New Members Please introduce yourself.

First topic message reminder :

Hi folks,
I'm David, I live in Canberra, Down Under, and confess a love of valve gear.
Specifically guitar amps, and have joined the site to further my slowly growing knowledge..
I'm also on a steep learning curve for valve testers - just gained a Jackson 637 and am trying to learn about it and am planning to service it B4 testing my growing collection of valves..
I don't know a whole lot about radio's per se, but pls don't hold that against me..LOL
I'll chime in probably infrequently, but have bookmarked the site and will call back regularly.
Cheers, David

Frank is kind of close to Me, near Olympia WA..

Hi!

Nice to know a local, about 50 mi as the crow flies...

Chas

WA1JFD

Welcome. That's one of our goals. To revive old radios that have rigor-mortus and/or in a state of Decay.

Hi Everyone!

A retired absent minded professor of medicine (academically dead - rigor mortis is late). Happy to be on board  - Tnx!

Bink,  K1NLY

Hi, all...My name is Dave and I have been licensed since 1954.  My original station was a Hallicrafters S-77 and a Heathkit AT-1. Made lots of contacts with that old station. Just recently picked up a very nice S40B and while it works, it could use some tuning up.  (Next project) Just wondering if the  band switch on all S40 receivers is as stiff as the one I just got?  I haven't yet opened it up to see what it looks like underneath.  Possibly just a bit of cleaning and a little lube may make it easier for my old (92 year) hand to turn the knob. Just finished a nice S38B which works quite well.  I guess the older one gets, the more us old folks like to get the old gear back working. 
73,
Dave, W8FKI

Rod Clay wrote:

Hi All,
I just recently joined Antique Radios and made my first (3) forum posts on Hickok tube testers and the mercury vapor 83 type rectifier tube and a SS replacement for same. From there I saw a mention of Antique-Radio-Lab so here I am. Glad to join you. I have been a SW radio fan and electronic tech starting when I was a boy. I am now 61. I took a night class to become a licensed Novice radio amateur back in the 8th Grade while in Junior High School. I have held the calls WN6LBV, WB6FBF, and N4QNX. My license N4QNX expired back in February but I am thinking of renewing and asking the FCC for my old call back of WB6FBF since I am now living in Oroville, California once again. I was formerly from the 4th Call District with my old home and ham radio station back in Lynchburg, Virginia where I was quite active at one time using a Korean War vintage Hallicrafters HT-4/BC-610-G as my main transmitter supplemented by a Heathkit DX-100. That's all for now. More to come.

Welcome Rod:
Wow that's impressive at such a young age.
When you do a follow up, post it in the general chat post forum, and of course we also have ham and shortwave forum.
Sounds like you will provide some rich experience to our Forum topics.

Hi All,
I just recently joined Antique Radios and made my first (3) forum posts on Hickok tube testers and the mercury vapor 83 type rectifier tube and a SS replacement for same. From there I saw a mention of Antique-Radio-Lab so here I am. Glad to join you. I have been a SW radio fan and electronic tech starting when I was a boy. I am now 61. I took a night class to become a licensed Novice radio amateur back in the 8th Grade while in Junior High School. I have held the calls WN6LBV, WB6FBF, and N4QNX. My license N4QNX expired back in February but I am thinking of renewing and asking the FCC for my old call back of WB6FBF since I am now living in Oroville, California once again. I was formerly from the 4th Call District with my old home and ham radio station back in Lynchburg, Virginia where I was quite active at one time using a Korean War vintage Hallicrafters HT-4/BC-610-G as my main transmitter supplemented by a Heathkit DX-100. That's all for now. More to come.

Welcome to the following New Members:

wd0fch


Rarabama


Olde RM


V8Bob

Glad to have you Join, as you all have experience, We members look forward to your knowledge and experience's in your posts. we welcome knowledge, to help our members and visitors.
That's what were all about here.

Welcome Earle and Rusty!

I am a retired plumbing/fire protection engineer with a interest in electronics and ham radio. First licensed in 1963. My name is Earle.
Now I hold an advanced license (wd0fch) call.

Looking forward Participating.

