Atwater-Kent Model 30...

[Fran604g]

for $5 at an auction across the street from my house. It's in pretty rough shape, but, all the parts are there except one tube, HOWEVER, after looking for info, I discovered that the tube lineup isn't right.

It's supposed to have six 201A's.

What I have is one Philco 80, one RCA Radiotron UX-201A, Super Silvertone 01A, 1 Philco 26, 1 RCA Radiotron 71A.

The unit is far from mint, but who knows...maybe someday...

[Reece]

The UX-201A and Silvertone 01A will work in this set if they're OK, and I believe you can use the 71A for the audio output tube. Just run a continuity test with your ohmmeter on the large pins of the tube and if there's continuity, the tubes are probably good.

I've got one like this, in my "to do" area, had for several years and haven't touched it yet. In much better shape than yours. But I paid $40 for it! It has a complete set of Sylvanias in it all with paper stickers, globe type tubes, look original.

The single knob tuning in these sets required that they gang three tuning condensors together with a metal band. In some of these sets, the condensor pulleys were pot metal and expanded and then crumbled away, breaking the band. Some later sets had brass pulleys. I drew up plans somewhere for making new pulleys and there are plans on the web. Also, there are pulleys for sale out there; I think Antique Radio Supply had them, not sure, but they were pricey. When I ever get around to fixing this set I will probably make my own somehow. These sets are pretty simple and it's mostly mechanical problems, bad connections, open transformers, corrosion down through the eons, etc.

Have fun with it.

Reece

[Sandy G]

But when you DO get it goin', & you hear yr 1st station thru the phones, its a thrill unlike any other...

[Fran604g]

Thanks Reece,
I can't wait till I have time to dissect it, and see how everything works. If nothing else, I'm excited about the learning adventure.

Sandy, I hear ya, when I was a kid, I loved messin' around with the "old" stuff my Dad had lying around, and the Hallicrafters S-53A was used a lot at night with the phones when I was sposed to be sleeping. I think I still have them up in the attic. Gotta dig'em out and come up with an antenna.

[Reece]

This radio has oomph enough to run a speaker. For the era it oughta be a horn or later type '20's speaker, but you can use a modern PM speaker for testing if you use an output transformer with the speaker. The modern speaker will sound better anyway.

Reece

[Fran604g]

Originally Posted by Reece

This radio has oomph enough to run a speaker. For the era it oughta be a horn or later type '20's speaker, but you can use a modern PM speaker for testing if you use an output transformer with the speaker. The modern speaker will sound better anyway.

Reece

I saw a couple examples and read somewhere that the E2 was the speaker that went with the unit.

[edison64]

I used to have many AKs back in the day, but have sold most off, the AK 35 had a bad habbit of those warped and cracked pulleys, i used to use 5 min epoxy to flood the backs, then the fronts. not pretty, but it works. as for the copper boryilium? hope thats spelled right, they can be soldered, and a small spring attached,to put some slight tension on them. be verry careful if you drill or bend them, THEY ARE BTITTLE! as for the small pins that fit into the belt and pulleys, that stock can be found at most home centers, as for aligning the set simply open or close all the vari caps the same, thease are simple trf sets. as for the 71a, use it if you have a horn, the 01as will work better with phones, like the man said, when you hear the set for the first time, you will be amased. good luck, keep us informed.

[Fran604g]

Thanks, Edison64, for the advice. A friend of mine has a bunch of the 201A's so when I get to the point of firing the AK up, I'll be using all those. He also has an A,B,C, power supply, so that'll make things a little easier, too.