09-05-2021, 05:46 PM
Well, you asked for thoughts...here are mine.
The Westinghouse RC is a very early, very primitive radio which, in stock form, would be entirely unsuitable as a modern "daily driver". Its operation would be finicky (to say the least), its range of receivable frequencies limited (meaning it would not receive the entire modern AM band).
A working, properly restored RC is suitable only as a modern curiosity. You know, as in "Wow, cool, I was able to listen to a 100 year old radio!"
I suspect your hardware store owner is expecting FM reception which did not exist in 1920-1926, and in fact did not become a commercial reality until 1939-40, and then was on a band which is now obsolete (42 to 50 mc).
And even though this RC is a wreck, I would not modify it but carefully clean it up and display it as is.
Could it be restored? Probably, with a lot of work, replacement parts from another RC parts set, new wood, etc., etc. Is it worth it? No. There are plenty of RC sets still in existence.
If I owned an RC in good condition, it would probably be a "shelf queen". In my opinion...there are radios which you restore (the usable radios of 1928 and later which can be plugged into the AC wall socket), and the older, "primitive" models which are probably best left alone and appreciated for what they are, and what they once were (1923 and earlier).
My opinion.
The Westinghouse RC is a very early, very primitive radio which, in stock form, would be entirely unsuitable as a modern "daily driver". Its operation would be finicky (to say the least), its range of receivable frequencies limited (meaning it would not receive the entire modern AM band).
A working, properly restored RC is suitable only as a modern curiosity. You know, as in "Wow, cool, I was able to listen to a 100 year old radio!"
I suspect your hardware store owner is expecting FM reception which did not exist in 1920-1926, and in fact did not become a commercial reality until 1939-40, and then was on a band which is now obsolete (42 to 50 mc).
And even though this RC is a wreck, I would not modify it but carefully clean it up and display it as is.
Could it be restored? Probably, with a lot of work, replacement parts from another RC parts set, new wood, etc., etc. Is it worth it? No. There are plenty of RC sets still in existence.
If I owned an RC in good condition, it would probably be a "shelf queen". In my opinion...there are radios which you restore (the usable radios of 1928 and later which can be plugged into the AC wall socket), and the older, "primitive" models which are probably best left alone and appreciated for what they are, and what they once were (1923 and earlier).
My opinion.
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
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