I've Had It!!!

@musichal I always enjoy your posts and threads! Thanks for your contributions to our community! :thumbsup:

-Dave

Thank you for the kind comment, Dave. I enjoy so many others' posts and threads that I try to reciprocate.

Well, turns out that radio station was not a pirate, after all. it's KRMP, OKC, 1140 AM, Heart & Soul. Apparently, they had some dead air while I listened that went on for several minutes. Soul music. Listening to it now on my new RCA. Hearing some songs I haven't heard in many years, and some I never heard at all. Kinda nice to have something other than yakety-yak local. Christine loves it in the kitchen because she thinks it looks cool.

Her daughter and the two grandkids are here for the day, and Christine's explanation of the radio to her daughter has been somewhat humorous.

"Look at our new radio."

"It looks old. Is it made like that to make it seem old?"

"No, I think it is pretty old - like from the sixties, when they still had to use tubes."

"What tubes?"

"Well, you can't see them. They're inside the radio. But you know, the kind of tubes that look like small light bulbs and get real hot?"

"So this is a new one made like the old ones, or a real one from the sixties?"

"Yes, a real one."

"It looks new."

"No, it's old. Baby, what year did you think they made this one?"

"1948."

"Well, this one wasn't made in 1948, was it?" asks daughter.

"Yes. It was actually made in 1948. This is the only known specimen still in service," hey, I got to have some fun.

"Must be expensive."

"Actually, not bad at all. Guy didn't know what he had... I paid well under a hundred. I thought about trying to put it on ebay or something and ask $15,000 for it, but I just like it too much to sell it."

"Somebody would give that for it?!"

"Well, they'd have to be as gullible as you, but this conversation gives me hope."

She laughs, "So when was it really built?"

"It really was built in 1948. They built tons of them. For many years. They're pretty common, really. Other brands made very similar models, and they all are known as All-American Five radios because they have five tubes, and were cheap to build. Millions had these in their homes. The styles and colors differ, but most, if not all, were made from an early plastic called Bakelite."

"I like the way it looks."

And the ladies went on to other topics, but the radio was of interest to them, and that's saying a lot.
 
The Philco 38-690 is the "Dranddaddy" of my collection. (The 37-690 is the "Grand Lady".) What I think is fascinating is how the radio manufacturers would completely redesign their radios every year.

Here's an article about the Philco 38-690: http://www.tuberadioland.com/philco38-690_main.html

Here's a pic of my 38-690 in my living room:

View attachment 1229624
Read the link, found the mention of the unusual split stator band bandspreading particularly interesting as I did not know anyone but Philips America did it.
I have a Philips 595AN that uses it.
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips_595an595_a.html
Another U. S. made Philips.
https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/Phil436AN.htm

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=234037
 
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We have a General Electric console radio that probably dates from the '30s. I think my wife got it from her ex's family - she had it when I met her in 1987. Very plain front with a very small dial. I will have to get a picture and pull it out to get the model. I sure it doesn't work and, sadly, it's in pretty rough shape - at one point it was used as a plant stand.

I would like to get it working and clean it up at some point.
 
Looks like your enjoying your radio Hal. Happy to see it in good hands. You may have started something here

A work in progress
This makes me sad. I blew up a working one of these 2 weeks ago with a boneheaded move. Haven't figured what I messed up yet. Keeping my eyes open for a junker with a good chassis.

Does anyone remember a radio station out of Little Rock AK. In the 60's/70's they had a show that came on about midnight called either Beaker or Bleaker Street that played good rock of the day. First time I ever heard All Along the Watchtower. Damn powerful station. We could pick it up in central Illinois. It was wonderful. Like you were getting away with something.
 
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Remember to pick up an old toaster to go with your old radio. This Sunbeam T-9 came out in 1939. I've owned several and if you find a good one they are excellent toasters. The design on the side is a stylized version of the Trylon & Perisphere from the 1939 Worlds Fair. The little gem in the side glows orange while toasting. Art Deco was a wonderful thing.
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In Keeping with the theme. Here's 2 of my favorites that passed through.

Catalin Bendix. Amazing looking radio
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And here's a Fada Cloud radio Plaskon with light brown swirls. My wife loved that radio.
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I dig the old AM tube radios but the AM signals I like except for an all Beatles station are too far so it makes them useless.When I travel north in the car to Denver I always listen and enjoy.I stream one of them at work but its just not the same.
 
I dig the old AM tube radios but the AM signals I like except for an all Beatles station are too far so it makes them useless.When I travel north in the car to Denver I always listen and enjoy.I stream one of them at work but its just not the same.

QFT.
 
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