The PHILCO Phorum

Hi thanks for the add.
I bought what I think is a 70H, see photo.
As you can see someone recapped it and made a hash. I have restored common sets, but as this is a bit more special, I'd like it restored maybe by a pro. Does anyone know if the is anyone in the UK that can tastefully do this? Just the radio, case is ok.
The idea it is to restore it for another 90 years.
Any advice or confirmation if its a 71H is welcome.

Hi and welcome,

You might have a better chance finding someone here UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum (vintage-radio.net)  as we are primarily in the US. The model is a little hard to tell from the bottom it's either a late model 70 or a 71.  If it uses 2.5v tubes like 24A, 35/51, 27, and 47 this would be a 70. The 71 uses the newer 6v tubes like 39/44, 36, 37, and 42 it's a 71. If it's a UK built set it could be different from it's US counterpart.

January 1933 - Philco Radio Gallery
The cabinet looks identical to the 71H but your set doesn't have a shadow meter. That's why the set in the gallery's 71H dial escutcheon is larger. On the other hand I couldn't find any 71's w/a shadow meter in their diagrams. Pretty sure the 70 never had one.

GL W/your new project!
ps Somehow I have the feeling we've met before, perhaps on FB

Hi actually that was a great help. Pulled out 2 tubes and they were 42, 39/44 so I take it a 71H. Im told the early never had the shadow meter. It has a Canadian standards mark in it so I assume a Canadian built 71H. So thanks were getting somewhere....?

Now the only question is do you see a tail in front of you ??

I can see what you mean, it looks like it was worked on by one of the cut N' pigtail artists, I can't help but notice that not a single resistor was changed, fortunately it looks like the just bypassed the original Bakelite blocks rather then removing them. If it was a Canadian model then it would would not normally work on 230 volts, cabinet does not look like a British Philco. Do you have any pictures of the top of the chassis? Someone also failed to putt the steel wool aside on the dial escutcheon, they originally had a tinted lacquer on them to make them look like antique bronze.
Regards
Arran

The Canadian schematics do list a 230 volt transformer in the parts list, and since we didn't use 230v "mains" over here, I'm assuming it would be for export.

BTW, the 71 series is one of only a few models that list a 230 volt transformer in the parts.

I too rebuild radios in the UK but to recap a vintage set with obvious yellow poly caps is a shame. It doesn't take much to restuff the originals.
If we can find some old originals or even good photos of the capacitors new sleeves could be made.
Does the set work OK?
I don't know where you are located, I am in Cheshire around Middlewich if I can help.
Sam.

PS PM me if I can be of assistance, I don't get here often. Sam.

I am working on a US 71H with the shadow meter escutcheon but no meter was wired in. I bought a meter from another collectors part radio (model 91 I think). Looking at that chassis it looks a little earlier than mine as .5mfd cap in the can on the back wall (part no 3583) was moved into the big can perpendicular to the ,5mfd near the center of the radio in the later version. R23 (1M Ohm) is present here as well and its is removed for the incorporation of the meter. Goes from the 1st IF(12) to the RF choke(8). While mine didn't have the meter, it did have R23 removed. By the way that is a awesomely colorful cap in the center. Looks like a flag that should be waved at a football match. The dual speaker version is I am certain, going to sound rich. Good luck.

Andy

Boater Sam;
  Those black Bakelite objects you see in the under chassis photos are the original paper caps, the reason they were left is that Philco used these as tag/terminal strips in their U.S and Canadian sets for several years, at least up until 1936, removing them would have required installing tag strips. I'm not sure how many, if any, tubular paper caps would have been used in a model 71 chassis, since it was basically an updated version of a late model 70 with 6.3 volt tubes/valves rather then the older 2.5 volt variety.
Regards
Arran

On the 71H is the no external aerial,  only a coil on the chassis? I was expecting an input for one or a huge one around the case.

I think your question is does your set had a loop ant?

Answer is no. Loop ant were not used much until the late 1930's. Your set is designed to use a long wire ant. You can hook a loop ant to it. I would try one that is around 250uh ( I think that about the proper inductance). That would be something you would find a defunct set. Or there are those tuneable loops for abt $25-30.