[murf]

Hi Guy's,
Found a real nice Philco to add to my collection.
It's a model 16x console.
Did some reading on this one and they claim it was one of Philco's finest radio's.
Somewhat hard to find,although they sold alot of them.
Has an eleven tube chassis with a 15 lb. speaker.
Has a beautiful stock cabinet with the slanted speaker board and an enclosed speaker housing.
Guy I bought it from said it worked when he first bought it,but upon trying it recently he could not pick up any stations.
Maybe just a bad antenna wire or tube.

We'll see when I get it home.
What do you guy's think of this model?

Great forum,
murf

[dixierat]

Hi murf:
I agree the Model 16 is one of the best Philco's, and any other brand for that matter. Congratulations on acquiring a16X with such a nice cabinet. I've restored a16B and it really pulls in SW. Also have a 16x in the wings waiting on restoration , but it has cabinet issues. If your radio has not been restored, count on replacing all electrolytic and bakelite{paper} caps. On this model I would restuff all caps to keep it "original". The 2 speed tuning may also need attention. Also if I remember correctly the tone control caps are encased in tar and will need to be replaced or I may be confusing that with the Model 18. Have fun and enjoy this one.
Curt

[Arran]

Hi Guy's,
Found a real nice Philco to add to my collection.
It's a model 16x console.
Did some reading on this one and they claim it was one of Philco's finest radio's.
Somewhat hard to find,although they sold alot of them.
Has an eleven tube chassis with a 15 lb. speaker.
Has a beautiful stock cabinet with the slanted speaker board and an enclosed speaker housing.
Guy I bought it from said it worked when he first bought it,but upon trying it recently he could not pick up any stations.
Maybe just a bad antenna wire or tube.

We'll see when I get it home.
What do you guy's think of this model?

Great forum,
murf

Sounds like a nice set, but it will not be a simple fix, the 16 and 116 series sets were large and considerably more complex then your typical AA5. Again I would like to correct this common misconception that if a radio quits working it must be "just a tube" or a "bad antenna wire", with few exceptions an old radio does not suddenly quit working because of a tube. Whether it worked when he first got it is inmaterial, it's like the used car ad that says "running when parked", when was it parked and why did you park it? I've heard that so many times when looking at a radio for sale, "Worked when I bought it", or the classic, "Probably just a tube", why make up stories or act like you know something when you don't? The last guy that I bought some sets from said they worked when he bought them, well if they worked when he bought them it must have been 40 years ago since the power cords were petrified and curled up inside. Eight times out of ten a failure is caused by leaky or shorted capacitors or a drifted or open resistor even failures in other parts are caused by leaky or shorted capacitors.
Regards
Arran

[murf]

Hi Guy's,
Found a real nice Philco to add to my collection.
It's a model 16x console.
Did some reading on this one and they claim it was one of Philco's finest radio's.
Somewhat hard to find,although they sold alot of them.
Has an eleven tube chassis with a 15 lb. speaker.
Has a beautiful stock cabinet with the slanted speaker board and an enclosed speaker housing.
Guy I bought it from said it worked when he first bought it,but upon trying it recently he could not pick up any stations.
Maybe just a bad antenna wire or tube.

We'll see when I get it home.
What do you guy's think of this model?


Your right.The first thing I plan on doing is the caps.
Seeing as I only paid $65 for it,I can afford to put a little money into it.
Probably be asking you guy's for some help.
Keep you posted.
murf
Great forum,
murf

Sounds like a nice set, but it will not be a simple fix, the 16 and 116 series sets were large and considerably more complex then your typical AA5. Again I would like to correct this common misconception that if a radio quits working it must be "just a tube" or a "bad antenna wire", with few exceptions an old radio does not suddenly quit working because of a tube. Whether it worked when he first got it is inmaterial, it's like the used car ad that says "running when parked", when was it parked and why did you park it? I've heard that so many times when looking at a radio for sale, "Worked when I bought it", or the classic, "Probably just a tube", why make up stories or act like you know something when you don't? The last guy that I bought some sets from said they worked when he bought them, well if they worked when he bought them it must have been 40 years ago since the power cords were petrified and curled up inside. Eight times out of ten a failure is caused by leaky or shorted capacitors or a drifted or open resistor even failures in other parts are caused by leaky or shorted capacitors.
Regards
Arran

[murf]

Well guy's,I got the 16x radio home and tried it.
It works like a charm.
The guy that I bought it from did not know how to operate it.
Ends up it was on the shortwave band with no antenna,so he could not pick up any stations.
Sounds great.No hum.
I will re-cap it when I get time and clean the tuner and switches.
Anybody know what the toggle switch on the side of the cabinet is for?
Makes no difference if its switched on or not.
That red tuner light is really cool.
Thanks,
murf

[Chuck Schwark]

That switch on the side is the QAVC on/off switch. QAVC stands for "quiet AVC."
It's an "interstation noise supression circuit".

Chuck

[murf]

THats a new one to me.
Is this one a hard one to re-cap?
Thanks for the info.
murf

[Chuck Schwark]

No harder than any other Philco from the 30s. Be sure to replace ALL the caps.
Electrolytics, metal can and bakelite block types.
Check all resistors as well and replace any outside of 20% nominal value.

Chuck

[thirtiesradio]

The 16X is a nice looking console. Congrats on your good buy!
I have that same switch on my 16B but it has a different function. The guy I got it from said "it is all original except for that switch someone added"

[TA Forbes]

I rarely replace mica capacitors. Paper and can caps, definitely. Oh yes, and the bakelite blocks.

In the case of the bakelite blocks, if you do not intend to re-stuff, unsolder the leads vice simply cutting the lug/wires off. This saves the integrity of the block should you someday want to restuff them.

The blocks serve an additional function as "tie downs" for the circuitry under the chassis. Installing new replacement caps should be well thought out. (Ron, that 144 chassis was done during one of my more "erratic" moments).

[Ron Ramirez]

I have that same switch on my 16B but it has a different function. The guy I got it from said "it is all original except for that switch someone added"

If you have a 4-band 16, the switch on the side cuts the bass compensation in and out of the volume control circuit. Why they did that...I have no idea. Seems rather silly to me.

Ron, that 144 chassis was done during one of my more "erratic" moments.

LOL, well, I have not done anything with that chassis yet, other than put it in its new home - a 144B cathedral cabinet. Maybe this winter. Now that Fall is here, I have been trying to finish up a few cabinet refinish jobs before the cold weather sets in. I will be refinishing one more this season, and the rest will have to wait until next year.

[TA Forbes]

Yes, I hear that. I have a couple left to do before the cold sets in here, bit being in NC means that I probably have a month or so left.