Another antique radio thread

[ledhedsymbols]

Just picked up my birthday present from my wife. She asked what I would get, and then got in touch with my collector buddies behind my back. This is a 1934 Philco 16B tombstone. It's massive! Dimensions are about 22 1/2" tall, by 17"wide by 13" deep. It weighs in at about 50 pounds! One of the largest tabletop radios made, and widely regarded as one of the absolute best ever made. It was Philco's top of the line tabletop set in 1934 and would set the buyer back $89.50 in the middle of the great depression!

Philco 16B Peaked Tombstone Photos by Ledhedsymbols | Photobucket

[azasadny]

Great project!!

[Neilk]

Cool... I hope when the day comes that all radio signals become digital, that the FCC will allow in-home analog FM transmitter so that these old radios are still useable. perhaps they already exist...

[varmint]

Originally Posted by Neilk

Cool... I hope when the day comes that all radio signals become digital, that the FCC will allow in-home analog FM transmitter so that these old radios are still useable. perhaps they already exist...

my plan has been to find one with blown out internals, and just to drop a wifi ready speaker in.

[bell]

I've got a Philco setup on Ebay ending shortly...search bbell911....
Fun stuff, i've got a thin floor model i'm retro fitting....

[ledhedsymbols]

Varmint,
That is a Zenith 12s265 from 1938. They are super valuable and highly sought out by collectors. There are good restorers out there that can help you get the electronics sorted out and install an aux jack so you can plug any device into it. The value really is in the radio as a whole. Please don't rip out the guts if you find one!

I bought a low power AM transmitter kit that complies with FCC regulations that requires no license. I have it connected to the sound card of my HTPC. I play whatever I want and receive it on any of the radios in my collection. We listen to the radio more than we watch the TV now. Imagine programming your own radio station! It was pretty easy to build from the kit as long as you can solder neatly and follow directions.

Highest Quality Low-Power, Part 15 Compliant, AM Transmitter Kits

[Joeaksa]

Just picked up three antique Hallicrafters radio's at a airplane fly-in. One is a 1940's vintage and works great, one early 60's and works and a late 1960's portable that I have not been able to check out yet...

[varmint]

that's just an image i pulled off the net.

my mom has an old philco in the same general vein. enough dials and gauges on the front for a b-25 cockpit. the radio and speaker have longe since decayed/rusted to nothing. but the wood is in good shape. someday i will get it up here.

they made these things in the millions. and a surprising number are still out there. good for anyone who wants to restore these things back to original. but i cannot see myself doing it when new and better internals would cost a fraction.

[jyl]

Is that (a low power AM transmitter) the best way to get audio from PC to old radio? How does it work - you select one frequency and the radio stays tuned to that frequency all the time? Are there direct wired options, or non-DIY options?

Varmint,

That is a Zenith 12s265 from 1938. They are super valuable and highly sought out by collectors. There are good restorers out there that can help you get the electronics sorted out and install an aux jack so you can plug any device into it. The value really is in the radio as a whole. Please don't rip out the guts if you find one!



I bought a low power AM transmitter kit that complies with FCC regulations that requires no license. I have it connected to the sound card of my HTPC. I play whatever I want and receive it on any of the radios in my collection. We listen to the radio more than we watch the TV now. Imagine programming your own radio station! It was pretty easy to build from the kit as long as you can solder neatly and follow directions.



Highest Quality Low-Power, Part 15 Compliant, AM Transmitter Kits

[ledhedsymbols]

I personally think that the low power transmitter is the way to go. I am broadcasting on one particular station, which I can receive on any of the radios in my collection. If you only have one radio, that may not be the best option for you.

There are a number of options available to play what you want on an old radio. Many of them have a phono jack. In that case, just bop on down to your local Rad Shack or Worst Buy and find a mono RCA to (insert device jack here) like a 3.5mm stereo to mono for an ipod.

Another choice without DIY is a "talking house" transmitter. They pop up on fleabay pretty regularly for not much money. They are essentially plug and play. The quality isn't as high as the transmitters I linked to earlier, but it isn't bad.

The way the AMT3000 in particular works is pretty simple. After the kit is built, you set a number of dip switches to a frequency chosen by you located at a quiet spot on the AM band from IIRC 550Khz to 1730Khz. Then you plug your trusty voltmeter into two jacks which are provided and labeled. Then you tweak the output for max. All there is to it. The instructions and diagrams for the kit are really easy to follow. The enclosure is very clean and professional looking. I am super happy with mine!

Varmint,
I was under the impression that you had one of those Zenith radios you wanted to do that too... On one hand, you are correct. There were MANY radios produced in the golden age of radio. Lots of them are very common and not worth much, especially in non-working condition. On the other, there are many others that are special to many collectors. It would be akin to converting an early 911S to accept a WRX motor to many collectors. Of course you can do whatever YOU want to do with YOUR radio!

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by ledhedsymbols

Varmint,
That is a Zenith 12s265 from 1938. They are super valuable and highly sought out by collectors. There are good restorers out there that can help you get the electronics sorted out and install an aux jack so you can plug any device into it. The value really is in the radio as a whole. Please don't rip out the guts if you find one!

I bought a low power AM transmitter kit that complies with FCC regulations that requires no license. I have it connected to the sound card of my HTPC. I play whatever I want and receive it on any of the radios in my collection. We listen to the radio more than we watch the TV now. Imagine programming your own radio station! It was pretty easy to build from the kit as long as you can solder neatly and follow directions.

Highest Quality Low-Power, Part 15 Compliant, AM Transmitter Kits

Neat to know of that AM transmitter kit and agree keeping the gut's original.

I recently sold an original 1950's Crosley radio (called a 'dashboard') because of the styling, but anyhow the back had a factory Aux select with the jack in place. Simple to direct connect any sound source. Yet the most fun was connecting a small bluetooth device to that input jack, so anything wireless from the net or storage drive's on my PC could be played. The bluetooth device I use is a Jabra BT3030. One could do this for any old radio as long as the signal gets to the amp and seperated from the radio tuner.

For more nostalgia fun, I've used this same device for 1900 vintage telephone. A big old oak Western without any dial. It just had a receiver and earpiece. The bluetooth was hidden inside and wired a tiny mic and speaker. I used the free Google online phone service for dialing and the signal sent to the old phone. The kid's had a riot with it. Sold that unit as well but will probably do another with an old candlestick style phone for the living room.

[ledhedsymbols]

I never considered a bluetooth device, but it makes perfect sense! Wireless and plug and play. The only drawback is not having a jack available. In that case, it's a simple matter of wiring one into the amp section and then tuning to a blank spot on the dial so you don't get interference.