The PHILCO Phorum
RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Printable Version

+- The PHILCO Phorum (https://philcoradio.com/phorum)
+-- Forum: Various and Sundry Categories (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=37)
+--- Forum: Other Radios (Non-Philco) (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Thread: RCA R-73 RESTORATION (/showthread.php?tid=24128)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Ron Ramirez - 03-22-2023

I've seen that PDF article before, when I was doing research on the Westinghouse RC I now own. While mine was sold to me as a working radio, I have not tried it. It is now a 100 year old shelf queen, the oldest radio I own, and populated with three dud brass base, tip top UV-201A tubes for display.

Oh, I also remember the Pixie and Dixie (and Mr. Jinks) cartoons. BTW, Pixie and Dixie were originally two male mice and were friends, not a "couple". Icon_rolleyes

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 03-22-2023

>>BTW, Pixie and Dixie were originally two male mice and were friends, not a "couple".

....thinking of today's possible interpretations Icon_lol


Mr. Fixer

Yeah, but other than this, I have not seen any indication of mice presence. No chewed wires, no poop, no diapers, or tombstones with cute Pixie and Dixie photos and epitaphs......

Anywho, I ordered some 38AWG wire which is due tomorrow. My cats will make sure there are no Pixies, Dixies, Mickies, Minnies and Jerries around it.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Arran - 03-22-2023

Mike;
  They are very vulnerable in the way they were mounted, and where, unlike later sets there isn't a lot around them to protect the coil from being nicked.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 03-22-2023

Well, maybe Pixie and Dixie had copper deficiency.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 03-22-2023

The 1st attempt to wind the coil failed miserably. The flanges interfere more than they help.
The wire 38AWG tears easily. I even think of going 34AWG. Or maybe it is the brand, I had the other one, 40AWG, when I did that experiment, and it seemed OK.
I will try it without flanges first, and then, if I a still unsuccessful, I will go to 34AWG.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - MrFixr55 - 03-23-2023

I barely remember the cartoon and didn't remember the cat's name. I wanted to share that article to show what a job the author did on a totally trashed radio.

I had one radio (a Coronado farm set) where the oscillator coil was chewed on but no nest, poop, urine, hair, dead mice, etc. I guess that they ate and ran out on the bill.

I also have the Westinghouse RC, a Westinghouse Aeriola Sr (early model, wood panel, no RCA logos on instruction label), a Radiola II, FADA 160 and a unknown 3 tube regenerative radio kit, all 100 years old. My A-K 10 is likely 1924 as it has the breadboard for a Pooley cabinet, but is otherwise identical to an AK10C. That one has the BBTs to be cool, as they are visible, although, technically, they should be tiples UV style Cunninghams. So next year, my A-K10, AK20 Big Box, and Radiola 3 turn 100 (possibly, as these were sold over 2 or more years).

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Ron Ramirez - 03-23-2023

John (MrFixr), please don't misunderstand - my comments were not meant to offend you in any way.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 03-23-2023

I need a sip or scotch. I am tired and sleepy.
I have two scotches (Glenfiddich 15 and Lagavulin 18), Calumet 16 burbon and Frapin Chateau Fontpinot XO cognac. Choices, choices, they wake me up at night. The older I get, the pickier I become. I remember the time when $8 bottle of Grant would make me feel like an American Upper class. Of course, at the time I lived in the USSR, and the bottle was a present. Where would I get the dollars to buy it, let alone the knowledge of the very existence of whiskies other than White Horse, of which I read in some novels......now I am old, and my liver has given up uppealing to my senses.

Well....Chateau Fontpinot it is then. I wonder what will come first, me finishing it or me going to bed....I am tired.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - MrFixr55 - 03-24-2023

@ Ron, Not offended at all! This is one of the problems with writing as opposed to speaking, even using emojis. My neighbor and her daughter stopped talking by phone and texted each other, because "that's what kids do nowadays. They now have a horrible relationship because moods in the typed words are not transmitted like they are in person. They now practically don't communicate with each other. I also found this to be the case in corporate communications. And forget legal communications. When the attorney for someone that you are involved in a lawsuit signs the letter "Very Truly Yours" they usually mean *&^$#)&^%$#@@

My statement "I barely remember the cartoon and didn't remember the cat's name. I wanted to share that article to show what a job the author did on a totally trashed radio." was not meant to be defensive. The last time I saw a Pixie and Dixie cartoon was about 60 years ago, so I can't remember the gender. Apparently, neither did the author of the article. Therefore your historical notes on Pixie and Dixie are wholly appropriate.

