[Arran]

Here's an interesting set, in rough but probably restorable shape however. Did anyone here win this set? Is there a photo in the gallery of one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/130640799500

Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

I won it, Arran.

Yes, it is rough...and the bottom panel appears to be photofinish. Should be an interesting restoration.

There is a photo of a 42-760 in the Gallery:

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1942a.htm#ae

Actually, that photo is a Canadian model 55, the equivalent of a 42-760. I used to own that set. Should have kept it rather than letting it go and acquiring the 760, then I wouldn't have to deal with rubber-covered wiring in addition to the rough cabinet on this 760.

I'll be waiting...and hoping that irreplaceable dial scale survives shipment...until it arrives. Another Phorum member recently won a 53-960, and knows how I feel right now:
http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=4135

The 42-760 is the predecessor of the 53-960. No built-in loop for AM, and no whip antenna for SW, though.

[Sean]

I had been watching that set and thought about bidding on it. I already have too many radios waiting to be restored so I decided not to bid. Did you notice that it is actually a 42-761? The model number tag is shown in the 2nd from the last photo.

[PhilcoMike]

Ron,

Great find, I'm a sucker for any radio with SW bands.
Curious question, ad said 115VAC or 230VAC power.
I didn't see a transformer in the chassis photo.
Where is it? How does it select AC mains voltage?

Thanks,

Mike

[Ron Ramirez]

Sean and Mike

No, I completely missed that! Thanks for letting me know.

That's just a bonus for me...I've seen a couple 42-760s around in the past 20 years or so, but I don't think I've ever seen a 42-761.

The 761 is the AC-DC version of the 760:

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1942a.htm#af

And, yes, the ballast plus lack of a power transformer helps give it away.

I'm still not used to how eBay displays photos now, and sometimes I overlook that scroll bar - that is what happened in this case.

Glad you didn't bid, Sean

Mike - I will have to look when I get home, but I suspect the "voltage switch" is accomplished by changing the position of how the ballast is plugged in.

[TA Forbes]

[Ron Ramirez]

Yup, I was right about the ballast...it can be plugged in two ways. In the 115 volt position the radio operates through two jumper wires inside the ballast. In the 230 volt position, two resistors (resistance wire inside the ballast) are placed into the circuit to drop the voltage.

I was looking over the 42-761 schematic. I see it uses two 25L6 output tubes in push-pull, and a 25Z5 rectifier. Lower output power than the AC-only 42-760.

[Doug Houston]

I went after a few of the RCA export sets that appeared occasionally on eBay. They're RCA's counterpart to these Philco sets. The RCA sets like these always have a "Q" in the model number.

A couple of years ago, I bought a GE export set, made in Canada. It's a horizontal tombstone design, with a horrendous dial on one half of the panel, and the speaker grille on the other half. The power supply and amplifier chassis is a separate one from the receiver chassis; most unusual in a table set. Probably our pal, Arran may have seen something like this. I certainly haven't. Just another that I'm looking forward to getting up and running. It should work like the blue blazes.

All of these export jobs have superior sensitivity, and usually, exceptional audio. They had to compete with the Grundig, Telefunken, and Blaupunkt sets that originated in Europe. Once they're all up and running, the results are very rewarding.

[Arran]

Oh good, then it will get restored properly instead of ending up as a book end, lots of crusty rust for sure. So the Tropics used rubber wire as well? I could have sworn that my 40-780 used cloth stuff but I haven't peeked under that chassis in over five years either. My 40-780 does not have any faux finish, all the banding on mine is real, either rosewood or Austrailian walnut I think, in any event it is inlaid and not sitting on the surface. Did you give the seller packing instructions? I think it will arrive in good order as long as the chassis and speaker are bolted down and the whole thing double boxed but who knows?
Chances are that the 42-760 is likely rarer then the Canadian model 55 since the Tropics were intended for export or at least to be used overseas and the 55 was marketed and sold in the Canadian market. For some reason that set looks familiar, I must have seen a 55 is someone's collection at one point, probably while cruising by a shelf.
Regards
Arran

[Arran]

I went after a few of the RCA export sets that appeared occasionally on eBay. They're RCA's counterpart to these Philco sets. The RCA sets like these always have a "Q" in the model number.

A couple of years ago, I bought a GE export set, made in Canada. It's a horizontal tombstone design, with a horrendous dial on one half of the panel, and the speaker grille on the other half. The power supply and amplifier chassis is a separate one from the receiver chassis; most unusual in a table set. Probably our pal, Arran may have seen something like this. I certainly haven't. Just another that I'm looking forward to getting up and running. It should work like the blue blazes.

