The PHILCO Phorum

I have 3 old vintage radios, and am having a similar problem with all 3. The 2 with AM radio bands will get a strong station signal and I will be listening to the station, and then suddenly the radio will just lose the station. And, when I try to adjust the dial and get it back, no luck. Also, the one slightly newer radio that has a FM band has the same problem. When I turn it on I can hear 1 station kind of in the background with a lot of other stations (noise) in the background as well. When I adjust the dial I can still hear all these other stations until I get 1 strong station. Then after I listen for a while, the strong station will fade out and I am back to noise. I have tried multiple different antennae on all 3 units with no better results.
Is this an antenna problem, or could it be a tube, the tuning condenser....or what? Help...Thanks, Sonny

Have the paper and electrolytic capacitors been replaced in these radios?

No, they have not. Do you think that is the problem? Thanks.

Most likely.

Those old capacitors are now 50 or more years old, and are long past their useful life expectancy.

http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/plugin.htm
http://www.antiqueradio.org/powerup.htm

Thanks Ron.