RCA, CTC-10A, Metal Cabinet Roundie Color
 

I’ve paused (for now:), after getting this RCA, CTC-10A basically working, this week. It is model: 211CB822, "The Sullivan" in a metal, gloss black lacquered cabinet. I won this set in the Silent Auction at the May 2015 Early Television Museum Convention Meet. BTW, for any of you that have yet to attend your first time there, if you have the chance, you’ll really have a great time! This set has provision for screw-on legs, which I believe were gold-colored, metal. The legs are missing on this set. I plan to fabricate some legs, eventually, unless someone has a set of legs they don’t want! These pictures were taken with the set sitting on my lift table cart, just after re-assembly. I am pleased to have it working, albeit basically, at this point. The CRT (21CYP22A, originally), was replaced with an RCA HI-LITE, 21FBP/GUP22A, and 2nd. Anode Conversion kit, at some point in its life, as the date code on the replacement tube is '68. This (replacement) CRT, tests quite well, not as new, but certainly usable. I still have to do some work on the focus circuit, the poor focus is a little better than these pictures show, but it had the same soft focus on my Sylvania CK-3000 Test Rig, which normally focuses well. More to follow, later, after I buy the proper resistors for the focus circuit, and a NOS 1V2. To get this set working to this point, all electrolytic capacitors were replaced, and then the Horiz. Osc. / AFC board needed some new capacitors, and a few drifted value resistors changed, in order to get proper horiz. osc. drive to the 6DQ5 HOT. Next, came some caps and a few resistors in the Vertical osc. and output (6EM7) section. I think the vertical could still be a touch better, but it’s way better than when I started. The original 3.58 color osc. crystal that looks like a 9-pin miniature tube, is still working and stable, so far. I have recently worked on a couple sets that were 8 or 9 years newer than this RCA, that had a bad 3.58 crystal. This TV was manufactured (at least a couple chassis parts were) in March of 1960, just a short time before I was born in June of 1960! So I really wanted to get this set going, since it was new when I was a baby. I also really like the shiny black original cabinet with, (it’s few nicks, scratches, etc.,.. hey…it’s “patina”). More to the story later on , as with most old sets, they are a “work in progress” as time and resources permit. I hope you enjoy the little photo tour!

Great looking set Dave. Maybe the focus issue is that focus voltage is not in proper proportion to the HV.

I'm a bit partial to the 1963-64 color sets (and console stereos) for the same reason:)

amazed at the color these sets display.reds that are actually red!

Very, very nice! I've always loved these late 50's early 60's "metal-cabinet" color sets. The Sullivan especially.

I had to put quotes around "metal-cabinet" because it kept linking it to an advertisement.

Looks really good ! !

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I have a CTC10. HV is very important to good sharp focus. Also B+. I recapped mine and everything snapped up great.

I have one of those.. Except mines a CTC11A

I stand in utter AWE, & amazement at what you guys who can WORK on these Bad Boyz can accomplish.... Nothing short of WIZARDRY..

Looks great! Good work my friend!!! :)

I got one of those too ~ But mine is a Zenith 20CC50 !
It has really great color ! Better than a ct-100 ! !

:)

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Thanks, guys! I really like the "red" looking reds, in these RCA HI-LITE CRT's, also. My CTC-11, and my Philco (CTC-12A), all make wonderful red and other colors. This one will be even better, when I get the focus sorted out, and working like it should. My HV is easily adjustable, and there's plenty, all the way to slightly over 25KV, if I want! I have it set at about 24KV, and focus is about the same, wherever it's set. I'm taking a break on this set, until I can get a few more parts:). It's just exciting to me, to have it at this point, for now.

Good luck getting your Sullivan working good. I hope to have an early 60's "metal-cabinet" color set someday.

I had a CTC-11H in that black-'n-gold cabinet. A real looker, but I eventually sold it to another collector.

To my untrained eye, the reds in my CTC-11s are more of a cherry red than some other sets. But when I happened to photograph that CTC-11H with a modern plasma set in the background, I was surprised at how similar the colors looked.

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

http://antiqueradio.org/art/RCACTC-11AFinal.jpg

I wish you could have sold me the CTC-11H. I've stumbled across that set many times in my searching.

An update to my post of last week! Over the weekend, I decided to revisit the focus issue, before ordering any parts. I discovered something I have seen before, on a few other sets, but overlooked on this one. The focus pin inside the connector that plugs onto the CRT, was so badly corroded, the focus lead wire was only attached by a couple strands. I replaced the focus pin, that helped, then it was a matter of resetting the HV, and a focus coil readjustment. Now, the focus is very close to normal, so much clearer than the previous pictures, and better than these pictures reveal!