Hello from NC
 

Great forum here!

I've been a long time lurker, I think I first found the forum back in '08 and I've really enjoyed the wealth of information here.

I first got interested in old TVs when I was a kid back around 1980, any set full of tubes was for me. I collected a few rather common nonworking sets and I was very interested in learning how they worked but other than changing tubes and replacing fuses I didn't know how to fix them. I got absolutely no support from friends or family, it was always "Your going to electrocute your self kid!" or "Those TVs aren't worth fixing" or "Those old vacuum tube TVs weren't any good when they were new, save your money and buy a nice modern set." Discouraged with the old TVs I got into tube radios and I've really enjoyed working on and listing to them over the years, I have a few 1920's and early 30's radios and a National NC200 and Hammarlund HQ 129X communications receivers, but the love of early TVs has never left.

I would like to have a DuMont or Stromburg-Carlson or a early RCA, but what I have is a 1955 21" Bendix and a pair of '58 and '59 14" RCA portables that I'm working on now. The Bendix is a typical boring 21" set but it's been a great training ground, straight forward and easy to work on, it's the first nonworking TV I was able to fix, yeah it has a few bugs I need to go back and fix but I've put it in my bedroom and I'm enjoying the heck out of it watching 50's TV shows and movies every night!

I've got to give out a big thanks to this forum for getting me interested in vintage TV again!
Mark H

Welcome ! Nice t'have ya ! Where in NC ?

Thanks for the welcome. Just for fun I usually tell every one I live in the Badlands...sounds kind of tough! I'm really in Weaverville which is just north of Asheville, NC. Early TVs are hard to find around here.

Also in Asheville. We should meet sometime. I'm out your way alot. I have friends up in Madison County.

I've got an old DuMont.

Bruce

Right over the Big Hill from you in NE Tennessee. Asheville's about 2 hours away on I-26. My wife absolutely LOVES Biltmore...

Hi Bruce, I saw your avatar and read some of your post about your DuMont, great looking set! I was looking around locally for one but I read a post you made sometime ago saying there were no DuMont dealers in Asheville but Dunham’s could special order them. I'd be surprised if any were ever sold around here, looks like I need to hit the highway if I ever bring home a DuMont.

Yeah Sandy were just a mountain and a rock slide away from each other...Oh that's not right, the rocks fall on I-40 not 26.

I live within 2 miles of the Biltmore Estate. Just across the river in W. Asheville.

Too bad they don't have old TV's at the Biltmore Estate... Radios either, for that matter. :tears:

BelowZero: I found my DuMont in a thrift store on Coxe Avenue. My uncle worked on TV's when I was little in Asheville, and he had a DuMont in his living room... complete with cherry cabinet, and lions head door pulls! They are around!! I'm a native Ashevillian.

Bruce

Wow Bruce, you found a DuMont at a thrift store in Asheville!!!
That's better than winning the lottery!

I was flabbergasted when we found it. I snatched the sale tag off of it and ran to the sales counter.

Someone plugged it in before I got it, though. The power transformer was burned up. Found one from a VK'er in Rhode Island! Now, it's beginning to roar again!!

My wife's makin' noises about goin' back to Biltmore...I've seen it now 5 or 6 times...Maybe I'll take her, drop her off, & then WE all could go Play TV somewhere for awhile...I like Biltmore, too, but given the choice between it & meeting some fellow TV Nutz...Well, I'd LOVE to meet you guys & see yr "Schtuff"...(grin)

Hello !
I am a new member. Would a newcomer be warmly welcome here? Good day you guy !