RadioBanter - View Single Post - Trans-Oceanic Radios

March 24th 04, 05:17 AM

(ROBMURR) wrote in message ...
I did a search and I saw great pictures of some of these radios. They are
just incredible. I notice that they often came with a panel on the back
side that came up. I wonder what that was for?

If you are talking about the tube type from the 1950s that panel
lifted up from the front and was a cover for the radio dial to protect
it as well as a holder for the wavemagnet antenna...
I have an H500 from 1952? or so that I should restore one day....

I had one of those. 1950-52??. Think it was a H500. Had the square
dial in the middle like a clock...I sold that one long ago, and still
regret it. Thing was great for MW.
I have a 1958 model now. The radio itself is about the same,
"different dial layout", but I preferred the bigger loop in the H500
vs the slimmer loop in the 58 model. I forgot the model of mine...A600
maybe? But I don't use mine much any more. I used to use it all the
time, but the caps started drying out, and it would drop out once it
got warmed up. Also, the tubes are getting harder to find and more $$,
and I didn't want to fry em, if I have others radios to burn. It just
sits under my table now collecting dust...I'll fix it up some day when
I get overly bored.
I've got a 1948 RCA console I'd rather mess with than it right now. I
consider that console probably the peak of late 40's MW listening
pleasure, even though as a console, it's pretty boring looking
compared to many of the tombstones, etc. Mine is one of the first RCA
models to use the hideaway drawer on the right for the tuner. The
turntable is on the top left. What makes it semi special is it's audio
amp. It's got a semi high quality dual 6v6 audio amp. Lots of power
and good audio for the average 40's RCA console. Most used smaller
single tube audio outputs. It uses a 12 inch speaker, and has a loop
much bigger than a TO. The loop is rotatable within the rear of the
cabinet.It does cover some lower SW bands also I think up to maybe
19m?? ...
I consider it actually more desirable of an old radio to listen to
than the TO.
It sounds BIG. And it's old enuff to be different...I wasn't born yet,
when it was built... I was only 2 when my 58 TO was built...

If your talking about the later solid state ones, I have no clue.

I've never had any interest in the solid state TO's....Only the tube
jobs. The TO was a high quality radio for it's day. One of the
highest priced you could buy of it's type. MK