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Page 1: Cathedrals, Consoles, Tombstones and large Wooden Table Radios:
Page 2: Compact and Midget Radios
Page 3: Large Table Radios (greater than 12 " across)
Page 4: Repairing an American Bosch Model 360 Radio Speaker
The challenges of restoring "dead tech" see my personal experience on the Westinghouse WR-21 Radio restoration.
click link: DEPRESSION RADIOS PAGE 2
Page 1
Page 1
Consoles, Cathedrals, and Tombstones
Consoles, Cathedrals, and Tombstones
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CONSOLES and TOMBSTONE Style Radios
CONSOLES and TOMBSTONE Style Radios
1931 RCA Radiola Superette Console- Model R9 is an 8 tube superheterodyne set This rare console version of the common R7 table model. The console uses a 12" diameter speaker. RCA controlled the superheterodyne patent and was basically the only one that could sell the better design for a premium price of course.
ABOVE- MAY 2022 Restored the cabinet with new trimming and mahogany and walnut verniers.
BELOW: Rear of chassis with R9 Model tag and IF transformer adjustment holes
ABOVE: RCA Radiolas R9 console and R7 mantle radio comparison.
RCA Radiola Superette R7 (1931) - Table Radio. 8 Tube superheterodyne set. The table version of the R9 console. Much more common as well. Only thing electrically different is the speaker size. Price in 1931 was $69.95.
RCA Victor Radiola R7 and R9 Electronics
ABOVE: The 8 tubes were 2- UX245, 2- UY227, 2-RCA 35, UY224 and UX280. The models R7 and R9 had the same tube set. The two copper cylinders on the right are Morshon type wet electrolytics with insides replaced with modern dry electrolytics. The silver boxes are the input and output audio transformers.
Underneath the chassis. The 3 section tuning capacitor splits the radio into three sections: The right side is the RF and IF sections. The right side is the AF and power supply sections. The large copper cans are IF transformers. Superhets during this time had no AVC.
RF & IF Section
ABOVE: RCA Radiolas R9 console and R7 mantle radio comparison.
ABOVE: Appearance before cabinet restoration. All the original verniers had peels off. At that time I restored the electronics and did minimal refinishing of the cabinet.
BELOW: Back of the R9. Notice the huge speaker at the bottom.
ABOVEThe 12 inch electrodynamic speaker.
Tube Glow
WATCH the video on the R9 console below:
RCA 1931 Radiola R9 Superette Video.mp4BELOW: The metal shield under the Chassis was missing. I had to fabricate a replacement.
BELOW: Back side of Radiola R7.
AF and power supply Section
Lighted Dial
Glow of vacuum tubes.
Philco 20 Deluxe
Dial Light
Glow of tubes
Zenith 5S29 (1936) A classic multi-band tombstone radio that would make this style very popular with radio collecting (especially the round "big black dial"). A 5 tube superheterodyne set using 5Y3G, 6F6G, 6B6G, 6K7G and 6A8G octal based tubes.
BELOW: Back side of the radio.
Zenith's "Big Black Dial"
About this time Zenith introduced clock style tuning with minute and second hands that are geared like a conventional hands clock. Behind it is a black background with white lettering. This clock style mechanism provides vernier tuning. Many of Zenith's radios were multi-band so precise tuning is important. Zenith used this style up to WW2. Many remember having a set or seen these sets during their childhood days during the depression.
The different bands were color coded as shown. This gives the radio a very distinctive look, especially at night.
CATHEDRAL Table Radios
CATHEDRAL Table Radios
Jackson Bell 62 (1931 "Sunburst") Jackson Bell, Los Angeles6 Tube 4 Stage TRF Cathedral Set. Uses 4- 224A, 245 and 280 tubes, Along with Gilfilan Brothers were one of the few west coast companies that was license by RCA to make TRF and Regenerative Radios with Armstrong patents.
The company would go out of business by the mid 1930's and the Bell part of the company would form a new company called Packard Bell. BELOW shows the 4 shielded coils that make the TRF tanks circuits. Behind the CAUTION tag is the FUSE access, a rarity in radio sets. Notice the rectangular can in the middle. That is the electrolytic capacitor bank.
Chassis wiring is typical of early radio sets, things are grouped together in blocks. Also first example of standardized "dog bone" carbon slug resistors.
Catgedral style made popular by Philco Radio
Philco 20 "Deluxe" (1931) 7 Tube 3 Stage TRF receiver. Uses 3-224A, 227, 2-171A and 280 tubes. Has a push pull amplifier using the 227 and 2-171A tubes. This one was made in Canada.The Radio that started Cathedral craze in the 1930's. 1931 suggested price $49.50.
Inside a Philco 20 typical early 1930 technologyThe chassis is huge and heavy, basically as large as the radio foot print.
Philco started incorporating capacitor modules. These were several capacitors wired in a bakelite case sealed in tar. This probably was done to simplify wiring and forced service shops to buy genuine Philco parts.This design was used into 1940.
Tombstone Style Radios
Tombstone Style Radios
United American-Bosch 360 (Aeroscope) from 1932: Bosch was a German manufacturer that wanted a American foot hold. This radio is American made. Bosch is still in business today.
This radio was previously owned by Jack Plimel from Long Beach, CA, who donated it to me in 2013. More on this model in the Bosch Speaker Repair page. Go to the link above.
BELOW:Under the chassis. Using only 5 tubes, the radio has very good selectivity.
BELOW: Layout of Chassis top components. Octal based tubes recently introduced replaced the original prong tubes.
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