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How about old radios?

Discussion in 'The Antiquated' started by Ancient Iron, May 4, 2018.

  1. Rehpotsirhcj
    Joined: May 7, 2006
    Posts: 1,440

    Rehpotsirhcj
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Northwest HAMBers

    [​IMG]

    This belonged to my grandparents, still works.
     
  2. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Think of some of the historic, world changing (not for the better, often) news broadcasts received on those radios when they were in regular use.

    One thing that a lot of hobbyists and collectors use is a small AM transmitter around their home. These are completely legal, the output is not very powerful though enough to broadcast clearly out 50 yards or so. Find an unused station frequency on your vintage radio in the garage and pipe in your favorite Old Time Radio streaming programs like Fibber McGee or Dragnet, Gunsmoke, maybe your favorite 50s or 60s tunes, Wolfman Jack ... from the house. Whatever you like. They work good and fidelity is pretty good too. AM can actually sound pretty decent, the commercial stations are bandwidth limited by the FCC in what they are allowed to transmit so the tone quality is actually less than it used to be. The consoles especially have nice big speakers in wooden cabinets, and sound authentic and "wooly" with the old school Big Band, Rock & Motown numbers.

    IMG_0755.PNG
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
  3. 23ford
    Joined: Apr 21, 2013
    Posts: 7

    23ford
    Member

    I have my grandparents 1936 Wards Airline console radio. Restored a couple of years ago.....Grandpa traded some cases of RC COLA for it about 1939
     
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  4. NWRustyJunk
    Joined: Jan 2, 2017
    Posts: 481

    NWRustyJunk
    Member

    I got one. 1941 Zenith. Decorated for Christmas. IMG_20181202_183518422.jpg
     
  5. There is a few HAM guys here why stop at just receivers?

    Show off them old BOAT ANCHORS also... I will start

    My 101ZD used mostly for AM on 8oM

    GLOW IN THE DARK RADIOS ARE FUN !

    20160803_192509.jpg
     
  6. rjones35
    Joined: May 12, 2008
    Posts: 865

    rjones35
    Member

    This is a cool thread, kinda old I know. I've been sorta thinking an old radio would be cool to have.
     
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  7. 302GMC
    Joined: Dec 15, 2005
    Posts: 7,856

    302GMC
    Member
    from Idaho

    Glad to see this back up ! Radios are as much fun as cars, guns, steam locomotives, and radial aircraft engines !!!
     
  8. Chebby belair
    Joined: Apr 17, 2006
    Posts: 849

    Chebby belair
    Member
    from Australia

    Sound system in the 41. Bluetooth insides. Set the player to random, and throw in some advertisements from the day, and the wayback machine is almost there!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2019
  9. Tri-power37
    Joined: Feb 10, 2019
    Posts: 510

    Tri-power37
    Member

    A7FEC17E-84C4-4565-9040-ED364EF55A08.jpeg 21772091-82D5-4BF3-BDFB-C8CEFACBA5D2.jpeg This is a 1958 telefunken opus. And the Jesus statue has a cool bulb where the filament is a crucifix
     
  10. sevenhills1952
    Joined: Mar 14, 2018
    Posts: 956

    sevenhills1952

    Looks like an Aerolux bulb. I'm thinking the crucifix one you have is pretty unusual.

    Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk
     
  11. As a kid, I had a floor model made by either Zenith or Bendix, that ran on 6 volt battery power. It was not only a broadcast band radio, but also received all the shortwave bands. It had great reception, and I used it regularly, but unfortunately, it got sold when I left home in 1961. I still remember my favourite US stations from those days, KOBY San Francisco, 1550, and KFBK Sacremento, 1320.
    There was also a station in Omaha that played good rock and roll, but I can't remember the frequency. I still remember the announcers saying council bluffs all the time.
    Bob
    Bob
     
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  12. I collected one of those along the way, and gave it to a friend who restores radios. He did a beautiful job of it, it looked like new.
    Bob
     
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  13. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    was it 590 WOW in Omaha???
     
