Vintage Radio

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ASSOCIATIONS & CLUBS

Antique Wireless Association HQ (Rochester, NY)

Ottawa Vintage Radio Club - many interesting links about radio

Southeastern Antique Radio Society (Atlanta GA area)

Carolinas Chapter Antique Wireless Assn (Charlotte NC area)

 

BROADCASTS – VINTAGE PROGRAMS

Old time radio shows (The Shadow, Lone Ranger etc.) - online archive

Old Time Radio Downloads - a huge free collection of vintage radio programs

 

CATALOGS

Montgomery Ward 1922 catalog of radios and radio parts

 

CRYSTAL RADIOS

Crystal radios - an explanation of how they work

Gorgeous handmade reproduction crystal radios - Geoff Roberts (UK)

Fascinating interview with Geoff Roberts from SWLing.com

Make your own crystal radio - more than 75 projects with plans

 

FORUMS

Antique Radio Forum - roaring twenties superhet forum (Q & A)

Antique Radios - useful forum for getting expert advice from others

 

FOR SALE RADIOS

Radio Attic - site for buying and selling vintage radios

 

HISTORY

Secret Life of Machines - Excellent video on radio wave discovery and development

Radio - The First 50 Years (published in 1938 by Radio-Craft magazine)

Interesting online collection of vintage print advertisements for radios and TVs

How to use the incredible Antique Radios web site

Fascinating research on Appalachians and the golden age of radio

The excitement of early radio

Car radios - the interesting story of their early development

Broadcasting's History - an interesting recap from the 1920s to today

The subminiature vacuum tube - a vital strategic weapon during World War II

Video bio of Edwin Armstrong - inventor of regen, superhet and FM radio circuitry

1941 video by RCA on how vacuum tubes work and how they are made

Telecommunications Timeline - how we've communicated since 6 BC

New York's interesting history of radio and TV broadcasting

The Perham Collection - early radio developments in Silicon Valley CA

Acme Radio's interesting 1920s pamphlet on preventing audio distortion

 

MUSEUMS & COLLECTIONS

Antique Wireless Association Museum

Voice of American Museum - Gray History of Wireless Collection (phenomenal!)

The Roaring Twenties Antique Radio Museum - an amazing collection!

Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut

The Classic Radio Gallery - another extensive collection of vintage radios

Tube Radioland - yet another collection of vintage radios

Early Television Foundation and Museum - great source of technical information

Roaring Twenties Superhets - awesome collection of early superheterodyne gear

Another huge private collection of restored antique radios

Museum of Radio and Technology (West Virginia)

The Birmingham Black Radio History Museum (Alabama)

Antique Radio Classified list of clubs and museums

Spark Museum of Electrical invention (Bellingham, WA)

The National Capital Radio and Television Museum

Radio Museum - online museum of vintage radios (photos, schematics)

 

PARTS FOR RESTORATION WORK

Extensive directory of parts suppliers, manuals, schematics etc.

Replacement tuning drive belts for vintage radios

Renovated Radios LLC - new replacement knobs and many other parts

Radio Daze - vintage radio restoration parts

Reproduction plastic dial covers for vintage radios

Reproduction grille cloth (speaker covers)

Old Radio Parts - another useful source for restoration parts

Just Radios - antique radio & TV electronics parts including high voltage capacitors

Renovated Radios - offers many unique radio restoration parts

Radio Belts - sells replacement drive belts for vintage radio tuning mechanisms

Source for square copper jewelry wire similar to 1920s radio buss wire

Voice of Music - vintage phonograph parts (styli, drive belts, idler pulleys)

Retro Radio Repair - great source for repro plastic dial covers

 

PERIODICALS

Electric Radio Magazine - for folks who use vintage radios

American Radio History - PDFs of radio mags from the 1920s forward

Radio News - a particularly interesting 1920s radio monthly periodical

Antique Wireless Association Journal

 

REPAIRMEN

Golden Radio Repair - vintage radio repair (free estimates)

 

RESTORATION OF VINNTAGE RADIOS

California Historical Radio Society - links to all available online articles

California Historical Radio Society - searchable index of online articles (PDF)

California Historical Radio Society - 20th anniversary "hints and kinks" issue (PDF)

DYI intro article (part one) on how to bring an antique radio back to life

  Part Two of article on bringing an antique radio back to life

Restoring old radios - a beginner's guide covering many useful topics

Radio plastics explained (Bakelite, Catalin, Plaskon etc)

A private collector's detailed restoration notes on dozens of antique radios.

NCStereoMan - a vintage electronics repair technician in Asheville

Tuned Radio Frequency (TRF) radios - an introduction (see page 4)

Philco Repair Bench - useful service tips on repairing specific Philco radios

Philco Catalogs - useful for determining values (e. g., mfd) based on part numbers

Magic Eye (tuning aid) troubleshooting suggestions

Magic Eye voltage doubler suggestions for supplying higher voltage to weak tubes

Simple method for determining the outside foil end of a modern capacitor (and why)

Tutorial on re-stuffing an old paper capacitor with a new modern capacitor (and why)

Tutorial on replacing electrolyic and paper capacitors in an old radio (andy why)

Safely powering up an old radio for testing (without destroying it!)

Restoring a vintage superhet radio parts one & two (Nuts & Volts Mag.)

Bakelite vs. Catalin - telling which is which

Choosing the right speaker to use with a 1920s radio

Building a loop antenna to use with a 1920s radio - detailed plans

Atwater Kent radios - values of parts used 1924 - 1932

User manual for a 1920s TRF radio (Stromberg Carlson 1-A)

Nostalgia Air - huge collection of vintage radio schematics

Boat Anchor Manual Archive - manuals for vintage ham and other radios

Ryder Service Manual archive - trouble shooting manuals 1930 - 1952

Interesting 1920's User Manual for Stromberg Carlson radio

Shipping a vintage radio - how to pack to avoid damage in transit

 

TELEGRAPHY

All about the telegraph and deciphering Morse Code

Learn Morse Code online - the Long Island CW Club

 

TRAINING PROGRAMS

1946 Introduction to Radio Equipment (Navy Training Course) - good intro guide

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