11-14-2014, 06:37 AM
Very nice job!!! It's one of my favorite sets and I'm sure you will get a lot of comments from folks that see it (It's a very iconic set) plus a lot of enjoyment just listening to it.
I had one when I was a kid back in the mid '60's.
When I got it (from a schoolmate I think) the 2A6 was missing or bad. And I couldn't find one anywhere! So I looked up the specs in my Dad's 1947 RCA receiving tube manual and found that the 6SQ7 would make a dandy replacement but I didn't have a 6v filament transformer to power the heater. Hmmmm well I found an old door bell transformer, I don't remember the exact voltage but it was close to 12v like 18 or so. Back then I had a few AC-DC sets too but I really wanted to hear this AK sing plus it has a very kewl dial lighting arrangement. In one of those sets I removed the 12SQ7 which would be the replacement for the 2A6. Made up a socket adapter as the 2A6 is a standard 6 pin socket and the 12SQ7 was an octal. Now where to put the transformer??? Screwed it right to the arch in the rear (hey I was a kid that didn't know any better!!!) Got it all hooked up but before I gave the radio a try I had one of those little RCA 45rpm turntables w/out an audio amp. So I wired it to the 12SQ7 and it played great though the old AK. After fooling around with the 45 player I gave the radio a try. I played but not very well. I had my dad take a look at it and determined that the b+ was low because the filters where weak. Replaced a couple of 8uf caps in it and now it worked great!!! Before he had a look at it I remember him saying "if this blank it te blank radio shocks me I'm going to smash in to little pieces" This was 1966 or so and he had been servicing xsistor stuff for the last few years. He had kinda gotten out of the vacuum tube gear I never did.
Eventually I did find a 2A6 and removed the bell transformer. The set was my bed side companion for many years. I do not remember what happen to it, I know I don't still have it. I fondly remember listening to hams down on 75meters on AM I did rig up a bfo of sorts so I could copy code and ssb. It was easy I just took a piece of wire and slipped it under the grid cap of the #58 tube the IF amplifier and the wrap a number of turns around the tube. This provide some feedback from the grid to the plate which caused the IF to oscillate. It worked well enough. And then there was a lot of shortwave broadcast stations on the air back then too. The BBC and CBC VOA where all great to listen to.
Fast forward to 2012 or so I found a nice 206 on epay. I don't remember how much I paid but it was the kind of number I wanted to forget. I'd bet a nice one that has been restored with the rubber wiring replaced and still has the original finish would bring 8 to $900 on that auction site.
The Atwater Kent 206 was one of the first old radios and cathedral I collected and enjoyed. The one I picked up on epay is in nice shape but between work and this blank it te blank Lyme disease I haven't done anything with it but one of these days......
Hope I didn't bore you with this long post.
Terry
I had one when I was a kid back in the mid '60's.
When I got it (from a schoolmate I think) the 2A6 was missing or bad. And I couldn't find one anywhere! So I looked up the specs in my Dad's 1947 RCA receiving tube manual and found that the 6SQ7 would make a dandy replacement but I didn't have a 6v filament transformer to power the heater. Hmmmm well I found an old door bell transformer, I don't remember the exact voltage but it was close to 12v like 18 or so. Back then I had a few AC-DC sets too but I really wanted to hear this AK sing plus it has a very kewl dial lighting arrangement. In one of those sets I removed the 12SQ7 which would be the replacement for the 2A6. Made up a socket adapter as the 2A6 is a standard 6 pin socket and the 12SQ7 was an octal. Now where to put the transformer??? Screwed it right to the arch in the rear (hey I was a kid that didn't know any better!!!) Got it all hooked up but before I gave the radio a try I had one of those little RCA 45rpm turntables w/out an audio amp. So I wired it to the 12SQ7 and it played great though the old AK. After fooling around with the 45 player I gave the radio a try. I played but not very well. I had my dad take a look at it and determined that the b+ was low because the filters where weak. Replaced a couple of 8uf caps in it and now it worked great!!! Before he had a look at it I remember him saying "if this blank it te blank radio shocks me I'm going to smash in to little pieces" This was 1966 or so and he had been servicing xsistor stuff for the last few years. He had kinda gotten out of the vacuum tube gear I never did.
Eventually I did find a 2A6 and removed the bell transformer. The set was my bed side companion for many years. I do not remember what happen to it, I know I don't still have it. I fondly remember listening to hams down on 75meters on AM I did rig up a bfo of sorts so I could copy code and ssb. It was easy I just took a piece of wire and slipped it under the grid cap of the #58 tube the IF amplifier and the wrap a number of turns around the tube. This provide some feedback from the grid to the plate which caused the IF to oscillate. It worked well enough. And then there was a lot of shortwave broadcast stations on the air back then too. The BBC and CBC VOA where all great to listen to.
Fast forward to 2012 or so I found a nice 206 on epay. I don't remember how much I paid but it was the kind of number I wanted to forget. I'd bet a nice one that has been restored with the rubber wiring replaced and still has the original finish would bring 8 to $900 on that auction site.
The Atwater Kent 206 was one of the first old radios and cathedral I collected and enjoyed. The one I picked up on epay is in nice shape but between work and this blank it te blank Lyme disease I haven't done anything with it but one of these days......
Hope I didn't bore you with this long post.
Terry
