

I have one as well Its a CSR5A 110930-AZ Spec 106945. I have re-capped it and it works well. Had to build up a power supply of course. VE6CJC :)

[@RadioRestoration]

Hi Keith - sounds good! - these are very reliable sets.

[@althepal6818]

Gerry, what color is exactly the front panel? The light in the room doesn’t permit to see it clearly. Is it Olive drab green?

[@RadioRestoration]

Its greyish drab green wrinkle that has some brownish staining here and there. Its unusual for a CSR-5 - other's I have worked on (five I think) have been shades of semi-gloss medium grey with either white or black lettering

[@WF2U]

Good job. I restored a couple of CSR-5 receivers, some had mechanical problems. I have 5 in my collection. There is a nice run-down on these, on the website dedicated to the history and products of the Canadian Marconi Co. I'm also working on restoring a RCN CM-11 transmitter that also has a CSR-5 in the same cabinet. As you may know, the CSR-5 was designed and built for the Royal Canadian Navy, and was used from late WW2 until the mid-1950's.

[@RadioRestoration]

Thanks! - Yes, Jerry Proc's website is a very valuable resource for the CMC. I have restored several CSR-5 sets and some CM-11 rigs. If you are on Facebook, check out my 'Radio Restoration' blog. Also, there are several of my articles, including on the CSR-5 and CM-11 on the SPARC radio museum website, here: sparcradio.ca/radio-matters/restoration-projects/

[@TheGmr140]

Very nice radio, love it 😊😊

[@RadioRestoration]

Yes, they are a bit of a 'Canadian Classic' and certainly look thepart as a comms set

[@sampamnl.8964]

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[@RadioRestoration]

Glad you found this video useful

[@vitaly8253]

Красивое радио )))