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37-116X Delux with BFO
#1

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum and just wanted to say 'hi'.

I discovered an old Philco 37-116X console with automatic tuning in the Alaska basement of a friend over 10 years ago. After expressing interest in the radio upon seeing it in the basement, my friend was more than happy to give it to me.

The inside was VERY dusty, and even someone who didn't know anything about radios could tell that one of the "light bulbs" was cracked and one or two others were missing. It has sat as a decorative piece of furniture for many years in the various places I've lived since then, but I have never once plugged it in or turned it on (obviously).

Well, now I would actually like for it to WORK and work well, so I just finished sending the chassis off to Ron Ramirez. Hopefully sometime next year, my radio will operate just as perfectly (or better) as it did when new. Icon_smile

One interesting feature my radio had that I have not seen in pictures of others is a separate component called an RCA Beat Frequency Oscillator. Ron told me that this unit allows the radio to receive and play CW and SSB transmissions. I don't know anything about these two frequencies, but supposedly they are still used for marine communications? I never heard of this sort of thing before.

Once I have the radio safely and reliably operable, my next immediate goal is to be able to play other sound devices (turntable, tape deck, CD player, iPod) through it. Any ideas on how to do this? Ordinarily, one would use an FM modulator, but since this radio does not receive FM, then what is the best possibility for the best possible sound transfer?
#2

Your 116 is in good hands with Mr. Ramirez. The 116's of all types are exceptional radios- and quite expensive in their day.

The beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO) is used so that a listener can hear Morse code transmissions, principally from ham radio operators. If you don't plan on becoming a ham radio operator, the dits and dahs will be very boring. The BFO is also used to allow you to hear voice communications also principally of ham radio. Generally speaking it wouldn't be worth the trouble to introduce a BFO into the circuitry of a 116.

To make your 116 play with the modern audio toys you will need an external signal source and AM modulator. They are readily available on the Internet but the name escapes me. Be advised that the audio bandwidth of the 116 will be in the area of 5KHz- it will not be the same fidelity as an FM signal or most audio equipment. AM broadcasts are strictly limited to 6KHz so there was never a reason to build an AM receiver with anything wider than 6KHz. If your hearing is lousy like mine, it won't make much difference.

Pete AI2V
#3

I'd get a part 15 AM transmitter and broadcast your own material. Your 37-116 has a much wider band width than radios do today. This will not help you when listening to broadcast stations using your 37-116 but if you get a SSTran AMT3000 AM transmitter it has a wide band width so the material you broadcast will have much improved frequency response. SSTran claims 20-20k response though I doubt it is that good. My father has a 37-690 and I built him a AMT3000 and the sound is very good not stereo but as good as mono gets.
SSTran site
http://www.sstran.com/index.html
Pre builder
http://www.oldtimeradioprograms.com/tran...m3000.html

Bill

It's not what you don't know that hurts you it's what you know that's not so.
#4

Thanks Pete and Bill, I've been hearing good things about the AMT3000. That is the first time I've seen someone offering to build it for other people (like me) who know nothing about these things beyond "Hey, it's a cool lokin' radio, it has buttons and knobs ~ I turn them and it works." Icon_biggrin
#5

I've also ordered the AMT3000 and eagerly awaiting for it to come to assemble it. I've also heard lots of good things about this unit and looking forward to broadcasting old time radio programs to my radios. I've got a reproduction cathedral that I've used with an iPod and cassette adapter, but it's not the same as hearing it through a unit that actually played it when it was 'live'.
#6

TonyJSenior Wrote:I've also ordered the AMT3000 and eagerly awaiting for it to come to assemble it. I've also heard lots of good things about this unit and looking forward to broadcasting old time radio programs to my radios. I've got a reproduction cathedral that I've used with an iPod and cassette adapter, but it's not the same as hearing it through a unit that actually played it when it was 'live'.

I hope you have good eyes and a steady hand. I had to buy a lighted magnifier to see what was going on. I have built many heath kits in the past and I have to say SStran makes a great kit. The only weak link are the knobs as they do not fit the shafts correctly and they wobble when turned. They are tight but slightly off center. No big deal but if this was not the case the kit would be perfect.

Bill

It's not what you don't know that hurts you it's what you know that's not so.




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