Anyone know anything about radios?

[classiccaprice]

You may have seen my posting about my wringer on the Imperial board, but I've got another project tucked away in Grandma's shed. It's a 1950 Stromberg-Carlson Console. I rescued it from the garbage. The woodwork I can do, but the electrics I'm a little unsure about. It's way too big to send anywhere, and to the best of my knowledge there is not a radio repair shop left in South Eastern Virginia. I don't mind fixing it myself, so between the wringer and the radio, I've got my projects lined up for about the next year. The site here has been a very helpful with the wringer, I just figured maybe someone might know something about radios too.

 

[classiccaprice]

another shot

 

[classiccaprice]

last one

 

[whirlcool]

I'm pretty good with radios.
What's wrong with it?
First, test all the tubes.
Second, with a VOM check the resistors and with a Cap tester test the capacitors. If the set hums when on, you need to recap it. Pretty cheap to do, but time consuming. If you are good with a soldering iron.

 

[bundtboy]

1946 I bet

It may not be a '50. I think in '50 it'd have a 3 speed turntable already.

This one is a single speed, so it appears.

I do bet the set would have good sound quality when working properly. Best of luck restoring it. Don't rush yourself.

B

 

[rp2813]

Will, try "antiqueradios.com" for help with your console. They have forums there that may connect you with someone who even has a schematic or other useful information to help with troubleshooting and restoration. The site can be slow sometimes. I just tried to get there and the page couldn't be displayed, but keep trying. Audiokarma.org is another site you can try.

Ralph

 

[panthera]

caps are vdefinitely going to be blown,

so best not to even plug in yet.
Looks like a beauty!

 

[classiccaprice]

more info

It is a single speed recordplayer/am/fm/shortwave concole and was made prior to 1952. I don't know when the model (1121, series 12) started, but I agree that it is post WWII. There was a owners manual for the record player (yay!, undated though) and part of a tag hand dated 1950, but perhaps it was from a time when it was serviced.

I did plug it in months ago to get an idea of it's working condition, which I later learned was something I shouldn't have done. However, there seems to be no harm done. The caps are blown (loud hum) but the record player mechanism works perfectly and the light worked for the radio dial. It had been partially in the flood water during the hurricane 4 years ago, (it appears to only have gotten the about a foot up the player [which contains record storage and the speaker]) the owners kept it for a while, but decided it was trash. I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for stuff like that and saved it. I'm thinking I may have to repair/replace the speaker. That's pretty much all I know. I'm a bit of a novice at this, but wanting/willing to learn more.

 

[joeekaitis]

The FM bands are those proposed by Edwin Howard Armstrong and approved for commercial FM radio by the FCC. Armstrong did most of his research into "staticless radio" in an RCA-funded lab inside the upper floors of the Empire State Building. As RCA become more interested in TV while holding onto AM radio as long as possible, the company's president David Sarnoff told Armstrong to pack up and move out. RCA then lobbied the FCC to give the original FV bands to TV under a false claim that sunspot activity would disrupt those frequencies. Armstrong's counterargument that sunspots would have the same effect on TV signals (if at all) fell on ears plugged with RCA lobbying dollars. Armstrong's Yankee Network was effectively outlawed because it had commenced broadcasting on those bands and he couldn't afford to retool the network for what became the present-day FM band.

Read all about it in "Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio" by Tom Lewis. You might have to hunt it up at the library or find a used copy. Fascinating reading.

 

[nasadowsk]

The FM bands are listed in "channel" numbers, which was a fad for FM for a while.

I'm guessing the top band is the current FM band, the lower is the old FM band. That makes it a pretty rare set - I read somewhere that pretty soon after dual band FM sets popped up, the FCC outlawed them (!). RCA was desperate to kill FM.

In any case, let's see some chassis pictures!

If it's line isolated, you'll want a variac (to soft start the set), the sams, a good multimeter or two (analog). If it's series string, you'll need an isolation transformer, too (this is very very very very important for your safety). There WILL be bad 'paper' and electrolytic capacitors - just about every one gets replaced. You may find a bad tube, but don't point the finger at tubes.

Dont even think of turning any of the adjustments on the coupling transformers, etc, until everything else on the set if 100%, AND you have a good signal generator (I use a mill surplus HP on my FM/TV stuff. You don't get any more stable) AND the needed meter (A DMM often works here) AND a frequency counter (HP, again. Stability RULES here).

But! It's not impossible! It just requires learning a few skills and being careful and paintent. Your radio's only a little harder than a typical AM set - because it has FM - but it's still gonna be easy.

The mechanical person in you gets to fix the changer - these old types are fun, but they'll kill 78 RPM records (break them). In any case, they're fun to have working.

The cabinet stuff's easy - just check carefully to see that it's a REAL finish, not Di Noc or such.

S-C was a better set, even after the war, so it's likely you'll have a good performer and a good looker by the end.

(but you REALLY want an old Scott

 

[classiccaprice]

The guts

Ok Fellas, here's the best I could do with a chassis pic. Was in tight corners in the shed and difficult to move things around. Leaving town today, so last pics I can take of my beautys for a little while. Will be moving back for the indefinate future late July/early August.

 

[classiccaprice]

more guts

woo who!

 

[classiccaprice]

speaker

complete with crickets!

 

[classiccaprice]

record player chassis

yay

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Stromberg Carlson sets are very high quality.
These post-war sets have little resale value, but that's no reason to not fix it if you like it.

That model Webster Chicago record changer usually works well for playing 78s, it'll need a new cartridge though.

Here's an excellent webpage on recapping old radios:

Ken

Replacing Capacitors in Old Radios and TVs

 

[lightedcontrols]

Since you're in Virginia...

You might want to take the amp and changer out and bring it to Roanoke to Eugene at AUDIO & VIDEO SERVICES. 5508 Williamson Road in Roanoke, Va. 24012 (540) 563-1170 Eugene likes them disassembled so he doesn't waste time on that part of the restoration. (his shop is too small for the cabinets as well) He will re-cap it, replace the tubes that need it, replace that old crystal cartridge with a new style that you can get needles for, and even grind a new wheel for that old 78 rpm changer! He'll have it up and playing again in no time! He's done LOTS of record player restorations for me....and he's VERY inexpensive!!! Mark Lightedcontrols

 

[63getelevision]

Vintage_Stereo_Console

ClassicCaprice and all radio-phono lovers, there is a group on Yahoo called Vintage_Stereo_Console, and it's easy to find. They are lovers and preservers of entire console radio-phonos, hi-fis, and stereo consoles from the '40s to the end of console stereo sets. Like the Applianceville site, they are dedicated to preserving the entire units, not just one or two internal components, like the one group dedicated to a former major name brand TV and stereo company. That group focuses strictly on tube amps, and ignores everything else, the group was founded for all of their products and three or four members have transformed it into a tech only site. Again, if you're into the entire piece, go to Vintage_Stereo_Console. I am not referring to game consoles like one other guy thought. I mean those great living-room dinosaurs full of speakers, knobs, push buttons, dials and record players. I have a 1956 Stromberg-Carlson hi-fi.

 

[Cybrvanr]

I would try and restore that Jensen speaker, those have a really nice sound and are highly sought after. That radio looks restorable. How far are you from Richmond? That's where I am. I'd love to see that old radio sometime

 

[classiccaprice]

cybrvanr check your email.