DuMont RA-106 Club 20

[ChrisW6ATV]

That is a great acquisition and fascinating story, Tom. I look forward to your restoration notes. Now, I would think that you have a big question on your hands: Move the 20BP4 to your RA-101 (and move that CRT to the '106), or keep it in this set?

[Phil Nelson]

Wow, what a treasure -- with an interesting backstory, to boot.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

[Tom Albrecht]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

Now, I would think that you have a big question on your hands: Move the 20BP4 to your RA-101 (and move that CRT to the '106), or keep it in this set?

First, I'll think I'll restore the Club 20 with the 20BP4 in it. After a little time to enjoy it, I'll probably transfer the 20BP4 to the Westminster, and put the 19DP4 sub into the Club 20. It's hard to say which set is more rare -- I'm only aware of 1 other Club 20 out there. There are 2 or 3 other Westminsters, but the Westminster is a more elaborate and interesting set, so I'll give it the edge on overall value and being deserving of the 20BP4.

The Westminster has a much higher CRT anode voltage (18 kV or something like that). That actually exceeds the spec of the 19DP4 in there now. Also, the raster is too small on the 19DP4 in the Westminster. Lowering the anode voltage might not completely solve the problem, since there is some neck shadowing. Looks like the yoke was designed for the 54 degree deflection angle of the 20BP4, and won't work correctly for the 66 degree angle of the 19DP4.

The Club 20 appears to have a lower anode voltage (there is a tag inside that says "Danger 12,000 volts") and that might work better with the 19DP4. I may still have the yoke neck shadow problem, and if so, perhaps I'll try swapping in a different yoke in the Club 20. The Club 20 will be generally easier to work on, since the rear end of the CRT is much more accessible in the Club 20 than the Westminster, with its CRT tilt mechanism.

Progress today on the Club 20: My time was very limited, but I was able to take apart, clean, and reassemble the various gears and linkages in the Inductuner assembly. It was frozen solid. The problem was not in the tuner itself, but in the bearings for the main dial shaft. Turns well now, and I also gave the Inductuner a good shot of De-Oxit, which generally seems to be necessary on these.

I also confirmed that the little chip of plastic I found in the cabinet is definitely part of a dial, and not the one in there now, since it has no chips out of it. So I think the dial was replaced at some point, which might explain the absence of Channel 1 on the dial. (Or is this set a little newer than the 1946-47 purchase date the family cites?) Maybe someone with a Manchu (should have the same dial) can comment as to whether Channel 1 is shown on the Manchu's dial.

[bigaudioal]

The dial on that is the same as the dial on my RA-108 Mansfield. The colors on yours are still OUTSTANDING. My colors have faded. My RA-108 is from 1949. Original ad for the Club 20 located at below link if you scroll down. Hard to tell exactly what dial is on it, but sure looks "busy" like the RA-108 dial and the one you have pictured above:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/dumont_postwar_ads.html