Something New - a Brunswick-Radiola BR60

[CDBPDX]

I picked this Brunswick-Radiola BR60 console at an estate sale a couple weeks ago. It comes with a Brunswick 3 spring phono motor with a 3 way Ultona reproducer and a Radiola Model AR-813 Super Heterodyne radio. I rebuilt the motor, including installation of a spring and rebuilt the lateral side of the reproducer. The diamond stylus on the Edison side is toast.

I know nothing about radios. This one requires 3 batteries, an A (4 1/2v), B(90v), and C(2x4 1/2v). Looks like all the parts are present, but I really have no idea how to start with it.

Anyway, it is pretty cool. The phonograph works great! There is a butterfly valve that switches the acoustic horn from radio to phono.

Cliff

[CDBPDX]

Here are pictures of the antennae/door compartment. Pretty impressive antennae!

[Governor Flyball]

Congratulations on acquiring a great machine. She looks a beauty and this Brunswick model is most desirable. Note RCA sold radio components to both Victor and Brunswick. It was only in 1929 that RCA actually acquired Victor.

I am very familiar with that radio. I have owned a RCA Radiola AR812 for more than 20 years. Note this radio was not cheap in its day. It is identical electrically with yours. It was manufactured by General Electric for RCA in Schenectady NY in 1925.

It has an interesting historical significance as it was the world's first consumer superheterodyne receiver designed by no less that the famed inventor Edwin H Armstrong. The historical significance is that all radio devices televisions, WiFi, cell phones etc. or anything that has a wireless receiver in it is descended from your radio.

I use one on almost a daily basis. The performance of the set is superlative and beats radios made decades later. From NY state, at night I can receive WWL 870 in New Orleans!

The radio has 6 tubes and employs a patented "Second Harmonic" process designed by Armstrong's friend Harry Houck which allows a single tube to amplify twice saving a tube or two.

I see from the photo that to have the right angled socket holding the output tube. That was a period add on to boost the loudness from the radio. Bear in mind in 1925, even acoustical recordings sounded better than radio! The real shortcoming is the awful RCA loudspeaker. I cheated here a bit and replaced the RCA diaphragm with a modern transducer.

The radio is certainly serviceable and can be fixed. The UV-199 tubes are not power hungry and the set will run on alkaline cells.

Here is an excellent web site on Armstrong. Look for The photo of Armstrong and Houck standing beside The Superheterodyne and notice the resemblance to yours. There is a lot to read and you can search the index as he had a number of other important inventions:

http://users.erols.com/oldradio/

[Governor Flyball]

Two things to add:

The output tube in the funny right angled socket should be a UX120. The tube in place looks incorrect. Can you identify It?

If it is okay to use this forum, I'd be glad to help you restore it. I do not know your radio knowledge but if you are willing to give it a go, I would be glad to help.

[CDBPDX]

Two things to add:

The output tube in the funny right angled socket should be a UX120. The tube in place looks incorrect. Can you identify It?

If it is okay to use this forum, I'd be glad to help you restore it. I do not know your radio knowledge but if you are willing to give it a go, I would be glad to help.

It is a Cunningham CX-371-A

[Governor Flyball]

A Cunningham CX-371A is the equivalent of the RCA UX-171A and is definitely the wrong tube and won't work properly. (It might have actually worked inefficiently!) It is a 5v 0.5 amperes filament and the correct tube UX120 is 3v 0.15 amperes.

The UV199 and UX120 pop up regularly on eBay. I pick up purported low emission UV199s cheaply and and the thorium impregnated filament can be regenerated.

Sure hope you fix this baby up!

[travisgreyfox]

These are so cool. I would love to own one with a working radio. Thank you for sharing.

[CDBPDX]

The radio is certainly serviceable and can be fixed. The UV-199 tubes are not power hungry and the set will run on alkaline cells.

So, I could string together 10-9v batteries to produce the required 90 volts? It wouldn't explode or anything?

[startgroove]

Cliff, Yes, you could carefully string together a series of 9 volt batteries. Just be sure the final layout does not place the two ends near each other, or at least well insulate those ends from each other if they have to be close. BTW, the 71A will work just fine, though it should be a 12A. The filament voltage and current are the same, so is the max plate voltage. The main difference is that the 12A is a DC filament, while the 71A is an AC filament. The 71A filament will work on DC, but likely its filament life will be a little shorter than when run on AC. The 71A is a much easier tube to find, and costs significantly less.

BTW, very nice find, looks great! Cheers, Russie

[Governor Flyball]

I beg to disagree. The CX371A was intended for both dc and ac filament 5 volts at 0.5 amps. Which is a higher filament voltage and filament current than the UV199 or UX120. The CX371A is not intended for dry cell use and should not be used.

Before attaching batteries however, there are a series of preliminary checks that need to be performed. The RCA superheterodyne of the period had the circuit built into a tank of bees wax. The wax has a tendency to shrink with age which could result in breakage of wired interconnection. This catacombs if it has a problem can be repaired by melting the bees wax to access the circuitry. I would recommend performing a basic test on the catacombs as described in the RCA Service Notes. The complete RCA Service notes covering 1923 to 1928 are on line:

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/RC ... ervice.htm

I would first suggest first familiarizing yourself with the receiver and understand how it works. It is essential to have a basic technical understanding and once you understand how to best manipulate the controls, using it will be a breeze