[mandh]

I notice that my 610 has 3 slits behind the main tuning dial, one for each band, that illuminate the frequency the radio is tuned to. Is there supposed to be a mechanism that would control which slit is illuminated and is missing on my radio, or having the 3 lit is correct?

[Ron Ramirez]

Hi

No, all three arrows should be glowing in your 610.

I just looked through the Philco Changes In Models package I have...and there are no changes listed in it that state that Model 610 ever received a shadow mask to block out the two arrows of the band not in use. Model 611, however, did receive this change as did most other 1936 Philco models during the 1936 season.

[mandh]

Thanks Ron.

[RRyder95]

Old post, but thought I would add this. My 610 arrow does jump from band to band as you switch it. All you see is the one arrow for the band you are viewing. I am getting ready to replace the dial and will have a closer look on how it does this in a few days.
Terry

[Ron Ramirez]

Well, then, another undocumented change.

It would appear then, if Model 611 received the upgrade, the 610 did as well since we have two examples here with the "moving" glowing arrow. Philco just chose to not mention it in their production change notices.

There will be a piece of amber plastic behind the dial scale with three holes in it, coupled to the band switch shaft by a piece of metal that acts as a lever, moving the plastic (known as a shadow mask) as the band switch is turned. This causes a different hole to line up behind the dial scale, corresponding to which band the band switch is set to. On AM, it will reveal the lowest arrow, etc.

mandh, if you're still lurking, sorry for the misinformation.

[RRyder95]

Ron
Just so I don't put out incorrect information, I should add that I am very new at this and I am not familiar with the 611. I should also add that I went by the information from the cabinet. The chassis number is (H04975) and who knows, maybe some one mixed them. Who ever had my 610 before me has soldered wires directly to the bottom of tubes and other strange things. So, definitely some has worked on this long before me.

Terry

[audin]

My 650 does not, and doesn't appear to ever have had, this mechanism. The 37-620 I just finished does have it. It also uses a different "lighted arrow" mechanism. The 650 uses a simple plastic mask with punched holes to create a little lighted arrow-shaped area. The 37-620 uses a plastic mask with a single vertical slit in it behind a glass rod which acts to focus the light into a thin bright vertical line.

[TA Forbes]

Interesting. My 665 and 116B both have the arrows switch up or down when you change bands. My 630 and 640 have the stationary "arrows." I never gave this a second thought until I saw this series of posts.
On both 610s that I had the line was stationary.

[Ron Ramirez]

The change was made in December 1935, about the middle of the 1936 selling season.

All 116, 660 and 680 models had the shadow masks (giving the appearance of moving arrows) from when they were first introduced in May 1935 on throughout the 1936 season. (The 660 was replaced by the 665 in December 1935-January 1936.)

Philco called this the "Glowing Arrow Wave Band Indicator."

In December 1935/January 1936, shadow masks were added to many of the other models in the Philco line, including the following models (using the Philco Changes in Models sheets as a reference):

655 (successor to the 650)
651
645 (successor to the 640)
643
642
635 (successor to the 630)
625 (successor to the 620)
611
And, apparently, the 610 even though this change was not mentioned in the Philco Changes in Models sheets.

Addendum: Models 620, 630, 640 and 650 never had the "glowing arrow wave band indicator." If you have one of these cabinets and the chassis has the shadow mask, then it is one of the later chassis (625, 635, 645 or 655).

I think that's enough confusion for one post

[RRyder95]

Thanks to all, Great! Post!

Terry