GLF Model 390
 

HI, I just purchased what appears to be a rare Grange League Federation (GLF) model 390 AM/SW radio (1948) and I'm looking for a schematic. There's very little info about any of these radios on the web as they were only sold to GLF members in up state NY back in the 40's-50's. I believe they were manufactured by North American Philips (NORELCO) for GLF and sold as OEM with the GLF emblem on the front. These radios have additional tube circuitry to make them more sensitive as the GLF radio station network transmitters were very low power. Anyone know where I can get/buy a schematic?

Cool! I have not heard of GLF before... what a neat piece of radio history. This Wiki article tells of an early network of FM stations... does the radio that you found have FM as well?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Radio_Network

Scott Fybush tracked down the sites and wrote this in 2002:

http://www.fybush.com/site-020116.html

jr

Some pictures of the radio I'm trying to locate a schematic of.

http://www.videokarma.org/picture.ph...pictureid=3035

http://www.videokarma.org/picture.ph...pictureid=3034

http://www.videokarma.org/picture.ph...pictureid=3033

That's not your ordinary table set. Eye tube, big honkin' speaker, maybe 8"? Chunky transformer: wonder if it's good for 25 cycle current? There was some of that in NY state. If it's good for 25, 60 cycle is a breeze for it, won't even get a little fever. Is that veneer or some sort of "airplane cloth" or other type of covering?

Dang, that's a pretty radio. I'm loving the two-tone finish. Good luck finding a schematic for it.

You see anything that resembles a model or serial number? Need that for starters...

I'm in love...

Oops, I do notice you mentioned the model number but it is sure a pretty radio! Something's got to show up for it somewhere!

It does have an uncanny similarity to these two Philips radios shown in Wouter's Antique Radio Collection:

Philips 789X
http://www.antiekeradio.nl/radiopages/philips_789x.html

Philips BN572A
http://www.antiekeradio.nl/radiopage...ps_bn572a.html


It has five bands, AM and 4 SW from 1.7MHz through 22MHz. But it uses an all North American tube line up with more sensitivity than the AA5. I don't have a schematic but I've messed around enough with old radios that from what I can tell from looking under the chassis and based on the tube lineup/physical location:
6SA7 - converter
6SG7 - 1st IF amp
6SG7 - 2nd IF amp
6SQ7 - detector and first audio amp
6SQ7 - phase inverter for audio finals
6V6 (2 each) - push-pull audio final amp and with that big speaker, great sounding
5Y3G - dual diode power supply rectifier
6U5 - electronic tuning eye

In the tube layout pictorial on the back it does say G.L.F 390, 110V, 90W.
The emblem on the front lower center are the letters GLF.

Two IF stages and push-pull output: wow! Yank in peanutwhistle signals from the boonies and blast you out with them!