Back in the summer our eye was caught by [Jazzy Jane]’s new signal generator, or perhaps we should say her new-to-her signal generator. It’s an Advance E1 from around 1950, and it was particularly interesting from here because it matches the model on the shelf above this bench. She’s back with a new video on the E1, allowing us a further look inside it as she replaces a dead capacitor, gets its audio oscillator working, and upgrades its sockets.
Treating us to a further peek inside the unit, first up is a leaky capacitor. Then a knotty question for old tech enthusiasts, to upgrade or not? The ancient co-ax connectors are out of place on a modern bench, so does originality matter enough to give it a set of BNC sockets? We’d tend to agree; just because we have some adapters for the unit here doesn’t mean it’s convenient. Following on from that is a period variable frequency audio mod which has failed, so out that comes and a little fault-finding is required to get the wiring of the audio transformer.
These instruments are not by any means compact, but they do have the advantage of being exceptionally well-built and above all cheap. We hope readers appreciate videos like the one below the break, and that you’re encouraged not to be scared of diving in to older items like this one to fix them. Meanwhile the first installment is here.
Very nice. Needs a splitter for the 2nd BNC output set to switch phase by 180 degrees using the spare switch ;-)
if you are going to use a vintage instrument regularly, then definitely fit BNC connectors, they work reasonably reliably and can be replaced easily… (Done it myself)
A lot of the old stuff I find at the local hamfests use the Switchcraft 2501M microphone connectors. I always replace them with BNC if it’s RF or 1/4″ phone jacks if it’s audio. Those old connectors are still available, but they are expensive and I don’t have any cables with them.
That’s a handsome-looking signal gen. I recently got an old generator, looked like maybe fifties… I noticed that parts of the factory-made faceplate were a bit odd, the knob seemed like it wasn’t stock, extra screw holes and a couple lamps that looked like they were added later.
To my great pleasure, I opened it up and it turned out to be an old home-brew instrument with loving craftsmanship. Obviously much higher quality and more capable than whatever instrument donated the faceplate decades ago.
I think I prefer banana plugs. BNC always fails when I need it.
It has contact issues when I use it for antenna cables.