03-24-2012, 11:53 AM
What, do you expect to be able to run down to the local Philco parts distributor in the year 2012 and buy a new in box, off the shelf, part no. 42-1002 on-off and band switch? Those haven't been made for nearly 80 years...so you have to make some compromises if you want to set to work as it did originally.
Sure, you can bypass the "police" band and use it as AM only...however, since the modern AM band is now 540 to 1700 kc, if you modify your 91 so that it only receives the lower band, it only tunes from 540 to 1510 kc. Meaning, you will lose the upper AM band which is on the low end of the set's "police" band.
Personally, I would rather use the ugly plastic switch if it meant making my radio work again. But, to each his own.
One more thing, though. Try some DeoxIT on that old off-on switch before giving up on it; sometimes these can be brought back using DeoxIT where regular "contact cleaner" fails to work.
Sure, you can bypass the "police" band and use it as AM only...however, since the modern AM band is now 540 to 1700 kc, if you modify your 91 so that it only receives the lower band, it only tunes from 540 to 1510 kc. Meaning, you will lose the upper AM band which is on the low end of the set's "police" band.
Personally, I would rather use the ugly plastic switch if it meant making my radio work again. But, to each his own.
One more thing, though. Try some DeoxIT on that old off-on switch before giving up on it; sometimes these can be brought back using DeoxIT where regular "contact cleaner" fails to work.
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Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN