Hi All,

Went by my Elmer's (mentor) to borrow a small B&W tv from his junk to use as a tester for my RF modulator. I was not surprised when he said that he wouldn't lend one but I could take every TV he had back there as long as they never came back.

So, I picked up these four little B&W tv's. My plan is to pick one and get rid of the rest. Not being a TV collector (and never having even played one on TV!) I have no idea if these are of any interest to anyone. I really, really doubt it but I just thought I'd check.

They all work, to some degree. I can tell that my modulator isn't doing well, as they all show the same problem from the modulator and then of course their own issues on top. The only one that has any appeal to me is the Airliner. The one that might be the most practical to keep for a tester is the solid state RCA portable, although being 12VDC only is a bit of a pain. Any recommendations for the best to use as a tester?

Anyway, if these hold any interest to anyone they are free to a good home, cost of shipping only. Of course, you could come and pick it up, but I live 5 miles outside of Albion, CA, population 399. Otherwise I'll snag some parts from them and sadly send them on their way.

Jonathan

Neat, the Little white RCA is an AC/DC set, the black part on the bottom is a battery pack, dead by now of course.

What is the green looking one in the center?

It's an Airline by Ward. As in Montgomery Ward, I believe. It's the one that has at least a somewhat cool look.

I like the middle ones best, and might even spring for the shipping on them. Are the middle ones tube, hybrid or SS...The Zenith on top looks like a 4 tube hybrid I bought and quickly was offered/accepted an attractive trade in exchange for on Satruday at the ETF.

Tom, I bought a blonder tongue AM60550A on that auction site today. So I should have it next week. I'll try to get the ACDC set working for a tester and if that don't work the one on the left. All I need is a tester rig of some sort. At a guess the top one might be a hybrid and the bottom one all tube. I can pull the back covers off and check if you like. If you want 'em and I can get one of the other two to work as a tester they are yours.

I like the middle ones best, and might even spring for the shipping on them. Are the middle ones tube, hybrid or SS...The Zenith on top looks like a 4 tube hybrid I bought and quickly was offered/accepted an attractive trade in exchange for on Satruday at the ETF.
You received some more desirable sets.
At least, they aren't the last of the rubbish, Chinese B&W sets.
When I saw the RCA set, I knew it was a AC & battery design. Those sets are great performers.
When I saw the Zenith, I was thinking about the hybrid. Interesting set, to be sure. :scratch2:

Zenith is a hybrid
Wards I am 99% sure is Sharp built all tube.
Set on left is some unknown cheapo.
RCA is best of lot followed by the Zenith.

73 Zeno:smoke:
LFOD !

Set on the left is labeled Magnavox.

Zenith is a hybrid
Wards I am 99% sure is Sharp built all tube.
Set on left is some unknown cheapo.
RCA is best of lot followed by the Zenith.

73 Zeno:smoke:
LFOD !

The Magnavox was built at a time when even the "el cheapos" were good el cheapos.
The RCA can also run on 120 VAC, but it uses the odd round female connector that only RCA seemed to use.
Maybe the donor still has the AC cord, as they're not that common.

I like the Zenith. Yes the RCA is better as a TV but the Zenith is more interesting

The new modulator arrived and the little RCA works fine. Looking at the cord it has four pins but only two wires. The cord had a cigarette plug on the end. Do I need a different cord for AC operation? Works fine on 12VDC but AC would be more convenient. I can open it up and figure it out if no-one knows off hand.

So, the others are up for grabs. Tom gets the first refusal as he expressed interest already. I am in area code 95410 and these are free to a good home, shipping only.

Jonathan

The new modulator arrived and the little RCA works fine. Looking at the cord it has four pins but only two wires. The cord had a cigarette plug on the end. Do I need a different cord for AC operation? Works fine on 12VDC but AC would be more convenient. I can open it up and figure it out if no-one knows off hand.

So, the others are up for grabs. Tom gets the first refusal as he expressed interest already. I am in area code 95410 and these are free to a good home, shipping only.

Jonathan

If you look at the DC cord, see what holes have contacts and just use the opposite two. :scratch2:

Can you quote me shipping on the middle 2 sets to 53072?

