HEH! just revived a RCA AR-77

[markus]

I'll try and take some pictures later, buuuuuuuuuuuut:

so a couple months ago I scored this RCA AR-77, a pair of Pioneer CS-88 woofers, and a pair of HUGE 850CT Power Transformers from a guy at the MIT Radio Swap Meet (3rd Sunday of every month during Spring - Fall )

Today I FINALLY got around to bringing the AR-77 up from the depths of the basement to test it, and see if I could make it go. I had scored the Sams Folder online a whiler ago, so I printed that out for reference. All the crazy controls on the front kinda baffled me Plugged it in, wired an antenna, and a speaker, and brought it up slow on the variac.

All the tubes were lighting happily, but no sound . . more importantly, no HUM, so I knew the Power Supply caps were good to go

Started pulling tubes, and testing. Turns out, half the tubes were very weak, or TOAST, sooooo.. . back to the basement I go Pulled a good 6H6 from an old tube Voltmeter - pulled a good 6F6GT from a Sparton radio Chassis. Had a box of mixed used / NIB metal tubes, and snagged a NIB 6SJ7. Rectifier tube 'shoulda' been a 5Z4, but there was a 5U4 in its place. grabbed a NIB GE 5Y3GT, since ratings are the same (thank you TDSL )

WOO HOO ! !! WE HAVE SOUND !

AM is coming in great, and pulled a couple SW channels in . . . try again tonight when reception is better.

ANOTHER RADIO BACK FROM THE DEAD, AND CERTAIN DUMPSTER DEATH!