VOLUME 18            MARCH 2001                NUMBER  3

RADIO MISCELLANEA -- MARCH 2001

From Antique Radio Classified for March 2001
(Copyright 1996-2000 by John V. Terrey - For personal use only.)

"Antique Radio Classified" invites its readers to contribute letters and information for inclusion in "Radio Miscellanea" and elsewhere in the magazine. "In The Marketplace" is based on information submitted by the businesses themselves. All topics should be of general interest and sent to A.R.C., P.O. Box 2, Carlisle, MA 01741. All material submitted should be verified for accuracy and may be edited for publication, which is not guaranteed. See the masthead for more details.

Better Way to Play Wire
Dear Editor:

Perhaps some of your readers will be interested in the fact that I have successfully modified an Ampex AG440 tape recorder to play wire recordings. The results are much more clear than playing wire recordings on even the best operating original machines. I hope that folks will check my Web site for details at www.shifrin.net.

--Art Shifrin, Fresh Meadows, NY

The August Muchow Auction
Dear Editor:

We will be in Elgin in February working on the start of the process for the auction of the Ralph Muchow estate. There are many details to cover in this vast collection, and we hope to keep you and the great group of A.R.C. readers aware of what is taking place prior to this super event.

Bob Dobush and I will be spending many hours on the setup and preparation for this auction, and we hope to be able to provide as much technical information as participants will need prior to the actual sale. A full page ad will appear in the April A.R.C. We also have several radio auctions planned for our Ohio site in the spring.

Collectors should note the place, dates and times of the Muchow auction: Hemmens Convention Center, Elgin, Illinois; August 3 at 4:00 P.M. - tubes; August 4 at 10 A.M. - everything else. More information will follow in future issues of A.R.C.

--Richard Estes, Estes Auctions, Seville, Ohio

More on TV Values
Dear Editor:

I enjoyed Mark Thierbach's letter in the November 2000 issue regarding A.R.C.'s TV coverage, especially since I have purchased the RCA 9T246 TV mentioned. The set is in beautiful condition and sits next to its earlier RCA 621-TS sibling. I also have the Durbal and Bubenheimer book, Collector's Guide to Vintage Televisions, but feel the values may be a tad on the low side. A 621-TS for $450? I'll take it! Add a Predicta Continental for $500 and a Hallicrafters T-54 for $150, and I'm ready to check out.

The book is a great reference medium and negotiating tool, but I'd propose factoring in another 60-80 percent to be a little closer to real world prices, especially on some of the more desirable sets. But, value is ultimately determined by what buyer and seller determine is a fair price, so do as the book says - "Use only as a Guide."

As Mark suggests, A.R.C. should add more TV to the other fine submissions that keep making A.R.C. such a great publication.

--Michael Hagan, Woodway, TX

We're open to TV submissions anytime. Perhaps someone among you TV collectors would be willing to put together an article with photos. (Editor)

Victor RE-75... Oops!
Dear Editor:

In the December 2000 issue of A.R.C., the title of my article on the Victor RE-75 included a suffix "A" to the Model RE-75. This is incorrect, as there were no letter suffixes on those models. I don't know how it got there - the copy I submitted certainly didn't include an "A."

--Doug Houston, Ortonville, MI

How could this have happened? A little sleuthing led to an answer. The erroneous "A" was intended to be placed at the beginning of the subtitle of the article. Instead, it somehow crept up to the first line. It was not used elsewhere in the article, and we should have caught this inconsistency. We offer our apologies. (Editor)

Grebe Article Memories
Dear Editor:

After reading the article in the January A.R.C. about Alfred Grebe and his car radio, I remembered a similar photo in a 1919 copy of Scientific American that I had acquired a while back. The scene is the same as the photo in A.R.C. Although voice modulation was possible at that time, it is interesting that some hams were still using spark transmitters. I suppose that was because they were cheaper to build.

Speaking of spark transmitters, when I was in the Army, an English intercoastal liner took us up the Persian Gulf to Iran. I made friends with the radio operator, and on a visit to the radio shack, I noticed an old rotary spark transmitter on a shelf. He told me that it was set up for an emergency transmitter in case the modern equipment broke down.

The officers on that ship seemed to show interest in showing off their equipment to the Americans.

--Alton A. DuBois, Jr., Queensbury, NY

Almost Missed Edison Find
Dear Editor:

At a local tag sale, I saw a round-top case with a handle. Sewing machines are not my bag, but I asked, "What's this?"

"An Edison cylinder phonograph" was the reply, "And it's 25 percent off since it's after 4 P.M."

I then asked about the horn, and the seller found it and some cylinder records. It plays very well - and all for $30!

My friends had seen it also, but thought it was a sewing machine. Pays to look, pays to ask!

Also, I enjoyed reading Ray Bintliff's article in the November 2000 A.R.C. about the Miller TRF set.

--Del Tysdal, Glyndon, MN

Monthly Pleasure
Dear Editor:

I enjoy A.R.C. very much and look forward to receiving it every month.

--Willis Rudolph, Memphis, TN