Good evening! My name is Rusty, and I have worked in retail management for the past 32+ years.. My username, Rarabama, combines two things I love—my family (Rusty, wife Anissa, son Ryan, daughter Ashlyn) and Alabama Crimson Tide football! I am joining this forum as a result of a purchase my lovely bride made for me recently—a 1949 Philco cabinet radio with AM/FM radio and 10”/12” dual-arm turntable! My son and I are enjoying getting it into shape, radio works great but the turntable needs a drive belt but that’s another post. I look forward to connecting with others on here and learning more about what else is out there.

Sent from Topic'it App

I am a retired electronics engineer and active ham radio operator.  I have restored a 1936 Crosley and a WWII-era BC-series receiver and transmitter to operational status.  I am presently repairing a circa 1925 Lafayette Neutrodyne receiver.

Hello everyone, Bob here. I'm an Electrical Engineer and have just retired (for the second time-I was called back) from GE after 50 years' service in the Power Division. Back in the day I served in the US Army Signal Corps in fixed station radio. I have two classic Ford cars, a 31 Model A Coupe and a 36 Cabriolet.
I have 3 Zenith tube type Transoceanics, all different models. The B600 I've recapped, changed out the selenium rectifier, and totally cleaned up case and chassis. It was the first I've attempted to restore.

graysona wrote:

Hello everyone. I am retired Navy and once upon a time they let me work on electronics. However as time went on, being put in charge of increasingly large groups of people who worked on electronics, my knowledge base aged and shipboard equipment was modernized, and frankly I got to the point where I hated even the sight of lists of "down" equipment and had to concentrate on the likelihood that the part the tech wanted to order would actually fix the bugger or was only an attempt to free himself from standing in front of it.

On to the case in point.....back in the early 70's I gave my nephew a working 1935 RCA model 243 and it hasn't worked in years. Well, he's moved into my area and is mildly interested it getting it to work. Any assistance in locating a schematic and/or the appropriate section of an RCA redbook for this radio would be appreciated.

Just Retire From Puget Sound Naval Shipyard myself in 2004, OH MY! has it been that Long?
I mention my experiences throughout the forum. Did a 7-year stint at Long Beach Naval Shipyard too.

Hello everyone. I am retired Navy and once upon a time they let me work on electronics. However as time went on, being put in charge of increasingly large groups of people who worked on electronics, my knowledge base aged and shipboard equipment was modernized, and frankly I got to the point where I hated even the sight of lists of "down" equipment and had to concentrate on the likelihood that the part the tech wanted to order would actually fix the bugger or was only an attempt to free himself from standing in front of it.

On to the case in point.....back in the early 70's I gave my nephew a working 1935 RCA model 243 and it hasn't worked in years. Well, he's moved into my area and is mildly interested it getting it to work. Any assistance in locating a schematic and/or the appropriate section of an RCA redbook for this radio would be appreciated.

Glad to see you becoming active, Welcome back MEZLAW !

Well.....I'm not a new member but I've been inactive for several years so maybe I should re-introduce myself!

My name is Larry and I like to restore AA5's.  I prefer radios of the 1940's with point to point wiring, octal tubes and wooden cabinets.  I also like rengenerative radios, especially Knight Kits by Allied Radio.

I did get my ham radio license a little over a year ago and was asigned KM4QVA.  I have recently changed it to K4LRM.

I am the owner of L&S Communications Group Inc. which installs business telephone systems and computers as well as computer networks.

Great to see you join. POTS Don! My mom was born and raised in Flint. My grandpa worked in the Ford Plant as a supervisor on the line. Model T and A.
So mechanics are in my blood.

Welcome!  The Signal Corps taught me to repair tube first, then solid state equipment.  It can be a good basis for ones' electronic training.

Hello to All: My name is Don, I am a recent watcher and now a member.
      
  I have enjoyed radios and electronic stuff since childhood, and have

built from scratch or kits various radios, amplifiers, and other electronic

devices.

  I served for 3 years in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. (67-70) and retired

after 30 years service from the local Telephone Company as a Station

Repairman/Cable Maintenance Tech.

  Now days I collect old radios from my past, ones I used to have, and

ones I have lost, and ones I wished I had

  Looking forward to being a part of this Forum.

Don

kb4mdz wrote:

Name is Chuk Gleason, and (obviously) call is kb4mdz.  

Joined in large part because I've just collected a radio and 2 field phones from a neighbor who is moving away.  Radio has no tubes in it, but what sockets are in there are 4 pin.  No name on the wooden cabinet, just the dials. 2 vernier dials, one control which moves a coil thru a range of motion inside another, from parallel to the outer coil form, to 90 degrees from the outer coil, for coupling.  I've forgotten most of what I read about old radio designs; might this be a goniometer?    

connections on the back for various batteries, and aerial.  

