VOLUME 14            OCTOBER 1997                NUMBER  10

RADIO MISCELLANEA -- October 1997

From Antique Radio Classified for September 1997
(Copyright 1996-7 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.

TV Theme at AWA Conference
Dear Editor:

I finally had the opportunity to attend the AWA Conference for the first time in ten years. The theme this year was television, and I was impressed by both the quantity and depth of information available. Where else could a television collector find the opportunity to get together with like-minded souls from around the world to compare notes and convince each other that accumulating big, heavy, obsolete and frequently nonworking TV sets is normal behavior? The spirit of the conference was pleasant and collegial, with assistance on a variety of issues shared by attendees.

I first learned of AWA and our local New Jersey club through A.R.C. Thanks for keeping us all in touch!

--David Sica, Rahway, NJ

Look for a full report on the AWA Conference, as well as Radiofest '97 in the November issue of A.R.C. (Editor)

Delaware Valley Club Auction
Dear Editor:

I've been a subscriber for over a year now and have met interesting people and learned much that has helped me enjoy the hobby more. On a business trip, I was lucky to be able to attend the DVARC auction in Souderton, Pa. Lots of bargains and neat people too. One of the items I picked up for a buck was a sorry looking Crosley battery cathedral that no one else would bid on. Rough fixer-uppers are my style!

When I got back to work, the radios I had bought were still in my truck, and a coworker said, "What junk! What good is it?" Well, I scraped the rust and other debris out of it and undid the corroded IF trimmers. The "junk" still looks like junk, but it is playing on my workbench. There's always hope.

--Bob Rosengarten, Clarksville, OH

P.S. The Cincinnati RadioRama was excellent -- you may want to pass this on to the readers.

A.R.C. is "The Hot Spot" on the Web
Here is an interesting exchange from the Internet:

From Ralph Boyer, July 28: "Are there any antique radio magazines? Other than the newsletters produced by the various clubs, I've never seen any publications. I was curious if any existed, what the name(s) are, and how to go about getting a sample copy."

From Jim Cross, July 29: "Antique Radio Classified. Antique Wireless Association."

From Ralph Boyer, July 29: "Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. I've received a number of responses and the locations of a lot of web sites to visit. A.R.C. seems to be the hot spot. I'll start there."

An excellent plan, we can't help remarking. And Ralph requested and did receive his sample copy. (Editor)

On AC Line Capacitors
Dear Editor:

Referring to Frederick Suffield's letter in the June 1997 Radio Miscellanea concerning the capacitor that popped on the hot side of his AC line, these capacitors are getting hard to find these days. The old tubular caps are gone for the most part; the face of electronics has changed now with surface mount and dip soldering.

--Robert J. MacCulloch, Bellflower, CA

Capacitors designed specifically for AC line use are available from Newark Electronics, 4801 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60640. (773) 784-5100. Their latest catalog lists "AC line rated ceramic disc capacitors" manufactured by Sprague. The 125L series of capacitors carries a continuous voltage rating of 300 VAC, 2000 VDC. The largest capacitance value is 0.05 mF. With their high transient voltage ratings, these capacitors seem the best answer to replacements for those old line bypass capacitors. (Editor)

Voice of Music Tape Recorders
Dear Editor:

I certainly enjoyed Phil Van Praag's article on vintage audio recorders in the July issue of A.R.C. I can identify personally with his aspirations to spur some interest in these machines that brought such magic to me in my youth. Too many go to the landfill every day.

Having also started with a Voice of Music tape recorder, and having since done substantial research on them, I would like to date more precisely the Model 714, shown on page 5. It was introduced in the spring of 1957, replacing the earlier Model 711, and was discontinued in the fall of 1959 after the Model 720, which could play both 2-track and the new 4-track stereo tapes, debuted.

--Gary Stork, Northville, MI

Readers may be interested to know that Gary Stork is publisher of "The Voice of Music -- the Collector's Voice Newsletter for collectors, enthusiasts and friends of V-M Cporporation and its products." Gary's address is 37530 E. Meadowhill, Northville, MI 48167. (Editor)

In The Marketplace
If your interests include sound reproduction the Beginner's Guide to Tube Audio Design by Bruce Rozenblit may be of interest. As the title implies, this book describes basic electronics theory, vacuum tube fundamentals and the use of vacuum tubes in audio equipment. The text is supported by schematic diagrams. Complete schematics for several classic audio designs are included. This book, priced at $24.95, is soft-bound in the usual 8-1/2" x 12" format and contains 132 pages. Published by Audio Amateur Press, Peterborough, NH, it is available from Old Colony Sound Lab, P.O. Box 243, Peterborough, NH 03458-0243 and A.R.C. advertisers.