[Jamie]

This is my Christmas present. It's a Philco 118MX, I think... It's in splendid condition. The cabinet is excellent and the chassis looks super clean. It still has the original long wire antenna attached to the back. The cabinet also has a back cover that is labeled "Philco Echo Absorbing Screen"

I have a couple of questions though, and I'll post them under the photos.

   
   
   
   

There are two switches on the upper back of the cabinet. One is made by Philco and appears to be an antenna switch to swap the antenna to different bands on the radio. I've never seen one of these. The other is a flip switch on the upper right back. It has two capacitors inside it. I have no idea what it controls. There is no input jack. Any ideas?

Also, there are two stickers on the cabinet.. one says model 118, the other 118MX, so I am assuming this is a 118MX, correct?

[sam]

nice Jamie
switches are for antenna tuning if I am not mistaking

[Jamie]

Thanks Sam! .. I'm very excited about this radio. You've seen a lot of the radios I get and I've never gotten a Philco in this condition. To me, it is like brand new. I can't wait to get it working, and I am hoping it's an easy job. Someone really took care of it. Everything is so clean, it's like a new radio!

[sam]

Jamie
sure you will get lot of great help
be nice to see a thread on it too

[Jayce]

Ooo, that looks very nice!

[Arran]

The device roughly in the middle looks like an aftermarket antenna transformer since it has two lead connected between the antenna connection and chassis ground. I don't know what that bat switch may be for but it looks like it may be audio related, treble or bass, those are the sorts of things I remove when I find them, along with phono jacks, as they usually cause more trouble then they are worth.
Regards
Arran

[Bill Kinghorn]

It looks like there are two tubes in the blurred lower right-hand corner of the location chart. If these are a pair of 42's driven class-B by a third, triode-connected 42, the radio will sound great from a mile away. I know because, in 1958, I bought one much like it, for $2 from the big Minneapolis Salvation Army Store. I replaced electrolytic caps and sold it to my farming uncle for use in the barn. It could be heard over the noise of the milking machine not only in his barn but in barn of his neighbor on the other side of the valley.

The Salvation Army changed my life!

[Ron Ramirez]

Hey Jamie, NICE find!

If the switch connected to the antenna has the Philco name on it, then it was originally part of Philco's Three Purpose Antenna System and was intended to be switched from the "standard wave" (AM) position to the "short wave" position when you switched your radio from AM to SW. I have one of those switches around here someplace.

As for the other switch, I have no idea...obviously not original...

[Jamie]

Thanks Everyone! I plan to get started on this radio ASAP. I've taken some more photos today....

   

Arran, I think that transformer in the center may be original. If you look at the tube sticker on the cabinet, the extra transformer is there..

Bill, I am glad to report that there are three 42 tubes listed on the chart, and two of them are side by side! Here is a photo (blurry, sorry) of the chart. My camera refuses to take a clear photo of the tube chart. It keeps focusing on one side.


   

Ron, the center switch is a Philco switch. It is mounted upside down. Someone has glued felt on the knob to keep it from scratching the wall. It's definitely an antenna switch, but I can't figure out how it was supposed to work. It has two leads coming out that go to the ground and antenna connections, with the long wire attached to the other end. Does it just swap the ground and ant? It's the only switch on the radio that's stuck, but I plan to repair it and leave it. I'd like to keep it as original as possible.


   
   

Here you can see how the leads run off the center switch. There are only three wires. I believe the switch on the upper right is an input for a phonograph. Upon closer examination, it looks like the input is on the bottom of the switch and someone has snipped the phono wire very close to the switch. That switch has one lead, that splits into two... then runs inside the chassis. When I pull the chassis, I'll report on where the leads run.

I've got a schematic, and if it matches this set, then I also have all of the supplies needed to fix this old gal up. For once, it looks like the original cabinet will be fine. Even the grill cloth is in great shape. I am hoping the speaker will be perfect when I pull the back off.

Speaking of the back, how many Philco consoles came with a back? Was this an option or standard equipment?

I rushed home from work today, intending to get started on this old gal. When I walked in the door, the Mrs promptly reminded me that we have a Christmas dinner to attend this evening... .. Looks like it will have to wait until tomorrow morning!

[sam]

lol your like a little kid being told to wait until Christmas

[Gene Pederson]

Congratulations! What a great find

Gene

[Ron Ramirez]

Yup, the center switch is the switch that goes with the Philco Three Purpose Aerial System, which was Philco's early attempt at an all-wave outdoor dipole antenna. So, my previous comments on that still apply.

Only certain high-end Philco consoles made prior to WWII had backs on them, and with the exception of high-end 1938 models, these only covered the speaker compartment. The backs mysteriously disappeared after 1935 - I can't recall at the moment any 1936 Philco consoles with backs, and it is known that no high-end 1937 Philcos had backs - but they returned in the 1938 season only to disappear again after the '38 season.

[Groundhog74]

Sweet!

[TA Forbes]

Yes, a very good set!!

Philco really had a handle on their eight-tube sets. You will be very pleased with it, both in sound and reception!!!

[Jamie]

   
   
   


Sam, it is exactly like Christmas morning.. ... This set is great.

I pulled the chassis last night and dusted it off. I like what I see so far. No rust anywhere. It's really clean. Underneath, it looks like one electrolytic cap has gone bad and a replacement cap has been installed (lower left hand corner). The original can is still on the chassis although it is completely disconnected... Otherwise, everything appears to be original.

I also pulled the cover off the back of the cabinet and the speaker looks to be in perfect condition.

I found a Philco salesman's card for the 118MX on Ebay for $5.00 and bought it. I think it will be a nice little bit of memorabilia to add to the radio.