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Rare Canadian Wooden SW Radio A-1, made in 1939 by RCA Victor Montreal, Cousin of US T60, T62, T63, Serviced and Perfectly Working
In a Nutshell
Rare Canadian Short Wave Radio with Novel Automatic Tuning
Introduction:
1939 Canadian RCA Victor model A-1, recently uploaded to the virtual radio museum (ref.1), is no doubt a cousin of the 1939 US models T60, T62, and T63. It differs from them by having an appliance plug (e.g. for a phonograph), not having a decal saying "designed for Television attachment", which is simply the phono jack, and by not having a tuning eye, which was reserved for the sister model A-2, a console radio, also in the museum. Other details too differ, like the speaker grille, the station push-buttons and the rectifier tube (5Y4 vs. 5Y3). The above models all feature a unique automatic tuning mechanism (pict.23), which is extremely easy to manipulate since it does not require to inconveniently from the back reach into the cabinet, does not require any tool, nor to remove any shields or alike (see techies).
Additional information:
ref.1: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rca_victor_a1.html
ref.2: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rca_victor_a2.html
About my radio:
The cabinet has only a few tiny marks to its finish, not warranting refinishing and thus destroying the original decals (pict.13). The four bakelite knobs are original to this radio and have a very unique shape (pict.26). The six station buttons are from bakelite too, and are round, different from the US models, which have buttons with a rectangular shape. I was unable to find out, how automatic tuning, as desribed under techies works with those buttons. Two of the tuning tapes were broken and one more almost, all three have been restored (pict.s 20-22). The radio's chassis is in very good condition and was thoroughly cleaned and electronically serviced. It works with excellent sensitivity, selectivity and volume. Please
e-mail
me (Kris) for any questions, ich spreche Deutsch, je parle Français.
For the techies only:
Here's how the automatic tuning works (pict.23): dial a station, loosen one of the six push-button screws (turning it left), push it totally in, let it come back (by spring action), and fasten it (turning it right) again - and you are set. When pushing, a little tape fixed at opposite ends to two shafts with rivets, tightens around the two shafts, the right one being the shaft of the tuning condensor (set to the wanted station), and the left one a dummy shaft, that rotates freely as long as the screw is not fastened. By pushing the button fully in the angular setting of the tuning shaft is thus copied to the dummy shaft, and then fixed there by fastening the screw again. This was the "set" action. Retrieving a station by again pushing the button fully in, now copies the dummy's fixed angular position back to the tuning shaft. Brilliant!
Here are the specifications:
| Technical Description of Item |
| Manufacturer |
RCA Victor Co. Ltd., Montreal, Canada |
| Model |
A-1 |
| Type |
5-tube SW tabletop radio |
| Production Year |
1939 |
| Serial Number |
0329 |
| Cabinet |
Three-tone wood |
| Dials and knobs |
Reverse painted glass w. edge lighting, 4 bakelite knobs, 6 push-buttons |
| Frequency Range |
AM 540-1720 kc (incl. Police), SW 5.8 - 21 Mc |
| Controls |
On/off - volume, 2 - point tone control, band selector, tuning |
| Tube line-up |
5Y4G (Rect.), 6SA7 (RF), 6SK7 (IF), 6SQ7 (Det.), 6F6G (Audio) |
| Size (WxDxH) |
15 " x 7½ " (incl. knobs) x 9 " |
| Weight |
17 lbs, 7.9 kg |
| Comment |
Rare Canadian radio with switchable phono input, perfectly working |
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