  14. I have a basic tube tester, as well as a WWII transconductance tube tester. I use both, but not so much recently. I still use a lot of tube type test equipment.
    I have some old Narco and Collins aircraft radios that I maintain for my own use. Although I have a superb Tektronics 200 meg scope, I still use my LA-265, the USAF copy of the Tek 545b. They are still a wonderful scope, and I have multiple plug-in panels.
    Bob
     
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  15. It just doesn't come to me. It was back in the time period between 1958 and 1961. I can't even remember where it was on the dial, I just remember that I was picking it up at night in central British Columbia at night, so it must have been putting out the watts.
    Bob
     
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  16. Council Bluffs is in Iowa, not Omaha.
     
  17. 41 GMC K-18
    Joined: Jun 27, 2019
    Posts: 3,564

    41 GMC K-18
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have had this wonderful old Zenith tall boy long distance radio for years, bought it at an estate sale for $160.00, I have been offered $2000.00 for it, but I would never flip it to make money off of it, its more fun to have a true link with the past in the form of a cool piece of furniture, full of vacuum tubes that allow music to flow from it!
    IMG_3025 (2).JPG IMG_3026 (2).JPG
     
  18. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    No doubt about that
     
  19. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    But they would be mentioning Council Bluffs routinely.
     
  20. 6inarow
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,361

    6inarow
    Member

    they mention Council bluffs all the time on those radio stations back then. Sometimes not too flattering
     
  21. Thanks for the information. I am not familiar with that part of the country, but I do remember a radio station that I listened to in the late 50s and early 60s, that frequently mentioned that phrase.
    Maybe there was more than one station that I was listening to in that area, because I distinctly remember listening to the Omaha station.
    Bob
     
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  22. Rah Rah Records
    Joined: Aug 16, 2011
    Posts: 93

    Rah Rah Records
    Member

    I doubt any of these work, but they look cool above the door and the whole lot of them was like 30$
     

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  23. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Those German sets are notorious for very complicated dial-cord arrangements.
     
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  24. IMG_1976.jpg IMG_1978.jpg IMG_1979.jpg IMG_1980.jpg IMG_1981.jpg IMG_1982.jpg IMG_1986.jpg

    Looking back over this thread, I realized that I neglected to actually post any pictures of my stash of old radios. Let me take care of that. These are what is left after some serious downsizing of the collection over the years. A nice Hallicrafters S-3B, a couple Philco bakelite models, couple of RCA radios and an Arvin Mighty Mite in a metal case. The last one is a plastic transistor radio, that is only significant to me because I used to work at that radio station. (KOY-AM in Phoenix).
     
  25. IMG_1983.jpg IMG_1984.jpg IMG_1985.jpg

    Can never have too many. Picked this one up at an auction last weekend. Smaller General Electric console with a turntable. Plans are up in the air, but I want to try converting it to a bluetooth stereo receiver. Plenty of room to work in the back.
     
  26. rivguy
    Joined: Feb 16, 2009
    Posts: 150

    rivguy
    Member

    Here's my '42 Silvertone console radio / phonograph. It's restored but I "rodded" it by installing a new Denon turntable. Sounds great playing my collection of 33 1/3 LPs. My man cave is set up in a 1939's and 1940's office /den.
     

    Attached Files:

  27. That is a nice Hallicrafters. That must be a rare unit. I have a couple of unrestored Hallicrafters radios, an SX-25, and an SX-77, but they are stored away.
    I also have a couple of old tube type aviation radios. One is a Narco VHT 3, that had a hand crank to dial in the receive frequency, but a limited number of crystals for transmitting.
    Bob
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
  28. 41 GMC K-18
    Joined: Jun 27, 2019
    Posts: 3,564

    41 GMC K-18
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I use this old worn out Philco as a stand for my speaker, there are no guts to it, but its still cool to me. I like the chromed heavy truck hooks on it, it makes look a little "devilish " IMG_3023.JPG ! PHILCO 1.JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
    j-jock likes this.

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