On the RCA 2 of the 4 pins of it's power cord should for 120VAC the other 2 for 12VDC. I had a RCA made JCpenny TVclockRadio that used that round connector (and only had the car cord like yours). To run it off AC I used an ohm meter to check which pins of the set end of the cord connected to the lighter end (EDIT dieseljeep touched on another good method I've used while I was writing this post) and then made a lamp cord with rubber sheathed alligator clips on one end...I connected those clips to the pins on the back of the set that were not 12V pins (known based on the car cord pin-out test).
Another option (assuming the 120V cord is unobtainium) would be to get/make a 120VAC to 12VDC supply...There are off the shelf ones that have a lighter socket on them, or you could find one that supplies as much or more current than the set is rated for, get a lighter socket extension cord and rob the socket off it to connect to the supplies output (so as to avoid cutting the lighter end off the original cord)...Remember with lighter sockets on 12V cars the center tip is positive.

Yeah, still gonna pull the back and take a peek. Just to be sure and see if there is anything obviously amiss. It's only going to get used very occasionally for testing.

Tom. you must have posted while I was typing. Never shipped a TV, so to get an approximate shipping cost I just weigh it and go to ups/usps and get a quote I'm guessing. I'll try to get that done in the next few days and let you know.

I'll look for the cord where I got the set and see if it happens to be laying around. If not I'll fudge one up like you said.

Well, I went and estimated shipping based on a 18X18X18 box and 10 pounds. Yikes! UPS wants $75 and USPS wants $55. I haven't actually weighed or measured anything.

Yeah, still gonna pull the back and take a peek. Just to be sure and see if there is anything obviously amiss. It's only going to get used very occasionally for testing.

According to my JCPenney set, RCA built, same cord, the top two pins are for 120VAC. I looks like a regular non-polarized TV interlock cord with fit, I tried it. You might have to shave it down a bit. Another approach, would be a figure eight power cord from a defunct notebook power supply.
Your set should have a black toggle, it should be in the extreme up position.

Tom. you must have posted while I was typing. Never shipped a TV, so to get an approximate shipping cost I just weigh it and go to ups/usps and get a quote I'm guessing. I'll try to get that done in the next few days and let you know.

I'll look for the cord where I got the set and see if it happens to be laying around. If not I'll fudge one up like you said.

Pretty much. It is also a good idea to know about how big the box(es) will be since there is a thing called 'dimensional weight' that shippers like to charge on large-ish boxes. The few times I've sent things by mail I've packed them as good as I've felt necessary to survive being drop-kicked by the automated sorting machines, and then brought them to the post office for a quote (if buyer likes it I ship, if buyer passes I unpack). I'm in no hurry to get them (if shipping cost don't scare me off :D ) so ask for the cheapest option no matter how slow it is. Tracking is nice to have on packages if available.

Good luck on the cord quest.

Tom, I dunno if you saw my post above, using a 18"X18"X18" box and guessing 10 pounds, $75 UPS and $55 USPS. Scary enough for ya? :-) I'm sure that is light on the weight too.

Tom, I dunno if you saw my post above, using a 18"X18"X18" box and guessing 10 pounds, $75 UPS and $55 USPS. Scary enough for ya? :-) I'm sure that is light on the weight too.

I just saw it now (blasted page rollover). Is that box going to safely fit both sets at once? If so I'm good with $55 USPS for getting both here (it'd probably cost me about that much for the pair at a swapmeet). 75, is a bit too scary...:D

Well, I figured an 18"X18"X18" box would fit one with enough room for packing to at least give it a chance of arriving intact. So that would be one and I think it may weigh more than 10 pounds.

Are there alternatives like Greyhound? I can get it as far as the SF Bay Area in the not too distant future. Because it looks like they aren't worth the cost of shipping. :-(

Greyhound is a good possibility. Don't tell them it is a TV since they stopped shipping TVs due to excessive claims on fragile flat panel sets. The Milwaukee Grayhound terminal is not hard for me to get to.

I'll look into Greyhound shipping. Nearest station for me is in the Bay Area, three hour drive. I should be going down there in the next couple of months.

Ok, please let me know how it goes.

Tom, Greyhound quotes $37 for one set. A little better anyway.