Get it to run! If it has been sitting for years, start it up with an old fashioned light-bulb in series.

In series with what? I'll post photos later.

In series with the mains input. The old incandescent light bulb acts as a current limiter, preventing major damages in case some tube shorts internally, or some cap is leaking/shorting.

vstrakh wrote on 2023-12-05, 17:48:

In series with the mains input. The old incandescent light bulb acts as a current limiter, preventing major damages in case some tube shorts internally, or some cap is leaking/shorting.

+1

I second that, it's a classic tip! 🙂👍

Edit: It has to be a real incandescent bulb, of course, as mentioned.
A modern substitute won't do it. Just saying.

I have one. It's great for listening to old time radio.

I was kind of hoping I'd pick up some rap and funkadelic stuff.

I have a large collection (about 180) of old radios. They mostly just work on the AM band, and some have shortwave as well.

AM would be fine actually. FM would be interesting. I probably wouldn't be able to get my favorite philadelphia station regardless. I barely listen to fm, but it would be nice.

Mine has a phone plug, which I use with a little Bluetooth adapter to send audio to it from my phone. Works great and I don't have to listen to commercials. I looked into AM transmitters and there weren't many options, at least for a reasonable price.

I'm more into non-broadcast radios..
Those with SSB reception are interesting.
Like the Trio/Kenwood 9R59.

Many AM shortwave radios with an 455 KHz intermediate frequency (IF) can be retrofitted with a BFO unit, a beat frequency oscillator.
That allows reception for telegraphy and SSB.

Tapping the IF also makes it possible to decode signals on a PC or tablet PC, by interfacing an SDR dongle and matching software (see RTL2832 chip).

What's also possible: Listening to 27 MHz CB radio.
There are CB converters which down convert that band to Medium Wave band (aka "AM band" to US people).

Of course, receiving SSB signals requires a suitable radio.
FM signals on the other hand, can be demodulated by any AM radio, if slope detection is being used.
To do so, the operator must detune the reception a bit (a bit to the right or left).

That trick was often used by CB oldtimers back in the day (here in EU) when FM was new.
That worked, because the higher end AM CB radios had a "fine tune" knob.

Edit: The converter..: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGBU43HFp8U
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/monacor_cb_conv … ter_cb_705.html

Ok thanks. I can't even find the radio all of a sudden!

I've done quite a few of them. Would be happy to provide tips.