A 1937 Accessory Philco Antenna
Posts: 309
Threads: 55
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Claremont, NH
OK, so I'm surfing the bay kinda late and all of a sudden this Philco accessory antenna pops up. Well I have never seen one before and it even is in it's original box. I don't know if it is all there, but I know I want it! So I hit the BIN button and here it is. I figure I won't hook it up, but display it with my Philco's.
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...406c95.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...7c3f49.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...6ab587.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...afadce.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...d65095.jpg]
Gene
(This post was last modified: 03-08-2013, 10:17 PM by Gene Pederson.)
Posts: 1,402
Threads: 70
Joined: Oct 2007
City: Linn Creek, MO
Now, that was a great find 
Steve
M R Radios C M Tubes
Posts: 73
Threads: 11
Joined: Feb 2012
Outstanding find though I'm a bit preplexed, where does the AC power cord come in to play? Surely not an RF amplifier or is it an earlier version of the 60's phony TV antenna advertised in cheap magazines proporting
the use of the house AC system as a fantastic TV antenna. If so it
would be much more sucessful on AM and SW frequencies than on
the NTSC VHF and UHF bands.
Posts: 344
Threads: 38
Joined: Jun 2011
City: Tustin
State, Province, Country: California
Very nice Gene! It is interesting how many were purchased and never used. I have a 1938 that is very similar to your 1937 antenna, and I have this one from 1939 or 1940. I'd like to use one and
see how well they perform 
(This post was last modified: 02-11-2013, 01:39 AM by thirtiesradio.)
Posts: 244
Threads: 11
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Black Mountain, NC
The AC type plug is where the antenna plugs into the side of the radio cabinet in most cases. I bet some folks got a shock when the did put AC voltage into that connector by accident....
Great find. Maybe you can post a pdf of the instruction manual so we can replicate.
Thanks,
Mike
Cossor 3468
GE 417A
Philco 118H
Radiola 17/100
Scott 800B6
Silvertone 6130
Stromberg 535M
Truetone D1952
Posts: 309
Threads: 55
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Claremont, NH
MIke,
I will try to get the info scanned a post it.
Gene
Posts: 481
Threads: 18
Joined: Jan 2013
City: Mesa, AZ
My uncle (born 1910) told me a long time ago they would run one wire from the antenna lead directly into the neutral side of the electrical outlet for reception.  This was around 1975, he had an old Airline SW receiver. I didn't really believe him, but he demonstrated (after i sought shelter on the other side of the room). Yes, it actually made a huge difference in the reception. I believe he said that all the wiring in the house had to be correct for it to work. I would never try this myself, nor recommend it, but it did work. 
Posts: 1,402
Threads: 70
Joined: Oct 2007
City: Linn Creek, MO
You're right, it's not a good plan. 
Steve
M R Radios C M Tubes
Posts: 244
Threads: 11
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Black Mountain, NC
Gene,
Thanks much. Look forward to seeing it.
Mike
Cossor 3468
GE 417A
Philco 118H
Radiola 17/100
Scott 800B6
Silvertone 6130
Stromberg 535M
Truetone D1952
Posts: 309
Threads: 55
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Claremont, NH
Here are two pics of a second antenna I picked up. Note on this one as in the pic from thirtiesradio there are two coils of copper wire that may have been cut off of the first one I bought??
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...a4847d.jpg]
[Image: http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z345...ccf9b7.jpg]
Gene
Posts: 309
Threads: 55
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Claremont, NH
Thirtiesradio,
I have seen that bakelite box in your set with the dial on it on the back of a radio that came up for sale on the bay. I didn't know what it was for but now it becomes very clear.
Gene
(This post was last modified: 03-09-2013, 12:40 AM by Gene Pederson.)
Posts: 337
Threads: 15
Joined: Nov 2005
City: Ortonville, MI
Yep. the bare twisted copper lines were cut from the first kit shown. What the AC plug was for is a mystery. Don't try to use it for anything!
The kit had this stuff: Two lengths of bare copper twisted wire, which were the two doublet legs. They connected to the "balun" transformer in the aluminum can. The lead-in to the set goes from the balun to the set. There is an insulator tube for the lead-in or the ground wire (The single conductor insulated wire). There is a ground clamp for a water pipe, and the porcelain lightning arrestor. there should be an instruction sheet in the kit.
My father bought a Philco 37-650 new for Christmas, 1936, and one of these kits was supplied with the set. Father never did install the antenna kit as recommended, and probably very few ever were. The lead-in nhad rubber insulation on the conductors, and that will be all dried out, long since.
Whatever that
Posts: 2,353
Threads: 92
Joined: May 2010
City: Clayton, NC
The early AC sets often had features that allowed the owner to use house AC service wiring as an antenna. Many pre-1930 Philcos did this.
Posts: 309
Threads: 55
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Claremont, NH
Thanks for the info on these Doug! I would love to be able to hook one up.
Maybe I can splice some copper wire onto the one that got cut and then see if I can assemble it to one of my Philco's.
Ya never know, I just might pick up Sir Winston Churchill broadcasting..............................in the "Twilight Zone". 
Using the house wiring as an antenna is a pretty uncomfortable idea 
Gene
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2013, 10:28 AM by Gene Pederson.)
Posts: 481
Threads: 18
Joined: Jan 2013
City: Mesa, AZ
Maybe that's why so many of those antenna are still left in good condition today - you had to plug them in, and people were leery of getting shocked or burning their house down. Like I said earlier in this post - that little trick actually DOES work, but who among us is brave enough to try it? 
Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
|
|
Recent Posts
|
|
Philco 60 Squealing
|
| I seem to remember eliminating a squeal by changing the IF frequency by a few KHz. Not that you should put too much tru...fenbach — 08:48 PM |
|
Philco 42-390, code 121 speaker
|
| These speakers pop up on eBay regularly, even if at bloated prices.
Honestly, have not seen many parts on swapmeets.morzh — 08:38 PM |
|
Philco 38-7 Speaker
|
| The put-put is not like the speaker problem.morzh — 08:29 PM |
|
Mission Bell Model 19A Car Radio
|
| Hello everyone,
As mentioned in my last post I was going to see if the vibrator / rectifier section could be persuaded...Antipodal — 08:21 PM |
|
Philco 60 Squealing
|
|
Wondering if I did it backwards.
If a coil was wound backwards, the oscillator would not work at all.
Old school...Chas — 07:23 PM |
|
Philco 38-7 Speaker
|
| 4-ohm speaker. Black, Green leads.tludka — 07:00 PM |
|
Philco 42-390, code 121 speaker
|
| #87 on the schematic.
This radio had a 8" Zenith speaker attached to it when I got it. I do don't know the hist...Stevelog — 06:39 PM |
|
Philco 60 Squealing
|
| I'm pretty sure I now have the litz wire soldered. This did not make any difference. Back in April I rewound the seconda...dconant — 06:25 PM |
|
Philco 38-7 Speaker
|
| Just to make sure, you chose either 4 ohm into 5K or into 10K? (blk-org or blk-grn)morzh — 06:23 PM |
|
Philco 38-7 Speaker
|
| I have let this one sit because of other duties. Now I am back, and I have a couple of questions. I hooked up a Hammond ...tludka — 05:34 PM |
|
Who's Online
|
There are currently 4940 online users. [Complete List]
» 1 Member(s) | 4939 Guest(s)
|
|
|
|
 
|
![[-]](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/bootbb/collapse.png "[-]")