All of these export jobs have superior sensitivity, and usually, exceptional audio. They had to compete with the Grundig, Telefunken, and Blaupunkt sets that originated in Europe. Once they're all up and running, the results are very rewarding.

I can't remember whether I have seen a Canadian G.E export set like that or not, but Canadian G.E often did their own thing often in tandum with whatever Canadian RCA was doing at that time. Many of the collectors that I knew largely passed by the CGE sets, probably because they were viewed as RCA clones, which is a shame since the G.Es often had nicer cabinets. However it gives me something else to keep my eyes open for, both CGE and Philco seemed to have a distributor in this region so they turn up a lot. If only I could find another CGE E-81, or at least a chassis for a T-7, K-7, T-8, or K-8 RCA which were identicle electrically
Someone put out a book about radios of Canada a few years back, I haven't seen it but it apparently only has 150 pages or so, you could almost fill a book that size with the history and products of one Canadian company alone.
The Tropic I have, the 40-780, is like a table top console, push pull output with a ten inch speaker, tuned RF amplifier stage, an extra IF amp, and a triode-heptode convertor.
That was a popular format in not only many European countries but also with some Canadian brands, particularly Canadian Westinghouse. There was also the similar approach of building sets with a control panel, sometimes sloped, sometimes vertical, mounted above the speaker, sort of an inverted tombstone, I've found out since that this layout was also popular in Europe. I have an early 40s RCA A23 and also a CGE equivailent from the same era, I've found out since that their layout is very similar to many French, and German sets of the late 30's and 40s.
Regards
Arran

[Doug Houston]

I should take a picture of this CGE set. I surfed quite a bit the other day, for information on this set, but to no avail. I don't really expect to have trouble when I go to re-cap it. I haven't taken the chassis out of the cabinet yet, 'cause I have several other projects on the fire. But, I'll bet that, when I get it going, it'll go like the wind.

I've found that many of the Canadian radios, particularly the RCA sets, had far finer cabinets than their USA counterparts. I think that the A-23 is a good example. I have a couple other Canadian RCA sets, whose model numbers escape me just now, and they're far nicer than their US counterpart.

[Arran]

I should take a picture of this CGE set. I surfed quite a bit the other day, for information on this set, but to no avail. I don't really expect to have trouble when I go to re-cap it. I haven't taken the chassis out of the cabinet yet, 'cause I have several other projects on the fire. But, I'll bet that, when I get it going, it'll go like the wind.

I've found that many of the Canadian radios, particularly the RCA sets, had far finer cabinets than their USA counterparts. I think that the A-23 is a good example. I have a couple other Canadian RCA sets, whose model numbers escape me just now, and they're far nicer than their US counterpart.

Not to mention that the A-23, A-25, and their derivatives are excellent performers, along with the CGE versions, which had even nicer cabinet designs then the Canadian RCAs, I don't know for sure but I think that the A-23 chassis was a Canadian design. The only true design flaw was in situating the magic eye socket cable in close
proximity to the rectifier tube and the somewhat borderline power transformers in the 60 cycle versions, better then a Zenith but they still can't take much abuse.
Regards
Arran

[Arran]

Ron;
Did your new Philco Tropic finally arrive off of fleabay? Did it arrive in one piece?
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

Arran

Oh yes, sorry, it did arrive and in one piece, too. No damage to the dial scale, fortunately!

A couple quick pictures:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...0001-2.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...0002-2.jpg]

As you can see, it is going to need complete and comprehensive restoration work. It is missing a tube or two, and the back is also missing. I do have the knobs, by the way. I think I have some grille cloth, removed from a 1946 or 1947 Philco junk console, that is the same pattern as what is in this set but only cleaner. I may (or may not) utilize it in this radio.

[Arran]

The set looks like it's in better shape then it did in the fleabay aution, which is good for you I guess. That bottom rail where the controls are definately looks like it has stump/burl walnut veneer applied to to it, the grain is still there and the finish is flaking off with the grain. I don't know how Philco Tropics were marketed but Philco should have tried selling them domestically, I know that they sort of did in Canada but not under the tropic name. I don't know how my 40-780 Tropic came to be here, I don't think that they were marketed in Canada. There seems to have been a greater interest in the Canadian market for sets with multiple shortwave bands, often many low and medium priced sets have three or more bands.
I wasn't even aware that it had a back, but given that it's an AC/DC set I guess it would have had one. Do you have another back to use as a pattern? There is this type of black cardboard material that is very similar to the cardboard they used for radio backs, it's used for automotive door panels in the auto trimming (upholstery) trades. An upholstery supplier should have it.
Regards
Arran