VOLUME 14               JUNE  1997                NUMBER  6

EDITOR'S COMMENTS

From Antique Radio Classified for June 1997
(Copyright 1996-7 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

Here's to A.R.C.'s 13th anniversary issue! Flying in the face of superstition, we celebrate number 13 with full confidence that we are beginnning another lucky year of steady growth in the number of collectors we serve and the quality of our product--the premier publication for radio collectors worldwide.

Using color always seems appropriate for the celebratory tone of an anniversary issue. And color affords us the exciting opportunity of presenting an article that we may have held for a while because it would lose its impact in black and white. Our feature this month on Ekko stamps is just such an article. Wayne Gilbert and Charles Combs introduce us to the colorful radio "verified reception stamps" that became so popular among collectors in the 1920s.

This month, we also have been able to take advantage of printing our cover in full color to include a bonus--an additional Photo Review page in color on the inside back cover. These photos enhance two other articles in this issue.

One of these articles, written by Jerry McKinney, is about the rather strange looking Freshman Polydyne. I am reminded of seeing a set like this at a radio meet several years ago. I did not believe that it was a manufactured set because it looked as if an owner had hand-painted a scene on the radio's grille cloth. Jerry McKinney also wondered about the origin of his set a different one from the one I had seen. Jerry has now confirmed for all of us that the colorful Polydyne is not one-of-a-kind and that it was more than likely manufactured by Freshman.

Browsing in old magazines often leads to surprising bits of information. A.R.C. staff member Dave Crocker came up with an interesting variation in ads for two different versions of the Norden-Hauck Super DC-5 shortwave receiver, the subject of Robert Grinder's article in our April 1997 issue.

Our reporting on the canceled Marconi archive auction continues this month with reflections on this episode by major U.S. Marconi collector Jim Kreuzer. In addition, Managing Editor Dorothy Schecter reports information received from several sources about the auction and the upcoming Marconi centenary celebration. Our Color Photo Review page shows a few of the historic items which would have been auctioned.

Repair tips always draw commentary from our readers, and our article a couple of years ago on testing power transformers was no exception. For this issue, Ray Bintliff has consolidated the mail we have received over time and presents additional tips on auto-transformers, transformer modifications, hot transformers, color codes, and more.

The meets of the Dallas, Texas, area Vintage Radio and Phonograph Society (VRPS) illustrate the variety among club meets. Rather than center around a flea market, the VRPS meets feature an auction, which is always skillfully reported to A.R.C. by George Potter, often assisted by his son Michael. Having attended several of the VRPS events, I am amazed at George and Michael's diligence in examining each item as it comes off the auction block. This month, George reports on the VRPS spring auction where proceeds exceeded $15,000.

In Radio Ramblings, Harry Johnson tells a story about a Crosley Trirdyn that he remembers from boyhood. Radio Miscellanea includes a safety tip for AC/DC radio collectors and a comment on an interesting Arvin set which has a dummy knob. Photo Reviewincludes an early communications receiver from RCA and a home-brew Loftin-White audio amplifier built to 1930s specifications.

Our Club Spotlight this month features the London Vintage Radio Club, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. A special birthday party will be held on June 28 in London, Ontario, with Fred Hammond as special guest speaker.

Coming Radio Events. Although spring has been late in coming here in the Northeast, we are hopeful of a sunny summer for the parade of upcoming radio events. As this issue goes to press, we are leaving for the Dayton, Ohio, Hamvention where, fortunately, sunny skies are forecast for the entire event. Let's hope that the rest of the radio meet season is also blessed with good weather.

Be sure to review our Coming Radio Events pages for the events near you, and I hope that you will consider a special trip to at least one of the larger, several-day, June shows in Maryland, Ohio, and Washington state. July, August and September follow with shows in Michigan, West Virginia, Illinois, and New York. The August Radiofest in Elgin, Illinois, and the September Antique Wireless Association Conference in Rochester, New York, are in A.R.C.'s travel plans. I hope to see you there.

Happy collecting!

John V. Terrey, Editor

ON THE COVER

In keeping with this month's lead article, our colorful cover features stamps contained in an Ekko broadcasting station stamp album from your editor's collection. The album, dated 1924, contains a page (more or less, depending on the number of existing radio stations there) for each state and territory, as well as Canada, Cuba, and Mexico. Chosen for their quality and color, these stamps happen to be from the New York and Illinois pages.

Larger image of this month's cover (428 x 640 pixels).