2020 Two Valve Competition

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The competition is a radio construction competition. The schematic is shown below.
The radio has a simple regenerative type detector and an audio amp utilising a 1T4 and a 3V4 with battery supplies.
C8 could be an electrolytic capacitor or not. It is there to make sure the screen is at AC ground. Its value could be 0.47µF if 1µF is hard to find.
All entrants must be financial members of the Historical Wireless Association of South East Queensland.
To view the schematic in PDF format, click here.

The Entries

David Tipton's entry - front view (first prize)

David Tipton's entry - rear view - with Peter Gofton in the background

Ken Stewart's entry - front view (second prize)

Dan Bedford's entry - front view (third prize)

David Morgan's entry - rear view, showing a very neat layout

Judging

The competition was judged on Sunday 6 December 2020 at the Ferny Districts Fishing Club.

Peter Gofton, with assistance from Peter Hadgraft, in their initial round of judging could not separate the top three entries based on the following criteria -

Construction.
Adherence to specified design.
Performance.
Ease of use.

So a fifth criterion was added - Appearance. The final results were:

1st - 22 points - David Tipton's "Tune Master" (an Empire State lookalike)
2nd - 21.5 points - Ken Stewart's very shiny chassis mounted in a timber frame
3rd - 21 points - Dan Bedford's "DancoDyne".

Best performer, no prize, Mike Melzer's coffin set which was the only set to tune a station with just a couple of metres of hookup wire and no earth.

A long wire was strung up out into the bush beside the club hall and an earth was fashioned using the outside water tap.

Then reception on all sets improved considerably.

Congratulations to all five members who entered the competition.

The Winners

Club President Rob Zanchetta awarding first prize to David Tipton

Club President Rob Zanchetta awarding second prize to Ken Stewart