In this instructable im going to walk you through the basics of getting an old tube table top radio up and running. Jf antique radio repair tube equipment repair radios. Mal eiselman, nc4l nal generator nothing fancy is needed and this is required only if your radio does not have a marker or calibrator function. Over 120,000 all truely free antique radio schematics. Heres a guide to the repair and restoration of radios of the vacuumtube era, about 19201960. Hardly a week goes by without somebody sending me a message like this. Click a row in the table below to download the file. Anyway, we will carefully follow the calibration procedures given for each radio model or family. Free antique radio schematics, manuals, and schematics for vintage test equipment. How to fix a classic american am tabletop tube radio. You desperately hope that nothing serious is wrong. If youre working on a seriesstring radio like this one, though, it can be useful to check out their heaters to make sure the radio will at least light up when you. Note that it does not cover anything regarding solid state radios.
I think his book the vacuum tube short wave radio is far better. The simplest vacuum tube, the diode, contains only two elements. Golden radio repair is an electronic repair facility located in susquehanna, pennsylvania. Your approval of all repairs is obtained at every step. What should i do if youre in this position, here are some answers to help you get started. Our mission to restore ac powered vintage and antique tube radios produced in the usa between the 1920. But, remembering that terrific thunderstorm last thursday evening, it becomes clear that your radio has. Over 120,000 all truely free antique radio schematics diagrams. Quick troubleshooting and repair makes profits for everyone concerned, since it saves time to both the technician or gess and the customer. Boatanchor pix boatanchor is amateur radio slang for heavy old tube radio equipment. Troubleshooting radios before you pack it up and ship it off, check it out yourself. Vacuumtubeera, outofprint documents and electronics references from the 1930s1960s.
If the tuning control does not move the dial pointer, i cannot repair your radio. Seeing an old set working like new after careful repair, cleaning, and alignment gives one great satisfaction. You need adobe free pdf reader to seedownload these manuals. It is written for anyone with some curiosity about what makes the old sets tick. Although restorers opinions vary on whats required and what is useful, i will attempt to cover the basics of what i have found to be required and found useful to test and restore vintage radios. Herein you will find a collection of vintage engineering texts, vacuum tube datasheets, and other obsolete information, presented free of charge and without annoying advertisements. How to repair antique tube radios books truly free.
Nostalgia air, online antique and vintage radio references. Over 120,000 all truely free antique tube radio schematics diagrams dial stringing tube radio repair course no login required. Over 58,000 old tube radio schematics on 4 dvds high resolution scans best on ebay guaranteed 600dpi scans on 4 dvds in adobe pdf format. Schematics and tube substitutions renovated radios downloads, various manuals and service magazines. Radio tubes were designed to be replaceable by the consumer back in the day. See that theconnectionsfrom the pickup arm and from the turntable motor are plugged into their sockets in the radio chassis. Tubebased equipment operates at high voltage which can be lethal and if you arent totally confident in your ability to ensure your personal safety and the safe operation of your repaired equipment please take your amp, radio or test equipment to a qualified tech. Beitman supreme radio diagrams were annual volumes with service details and schematics of consumer radios and later tv and appliances. For a detailed list of our antique radio repair procedures please visit our antique radio repair page by using the services link to see what we can do for you. You can read the little print on the schematics now. But when i turn it on, it just makes a loud buzz or doesnt make a sound, etc. Chapter 14 vacuum tube receivers and transmitters the transmitter described in this chapter uses the most ancient vacuum tube technology i could, while still sounding pretty good on the air.
Tube pinout diagrams can be easily found by searching for the tube s letters and the word tube on the internet, like 6d6 tube. Our mission to restore ac powered vintage and antique tube radios produced in the usa between the 1920s and the 1960s that belonged to your parents or grandparents. The first step get a signal to work with turn on the transceiver and set. Be patient large pdf files take a little while to download. Unless you plan to repair a lot of tube radios, a tube tester isnt a necessary investment, and you can check their function later with a few simple tests after the first powerup. A modern look at antique radio repair by alfred corbin. Antique radio and phonograph repair and restoration center. Someone finally got a copy and scanned it into pdf format, which is how i got it. Home golden radio repair fullservice electronic workshop.
The radio was dropped and there is a microscopic crack in the circuit board somewhere. I hate saying i told you so but if you purchased another low resolution set somewhere else i told you so. Various scanned technical and historic books that should be of interest to vintage radio collectors etc. Tm 114001, repair instructions for radio receivers bc312, a, c. Tube tester oscilloscope capacitor tester transistor tester dc power supply i will be adding descriptions and comments on. This radio uses all old style tubes, though, and on all old style tubes the two pins which are larger than the others and are adjacent to each other are always the heaters. Mar 20, 2017 join me as i repair this 6 transistor radio produced by sounddesign for my brotherinlaw.
