Wednesday, January 16, 2019:
Radio Repairman Mark was busy for ten hours, in his shop, restoring a
1920s vintage Victor radio. Cabinet Refinisher Paula spent at
least three hours cleaning and polished the beautiful wood cabinet. This one was built before RCA (Radio
Corporation of America) purchased the company. It then became RCA
Victor, a famous brand. The radio has two chassis. The upper
one is the radio frequency part while the bottom is the power supply and
audio amplifier. A test showed the radio draws 70 watts
from a 120 VAC power line. Today's radios use maybe 3 watts.
This Victor radio sound surprisingly good and is fairly sensitive,
easily
picking up KLTF Radio in Little Falls some 35 miles away.
Remember, vintage radios of this era were AM receivers only, no FM.
Television was still a long way in the future so radio was it.
The tuning knob is not pushed left and right, it is rotated and the
mechanism moves it left or right. A very well thought out
arrangement. Interestingly, radios of this type do not have great
financial value....maybe a couple hundred dollars. They just feel
good to collectors.
The radio dial is set to 650 KHz, the spot where
WSM, Nashville, TN, can be heard on a clear night. WSM Radio is
famous for the Grand Ole Opry. Mark and Paula saw a live
performance of the
Opry at Ryman Auditorium on December 1, 2018. |
Yes,
this is reliving history. Mark
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