I have a bad habit of not completing thoughts in conversation. It probably carries into typed conversations also.

One of the reasons for posting the article is that I think that sometimes mice "hit and run", damaging electronics without living in the device and performing ALL activities of daily living in the device.

I was also totally amazed by the article (I should give the author, Jean Marcotte, credit) on the total turnaround of a radio that some may not have trashed, but actually burned out of fear of contracting hantavirus or the Andromeda Strain (esoteric sci-fi move reference here). I posted it to contract mouse damage with MOUSE DAMAGE.

I always find you, Morzh, Arran, Bob and all the experts and administrators of this Phorum to be great folks and guardians of decorum and a good time.

Thanks so much for what you do on this Phorum and elsewhere in the antique Radio (and our Westinghouse RCs truly meet the definition) community.

BTW, I hope and pray for your health and other folks suffering major illness. I hope that you are doing well and feeling well!

Kindest Regards,

John, MrFixr55

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Ron Ramirez - 03-24-2023

John (MrFixr) - Icon_lol Icon_thumbup Icon_clap Salute

While I remember the cartoons, I had forgotten Mr. Jinks' often-used comment "I hate meeces to pieces" until I saw your post.

And totally agree, the author of the Westinghouse RC PDF truly did an amazing restoration of his RC.

And now that this thread has gone totally off topic (but not off the rails), I shall close by saying - Mike, lay off the booze! It doesn't help! Icon_lol

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - Chas - 03-24-2023

Mike,

Can you post images for both the antenna coil and the choke?

I have looked for such parts based on descriptions but have come up empty.

The images may help others who have such parts on hand too.

Chas

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 04-01-2023

Chas


Sorry, did not mea to ignore your question.


On the p1, in the very firts post, the photo #4 has the antenna coil (on top of teh chassis) and the last photo (#6) has the choke, at the very bottom bext to the right from the filter choke (looks like a small transformer, also at the very bottom, mount to the chassis wall).

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 04-01-2023

Forgot to mention, the last weekend I did finish winding the coil, and today attached the wires to the lugs. Good thing is, today's magnet wire allows too be tinned without the warnish being stripped.
I was about to install it when I realized there were tuning cap's grommets that needed to be replaced, which would be more difficult with the coil in place, so I changed them (luckily I had some that would fit).

After having drunk my beer, which I am in the process of consuming as I am writing this (Little Sumpin' by Lagunitas, excellent IPA, highly recommended), I might just go and install the coil.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 04-08-2023

Today, after having installed the antenna coil back, I took the speaker out of the case to hook it up, but decided to check the output transformer.
Yep, you got it! It was open. Both halves of the primary.

And to extract this one.....not sure why, but RCA of the period loved tabs. And very thick ones, and, mind you, not aluminum, but steel. Capacitor boxes....and, yes, transformers.

This one has 3 tabs, all about 1mm steel. That means - very stiff. Hard to un-bend. And the un-bending has to be performed inside the basket within 1/2"  from the paper cone.

The tabs.

   
   

The tools I had to use:

   

The xfmr out:

   

I took long narrow chiesel, that allowed a good angle and wedged it under the single tab, taping on it with the pliers (yes, I used them only as a hammer), eventually working it in. I unbent one tab.
Then I did this to another tab on the opposite side, that had two tabs facing each other. Then I finished the job using a long large blunt flat screwdriver. Then I started unbending the second tab and finished it rocking the transformer.

I was able to extract it without damaging the cone.

Now I need to replace it. I am sure a Hammond will still run me cheaper than rewinding the original. Considering it's been a month since our NJ company that said they did custom jobs (I contacted them about that large inductor) has not come back to me, after nice long conversation, I think it might not be in the cards for me to use them.
So, I will try to get a Hammond that would fit the application and be able to be mount in place of the original one.


The voice coil resistance is about 4 Ohms.

RE: RCA R-73 RESTORATION - morzh - 04-12-2023

The Hammonds 125C came today; the sizes of the holes seem to fit to the holes in the basket.
I am taking an Altium course and am too tired to do it before the weekend, it is a full 4-day course, 8hrs a day. And Altium is a very, very complex tool. And I am not a big fan, I am a Mentor guy.
But.....heck, I was the one who made my boss cough up 3500 bucks......now I'm on the hook.