Already guesstimating, pre-WWII.

 When I get a picture of the front I'll upload it.  

Thanks!!

Doesn't sound right they are called Variometer or Varicoupler.
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Welcome criageek and Aris!

Dig right in and help out with questions, problems, and solutions.

Sounds like you have plenty to keep you busy.  We would be happy if you included us in your projects.  Post often to let us know your progress,  Post some pictures.  We are here to help anyway we can.  Good luck!

I'm a new user here and want to introduce myself.  My name is Rich and I'll be 62 in a few days.  I worked my entire career at a midwestern defense and aerospace contractor, first as an electronics technician and then as a geek.  And I AM a geek.  I love electronics and I love computers.  I build small electronics projects, including designing and etching my own circuit boards.  I write smart phone apps and desktop apps.  I hate Windows, but use it when I need to, but my preferred OS is Linux (Ubuntu).  I also enjoy my cars (a '79 RX-7 that I bought new, a '64 MGB that I restored, and an '85 RX-7 that I restored, as well as my daily driver) and golf.

I'm new to the radio restoration hobby.  My first efforts are a '42 GE LC-628 and a Philco 47-1230. I started with the GE because it's pretty simple and I have the radio working well.  Just need to refinish the cabinet.  I have it stripped and cleaned.  The Philco is my baby.  It belonged to my grandparents and I repaired it when I was 17, in 1972.  I recently decided I wanted to make it work again.  I recapped it and I have the AM section working, although the output is quite low and not many stations.  Nothing from the FM and shortwave yet.  The cabinet is in good enough shape that I won't be refinishing it...just cleaning it up.

I recently picked up a Fairbanks-Morse 72T (1936 I think).  This looks like a very nice radio...very cool dial!  Cabinet is in solid shape.  The top is a little rough, but I think it'll clean up ok.

Tomorrow I'm going to pick up my next project...a Balkeit 52 (1932 I think).  It looks like it's complete except the knobs and the cabinet looks solid.  Should be fun.  Never heard of Fairbanks-Morse or Balkeit before now  lol.

I also picked up a tube tester this past weekend...a Jackson 115.  It seems to work ok, but needed some cleaning and the glass in the meter was broken.  Now that it's cleaned up and the glass has been replaced with plexiglas it looks pretty nice.  I'll be posting in the test equipment section shortly with the lone remaining issue with it.

I'd have included some pictures here but don't see a way to add them.

Rich

Been expecting some to be more active, your more than welcome to be very active here.

I've been a member for awhile, but I may not have introduced myself.

I have been in the old radio hobby for almost 40 years, but like a lot of guys my age, I'm starting to wind it down.  I am mainly into Magnavox stereos at this point.  I'm looking for a Magnavox Stereo Theater.  Basically a console stereo with a 27" black and white TV set in it.  I'd like to see a little more activity on this forum and maybe we can work together to make that happen.  Best to you all.

hi everyone
my name is Aras....i'm just a hobbyist and i have a small collection of vintage tube and transistor radios.
in my spare time i repair radios , mostly with the help of gentlemen like you. 
thank you for accepting me as a new member
 yours

Aras

Welcome to:
LizD & Joao Almeida

We are waiting to hear more about your hobby and solutions and problems.

Hi all!!!
My name is Joao Almeida, 53 yo,  I'm from Portugal and I studied electronics in Portuguese Air Force school in 1982.
I have studied Tubes, Transistors and Microprocessors (Intel 8088) :-).
Now I am retired from Air Force and sometimes I repair some "old" radios.
So, nice "meet you" and best regards for all.

Joao Almeida

My name is Elizabeth and this radio was my grandpa's who has long since past. I loved this radio and remember singing , concert style to my grandparents always after dinner. I'm hoping someone can tell me more about it. The tubes are still there and I don't believe they work. It needs a good cleaning. The sticker inside says Westinghouse model 785 AC Radio Receiver. The schematics are shown on the sticker also. The tube unit itself says made in canada. So I'm wondering if the shell and unit are the same year. The unit has model 785 stamped on it too so I'm not really sure. There is a separate safety metal stamp that says 1976 on it as well.