Scored a CTC-86

[TUD1]

Here are some of the other sets. Might also grab the System 3.

[Jeffhs]

Looks as if the channel selector knob on the RCA console is wrong for that model; may be a replacement for a missing one. It is very difficult from this distance to tell what TV the knob presently on the tuner is from, and I don't want to guess.

BTW, it seems you will be in pretty much the same situation an VK member bandersen, in Chicago, is in at this time. I don't envy you having to take all the TVs in your collection to Wisconsin when you move there this summer. The cost of renting two or more moving vans, one for your furniture, etc. and the other(s) for the TVs, could be and probably will be sky-high, especially considering the distance you will be driving. However, since you have mentioned having another house to store your TVs in until you can sort things out, that may not be a problem for you.

Also, the weather in Wisconsin will be much, much different from what you are used to in Birmingham. As you no doubt know, Wisconsin is one of the Great Lakes states and gets very cold winters, not to mention lots of snow. The winters are very long in that part of the country as well. I live in northeastern Ohio (another Great Lakes state) and get a lot of snow in winter, but from what I understand, Wisconsin gets a heck of a lot more.

The Great Lakes region is probably one of the snowiest regions of the US aside from Buffalo and Syracuse, New York or Minneapolis, Minnesota. There was a blizzard here in northeastern Ohio in the winter of 1978 that darn nearly paralyzed the area for several days. I was 22 years old and living in an eastern Cleveland suburb at the time, and remember getting at least a foot of snow in front of my garage during the worst of it; my next-door neighbor had snow halfway up the side door of her house as well.

I don't mean to scare you with all this talk about snow in the Great Lakes region. I don't know how familiar you are with that area of the US, although I think you may have been to Wisconsin more than once already, since you mentioned your dad has relatives there. I am only trying to make a point: Visiting there is one thing, but pulling up stakes and moving there is another matter altogether.

Because you will be moving there from Alabama, it will take you quite a while to get used to the Great Lakes area's weather, which as I stated is much different from that of the Birmingham area. Since you have stated in some of your recent posts here, however, that you like cold weather and apparently want to leave Alabama for good, the GL region's very cold winters probably won't bother you a bit.

Anyway, I wish you good luck when you make your move, and hope everything works out for you. Again, coming to Wisconsin from Alabama will take some getting used to, but I think you will be just fine.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

Looks as if the channel selector knob on the RCA console is wrong for that model; may be a replacement for a missing one.

Looks just like the knob RCA intended - the set/knob on the cover of the RCA service manual looks just like Dave's.

Originally Posted by Zenith26kc20

The vertical on the 86 is usually caused by bad 220K resistors on the vertical module. Change all of them. That set can produce an incredible picture when working right. We rarely saw those in here. If we did, it was vertical and tuner.

+1 for any set using the MDG module. There is also an axial cap, 22uF, that hangs off one of the supplies that will also cause some serious vertical issues, but always start with the 220K 1/2w resistors. The CTC85 and up sets were the first RCAs we sold new - and the modules at first gave everyone fits. RCA paid warranty only to the module level, but was short on modules, and so we had to troubleshoot the modules, unpaid, to keep some customers happy. Once you got the bugs out, those sets stayed gone for good, save for a lightning strike, or a "hot" Oak cable box that would eat the tuners. Cox had some fault cable boxes with upwards of 60VAC on the shield of the f-fitting. We saw only a couple, but scary....

[EdKozk2]

Originally Posted by TUD1

Here are some of the other sets. Might also grab the System 3.

Dave,
Did you grab the large white Zenith Portable 25 inch set ? We have a black one from 1988 that my son uses daily to play video games on. I got from a man who dropped it on the floor, but it still works. Got the set 22 yrs ago.
Ed