I've completed a rebuild of a Philco 39-7, but there is an issue with the alignment instructions from Philco that I cannot resolve. Does anyone know how to adjust the "6A" trimmer capacitor that is in parallel with the oscillator coil? Nowhere do the official instructions from Philco mentioni how to do that. I've finding the tuning alignment across the dial to be very difficult. My experimentation leads me to believe that the "6A" trimmer holds the key. Any ideas?
Very interesting. On the radio I've rebuilt, "6A" is definitely a trimmer cap from pin 1 of the oscillator coil to ground. I suspect that someone modified the radio at some point, but there's no indication of any other modifications at all.
Thanks much; that certainly points me in a different, maybe more productive, direction.
The Philco service sheet clearly indicates 3B as the oscillator trimmer. That's all I can say about it.
It's been a while since I owned a 39-7. 6A could be one of those "semi-fixed" trimmers Philco used in some models of around that period (1938-39), which looks like a trimmer cap but was adjusted and sealed at the factory. Why they did this rather than using a fixed mica cap, who knows other than some models needed more or less capacitance?
If this is the case, do not make any attempt to adjust 6A.