Philco 322 performance - Printable Version
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Philco 322 performance - Paul Philco322 - 06-03-2011
Greetings all, am new to the Phorum and have enjoyed reading it and have learned much just as a visitor in the past. Though I do not yet own any Iconic Philcos I have a few and have good luck with some later model years. I have had excellent results for small 6 tube AC/DC table set with the 42-322. It has a farly unique internal antenna and I have great luck dxing the broadcast band up here in the Boston area. Has anyone else any experience with this set they would like to share? Any tips for enhancing reception?
Re: Philco 322 performance - Jayce - 06-04-2011
I have a 42-322 that is still working on all the original caps and electrolytics that I bought for $10 about 5-6 years ago. This is a good little table radio by Philco, though most have cabinets that look well used around here, mine included. Mine was my 'daily driver' when I was working afternoons at work. I'd come home, turn it on, and often leave it on all night as I slept during the winter. Only tip I can offer right now is this: if your radio seems to turn off and on by itself, check the output tube and/or the rectifier tube. Mine was acting strange and haunted one night, turned out the output tube had burnt out the filament from age and use. Radio would slowly lose power, then would come back on slowly a minute later.
Re: Philco 322 performance - Paul Philco322 - 06-04-2011
Thanks for the information. My 42 322 has undergone a complete retoration by a talented technician(not me). It has all strong tubes and probably is about as good as it was out of the box. The cabinet is original and mint with the exception of a bad water ring from a glass rested on the radio frequently, always a catch you know. We have a station up here 740 am. that goes down to 5 measly watts at nite to protect 740 in Toronto and the little 322 picks it up well into the nite. Anyway I guess even though the "value engineers" were taking over you can still find a winner in the later model years. I have a 42 345 that is also pretty fine, maybe the most sensitive set I own Philco or other brand. The 345 also shares the same type of antenna, looks like miniature copper plumbing. Thanks again for the information. Regards.
Re: Philco 322 performance - Jayce - 06-04-2011
Ah, the infamous water ring. What was it with people sitting glasses full of water and other liquids on radios? It seems the Philco brand attracted water glasses as I find more Philcos with those spots than any other brand. Most of my other brands of radios seem to lack the rings on the tops of them from water glasses. Odd.
Re: Philco 322 performance - Ron Ramirez - 06-04-2011
Welcome, Paul.
I used to own a 42-322, and it was a good performer once I got past the roadblocks of rubber-covered wiring.
I now have a 42-323 and a 42-327, both of which have basically the same chassis as the 42-322 (the 327 adds pushbutton tuning). The 327 is up and running; I have yet to restore the 323 but it is pretty far down the priority list right now, as I prefer the larger, older Philcos with high tube counts (I'm working on a 1936 model 655 right now between summer classes).
Re: Philco 322 performance - Paul Philco322 - 06-05-2011
Thanks for the information Ron. I guess what makes the 322 a little special for me is that it was my first Philco. I am intrigued by the high tube count big boys from the 30's though have yet to get my hands on one. I do have a 38-93, 5 tube with transformer which sounds pretty good. I have a 45L being worked on now and a 42-355 which I guess is pretty much a console style chassis in a large table model. The 355 has grille cloth which is this funky stuff with almost a corduroy look on it,maybe original, very cool. As you can see I have been getting a little enamored with Philco. Most of my other sets are Zeniths or RCA.
It seems from everything I have read that the 30's were the true heyday of Philco.
Regards.