VOLUME 14            SEPTEMBER 1997                NUMBER  9

RADIO MISCELLANEA -- September 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.

More on the Arvin Rhythm Belle
Dear Editor:

In response to Mr. Lopes' "Arvin Rhythm Mystery" in the June issue, I offer the following: I have an Arvin 617 Rhythm Maid. All five knobs are functional; there are no dummies. The functions are on/off, volume, tone, band, and tuning. A collector friend has a 1939 Fada 913, which is a huge 13-tube tombstone with six knobs on the front panel. Two of these are dummy knobs.
--John Pelham, Suwanee, GA

Prices With or Without Tubes
Dear Editor:

Convention seems to be that battery sets from the 1920s are priced without tubes. However, price guides such as Marty and Sue Bunis' guide imply that the listed prices are for complete radios, including tubes. This can make a huge difference. For example, a Western Electric 7A amplifier lists for up to $500. This amplifier uses three tennis ball-type Western Electric 216A tubes, which might run $100 each if functional. So, the tubes alone are worth around half the listed price of the item! It seems as if spokesmen for the hobby, such as Antique Radio Classified, could do the hobby a service by helping to establish a consistent convention on this subject.

--Dave Gonshor, Littleton, CO

Although establishing a consistent convention regarding tubes in battery sets is a good idea, insuring that over 8,000 readers follow it is next to impossible. Our suggestion is to verify always with the seller whether or not tubes are included, and whether they are good tubes or duds, before agreeing to a purchase.

Of course, all of the other issues of mail-order buying should be clarified as well, such as set condition, operating status, who pays for packing, shipping and insurance, how the item will be packed, payment policy and refund/return policy. Since these are usually discussed in a telephone call, make sure to restate in writing your understanding of the terms of the purchase when sending your payment. (Editor)

Envies U.S. Radio Activities
Dear Editor:

Once again, I tell you how much I have enjoyed Antique Radio Classified. There are no such marvelous societies of classic radio lovers like yours in Japan. I am envious of your activities.

I have twenty sets of classic radios with tubes, and repairing them is consuming my spare time. When I have the chance to visit the U. S., I would like to find some of the shops that appear in your books and attend the meetings of some of the clubs.

--A. Mizote, Nara City, Japan

We're sure Mr. Mizote will have an open invitation to all our radio activities when he visits the U. S. (Editor)

Strelow Tube Substitutes Work
Dear Editor:

I finally built six of Gary Strelow's "tube substitutes that glow" as described in the February 1996 A.R.C. and installed them in my Atwater Kent Model 33. It works beautifully. With the scarcity and high price of 01-A tubes and power supplies, Strelow's substitutes are a great innovation, making operation of these radio gems feasible.

All the parts I used came from Radio Shack. The only change I made was to eliminate the lamp socket and solder directly to the lamp. I showed the result to the Radio Shack manager, and he was excited about it. Of course, we had to rig an antenna because he had none in his shop.

--Alton A. DuBois, Queensbury, NY

In the Marketplace
Sonoran Publishing announces the availability of a new computer program called Tubedata. This is the most comprehensive listing of vacuum tubes and data ever produced, covering over 25,000 tube types from the U. S., Canada, Great Britain, Holland, Germany, Russia, and other countries. Both receiving and transmitting tubes are included, ranging from antique to modern, with military and foreign designations as well. This is an ideal aid for tube collectors, circuit designers, historians, and anyone making tube substitutions in vacuum tube equipment. Tubedata retails for $39.95 and is supplied on a 31/2" diskette for IBM compatible computers. Check with A.R.C. and other dealers for this Sonoran product.

Common Courtesy
Dear Editor:

Maybe you could mention something about people calling asking you to hold an item and then not following through. Thanks.
--Michael Crain, Harveys Lake, PA

The other side of this coin is people agreeing to sell you an item and then reneging on the deal. In both cases, if common courtesy prevailed, collecting would be even more enjoyable. (Editor)

Good Services in A.R.C.
Dear Editor:

I just wanted to let you and your other subscribers know that I purchased some test equipment from Boca Electro Magnetic Labs, one of your advertisers. The equipment, service, and price were all excellent. I also did some business with Wendall Hall through your classfieds. His calibration on my Hickok tube tester was excellent and his information very helpful. I would recommend both of these businesses to any subscriber who wants honest service and fair prices.

I am a new subscriber and want you to know that I enjoy your magazine.

--Mike Piskunoff, Olmsted, OH