Philips BDK361U

Radio is sold on December 2013.

1949

Condition and performance:

	Cabinet:	70%
	Reception AM:	70%
	Sound Quality AM:	70%
	Sound Quality P.U.:	60%

Features:

	P.U. Entrance:	Yes
	Tape Recorder Entrance:	No
	Extra Loudspeaker Output:	No
	Loudness:	No
	Treble Control:	Yes, continuous
	Bass Control:	No
	Tone Register Switches:	No
	AM Bandwidth Switch or Control:	No
	Tuning Indicator:	No
	Build-in Antenna:	No
	Build in Ferrite or Window Antenna:	No
	Separate AM/FM tuning:	N.A.

Technical Specifications (Partially measured):

	Tubes:	UCH4, UCH4, UBL1, UY1N
	Wave Bands:	LW, MW, SW from 16-51 meters.
	Intermediate Frequencies (IF):	441 kHz
	Loudspeaker:	9678
	Resonance Frequency Fs:	136 Hz
	Frequency Range Power Amplifier:	?
	RMS Output Power at 5 Ohms:	?
	Cabinet:	Wood, light and dark brown lacquered
	Dimensions:	39,5 x 27,8 x 20 cm
	Mains Power Voltages:	220 Volts AC/DC
	Mains Power Consumption	45 Watts
	Retail Price	?

Description:

The Philips BDK361U is made in Denmark and is a typical post WW2 radio. If you looks at the tube line up, these tubes are mainly used at the end of the 30's. Although you expect the P-type tube sockets, all these tube sockets are octal sockets, like the EL34 tubes.

Repairs:

All paper/tar capacitors are renewed by high quality polyester film capacitors.
Reason: Many of these capacitors are exploded and have leakage.
All Vitrohm resistors are renewed.
Reason: These resistors are increased in value.
Power capacitor is replaced by a previous owner and is 2x 50 µF. These are parallel connected which results in 100 µF. The parallel connected is removed and a resistor of 10K 2W is used now to keep the power capacitor in good condition.
Reason: The maximum allowed capacitance of the UY1N is 60 µF.
Loudness resistor of 100K is replaced by 47K and 6800 pF.
Reason: Loudness control and more full and pleasant sound.
Dial cord works opposite on the dial scale and the station indication is opposite.
Solution: Dial cord is renewed and works now correctly.
AM detection network is added by a resistor of 470K with 100 pF parallel and an extra coupling capacitor of 10 nF 630V.
Reason: The volume potentiometer has no negative AM detection voltage anymore and the scratching sound of the volume potentiometer has disappeared.
The negative screen resistor of 680K to the UBL1 becomes sometimes open, which results into audio distortion and too much current of the UBL1.
Solution: The negative grid resistor of the UBL1 is replaced by 470K 1W>
After one our playing, the sound becomes distorted.
Reason: The negative voltage of the UBL1 reduced from -7 Volt to -1.5 Volt. The UBL1 suffers with positive grid voltage, so the UBL1 is replaced by a new UBL1.
Screen resistor of 1K5 1W to the UBL1 is added.
Reason: More stable operation of the power amplifier and better voltages on the UBL1. The distortion is lower and the UBL1 can now see a very long life time in the future.
New felt feet are placed.

Many components are replaced and some modifications are done to improve the reliability, electrical safety, sound quality and better reception.

Performance:

After repairing this radio, the reception of the broadcast stations is quite well. The Danish Philips BDK361U radio has less quality as their Dutch brothers, but is still a nice radio.

Disclaimer:

This radio is directly supplied from the mains power. The high voltage supply is directly taken from the mains power, which means the radio chassis carries the 230 Volt~ mains voltage, which is very dangerous. Before making any repairs on the radio or playing the radio without the back plate, use a safety transformer with separate windings. The insulation of the windings must withstand at least 4000 Volts AC as well as a low leakage current of 0.5 mA~ or less.

Home

Back to Picture Gallery 2

Contact Kees van Dijke

Download the service manual