Browse our website, and see what we can do for you. Tubes may need to be replaced even if the radio is not used often. Antique radio information and links, antique airwaves. Strategies to repair or replace old electrolytic capacitors. Make offer rca receiving tube manual rc30 1975 pdf. In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube in north america, tube, or thermionic valve or valve in british english is a device controlling electric current through a vacuum in a sealed container. Watch me fix a 60 year old radio and see all the cool stuff inside it. The tuner section of car radios were not designed to be worked on. The tube tester was, and still today is, one of the most expensive and useless instruments in the radio repair shop.
The best books on radio circuitry and radio servicing. These methods have not changed since the early beginnings of radio even though many changes have taken place in this field. Originally derogatory, the term is now used affectionately. This is a good beginning book that teaches you the basics of antique tube radio repair. Free antique radio schematics, manuals, and schematics for.
Back in the day somebody always knew somebody else that could fix minor things on radios and thats what im going to cover here. Jf antique radio repair tube equipment repair radios and amplifiers this site is your source for the repair of tube equipment radios, amplifiers excluding tvs and auto radios. Discusses tube life, tube ratings, protection, and other similar topics. Disagreement about tube test results research the literature and prior art engineering teaching texts industry practices, ire 1950, general radio, rca instructions and elaborate testers definition of transconductance change in plate current due to a change in grid voltage. Antique, vintage, and classic radio repair david kernans. The csx radio service center is certified to repair products from most major.
Replacement of the first 5 signal capacitors are free. Please indicate if your car is positive or negative ground. Vintage tube radio and amplifier schematics dvd pdf. Also schematics of car radios, amplifiers and taperecorders. Your radio will need service from an experienced repair person. Vintage radio repair course nri how to manuals restore coils 90 volumes books cd. Links to tubes, parts, schematics, clubs, sales, pictures, books,and other resources are included in this site. Repair and restoration of antique radio equipment by gregory l. Questions are constantly asked about what equipment is needed to repair or restore antique radios and electronics. Vintage sams photofact folder radio parts manual clarion 14965 w. Fisher 500c tube receiver repair, expert radio repair, restoration, vacuum tube electronics, analog audio, car radio, and vintage hifi that work, backed by professional testing, service, and warranty. Get the best deals on collectible radio manuals when you shop the largest online selection at. From crystal detector to grid leak detector to trf to.
Antique, vintage, and classic radio repair by david kernan we repair antique radios like hammarlund, national, patterson, philco, pilot, e. Triplett 3444 and 3444a tube tester instruction manuals, pdf file. Ftr handbook of tube operation, federal telephone and radio corporation, 1944, 68 pages courtesy of an anonymous donor. We repair and electrically restore antique, vintage, and classic radios, highfidelity equipment, amateur radio equipment, and other such oldtime electrical stuff, full of vacuum tubes and other old things. Tv picture tube adapter for model 666666k tube testers. It takes you through a basic understanding of how radios work, of reading schematics and working through the troubleshooting and repair of your radio. Radio receiving and television tubes moyer tube books. In this post we will show you how to restore any vacuum tube radio.
Let our antique radio repair and restoration services bring your antique tube vintage radio back to life. Radio will work exploded view waxpaper capacitor wednesday, october 21, 2009 4. Dales antique radio repair provides fast, affordable service for all vacuum tube radios. Print out the radio repair return form pdf, fill it out and enclose it with. Over time, the intermediate frequency transformers ift of your radio will stop working.
Morris beitman, a chicagoan with us army signal corps technician ttraining, first taught in local schools and then began publishing comprehensive radio reference materials. Dales antique radio repair antique tube radio repair. Radio plays but stops playing and a crashing sound is heard. In any case i think a tester has to be a fairly high end model. Mikes radio page occasional spares and information on british and some dutch and german tube radios. Investigation disagreement about tube test results research the literature and prior art engineering teaching texts industry practices, ire 1950, general radio, rca instructions and elaborate testers definition of transconductance change in plate current due to a change in grid voltage build a no excuses tester to verify performance as. Your equipment doesnt work, and you have visions of expensive repair bills and several weeks or months off the air. Even though theyre ancient by todays standards, these old tube radios can. Tube radios only am only car radios with manual tuning only, no digital displays. Our souptonuts approach pleases the most discriminating collector. In repairing the radio where the tube shield has cut through the insulation. If youre new to old radios, youve come to the right place.
Charvat, mit lincoln laboratory for mit haystack observatory open lunch october 21, 2009. You will learn basic repairrestoration procedures from a different era. Lots of cool looking tubes and interesting part to make a radio back in the. One of our radiomovie venture includes the lost city staring andy garcia, dustin hoffman and bill murray. A basic tube tester for radio repair isnt much better than a psu. Truly free no login tube radio and television repair manual 875 pages online course how to. Some of the parts i used were rare and unobtainable as new parts. Join me as i repair this 6 transistor radio produced by sounddesign for my brotherinlaw. All the little things i do during a repair that takes up time, are included in the basic repair cost. Antique radio repair and restoration, 4th edition alfred corbin on. In this instructable im going to walk you through the basics of. An interesting set of what i would describe as application notes for power tubes.