Sonora 664 50s metal portable
 

I recently rescued this little set from a basement along with the Scott 6T11. I searched all over but just couldn't find the back for it. Even so, I saw a lot of potential and brought it home.
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The replacement "ECHO Tube Co." 10ABP4 CRT tests like new :) I think it's a rebuild.
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Sure enough, it cleaned up nicely. I think Sandy might say it's "cute as a bug's ear" :D
For sure it's my new favorite portable.
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I'd love to bring it back to life but can't a model # anywhere on it. I looked through all the Riders index but nothing matches. They were out of the TV business by 1960 so I figure it's gotta be around '57-'59.

Any ideas on the model ?
Also any thoughts about replacing that back ?
Maybe fabricate one from scratch or is there a similar model under another brand that might fit :scratch2:

Bob, this is a guess, no pics but its the only metal case shown. Not much info

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sonora_rad_p_1759p175.html

Prob not as it states its a 17 inch portable. That's a big a#& portable.

Looking at that big honking sweep tube in there I wonder if this is another true AC/DC set?

I did some research and here's what I found out so far: Sonora declared bankruptcy in early 1957 and stopped production by a least then, if not earlier. In 1959 Trav'ler bought the name and announced they were going to begin selling products with the Sonora brand again. In other words, Sonoras were just re-branded Trav'lers after that point. I looked at some of the Trav'ler portables from 1959-60 and they sure are the same style as Bob's set.

I have a Sams index from 1962 and I cross refrenced the Trav'lers and Sonoras together. I was able to eliminate some of them, but this is a list of the Sams folders that I can't find any info on to know which models they cover and/or a picture to know if it's Bob's set: 413-2, 472-15, 497-2, 502-2, 541-2

Maybe somebody has these folders and can look to see if they match Bob's set.

Hmm. The only one that looks close is 413-2(models 1730-1731). But it's a 17 inch set. Any models listed that start with a 10?

That is a cute tv.... Boy they crammed a lota stuff into that little cabinet.....

You didn't find a turntable in there did you....?

Think I found it. :) I can scan or copy as needed.

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Good job finding it! It must have been one of Sonora's last sets and Trav'ler used the design when they bought them out. Some of the Trav'ler sets used the same handle/antenna.

I had a 10" Truetone that used the same handle and antenna, i thought it was a Wells Gardner built set but perhaps not.

I like that set with everything so accessible!

It would be nice to work on compared to all the RCA's I have where you have to remove huge PCB shields and engage in other gymnastics to replace caps.

Awesome! I'd love to have a scan and I'll PM you my email address.

Can't WAIT to see the l'il feller up 'n' runnin'..

Now that I have the Sams, I see this set uses a 0.45 amp filament string. It should have a 8.4 VAC @ 0.45A 10ADP4 CRT , but instead I have a 6.3VAC @ 0.6A 10ABP4 :scratch2:

I ran into a similar issue with a Zenith bugeye set. The CRT worked OK, but certainly wasn't as bright as it could be.

Here it is next to an Admiral TS105 so you can really see how bulbous the front is.
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Maybe I should keep an eye on eBay for a cabinet as empty ones do show up now and then like this Airline including knobs http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Tele...-/251393913708

Bob, that's a GE, with the bottom hacked out no less.

Oops. I saw an airplane on a knob and assumed it was an Airline.

In case anyone's interested, Echo Tube Co. was a rebuilder in Chicago.

Model 666? It probably didn't sell too well in the Bible Belt. Something about 666 being the devil's area code... :D

It'd be kinda ironic if that was the red on black two tone cabinet model...:D

I looked at the Sams today. It has a voltage doubler. The circuitry is about the same as the larger Sonoras and Travlers. The only difference is the tubes are 450ma versions of the tubes used in the earlier models. Also, the pictures of the chassis, show Wards Airline branded tubes.
Another observation of mine, would be, who in their right mind would replace a CRT in a seven year old set, that cost under one hundred dollars new. :scratch2:

Bob, you probably noticed this but both tuner tubes seem to have gone to air.

A buddy of mine has the EXACT set in his basement, pink and cream too, but with the "Airline" name on it. I had eyed it's unique "buy-eye" look along with it's wire-type front feet years ago. It needs TLC, but has the back.

No idea, but I assume they got it cheap - it's not even the right type !

Yep, noticed that right away ;) The tip is even broken off one of them. Hopefully replacements are in my meager stash of .45 amp tubes. Now that the Dumont is off the bench, I'm going to do a little house cleaning then put this puppy up for a closer look.

IIRC, the tuner uses a 6CL8 and a 4CB6. :yes:

So close - it's a 4BC5 ;) I'll have to venture into the frigid attic to look for them.

Echo rebuilt tubes
 

I used to use ECHO rebuilt tubes.. He sometimes used the brand PRECISION tube.
He was a one-two man outfit on the Southside of Chicago - somewhere around 63rd and Kedzie I think.
He was very much the expert. The place was a fascinating workplace. Crude but effective. His tubes always turned out beautifully. He prided himself on how broadcasters would bring studio CRTs to him to rebuild.
He would write the date of pickup on the tube. He would give a warranty of "a year, a month and a day. " just to cover the tech's butt if he couldn't get the dud tube back in time... Quite a character. I learned a lot from him.

I looked at the schematic again! I didn't think, the tube makers, made a 4BC5, as it was a somewhat dated tube design at the time. There was a newer issue tube at the time, a 4CE5.
I think, the tuners were made by OAK, a Chicago firm. The UHF/VHF model has a 6U8A and a 6BK7A, plus of course a 3AF4. :yes:

I get the set up on the bench last night and took a closer look. It's like a big 3-D puzzle with parts tucked in every which way!

No wonder there are so many reference photos in the Sams service info.

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Here are all the tubes. Five are "Super Wards Airline", three GE, one Sylvania and one unmarked
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I was puzzled at how to get the tubes out of the tapered shields for a while. Then I realized they split apart. Be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges!
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Everything appears to be present and original except for whatever held the yoke on the CRT neck and the centering rings. Next, I'm going to do a resistance check on the yoke and transformers and continue cleaning.

That speaker looks a little suspiciously Japanese and non original - TV is very neat though, I like it a lot

Is that a 12DQ6 and is that what's called for? My 8" Emerson had a 6DQ6 when I got it, but it had been subbed in for the original correct 6BQ6.

Yes, it does have JAPAN stamped on it. Can't tell if it's original or not though.

It's a 17DQ6 and it is what's called for. Here's the whole lineup

4BC5
6CL8
6AN8
6U8
8AW8
8AW8
4DT6
8CM7
17DQ6
17AX4
1X2
10ADP4

Plus a couple 1N60 for video detector and horizontal AFC

My preference would be a 6DQ6, but both of the transformer powered, eight inch sets, the RCA and Emerson were originally equipped with a 6BQ6.

A 6AV5 could have done it without breakin' a sweat; 6DQ6 seems like extreme overkill.

I think it's fair to say the engineering on this set is a little shaky in general. For example they used a 47 ohm 10 watt dropper resistor in the 0.45 amp filament string. That comes out to 9.5 watts so they really should have used at least a 13 watt resistor or, better yet, a 15. Also, assuming 117 VAC, a 51 ohm dropper would be a better choice.

Anyway, I just finished ohming out all the transforms, choke, yoke, flyback etc. and they're all dead on so the restoration is a go :D

The GE 9" sets use a 18A5, which is a simular design tube with a 300ma heater, operating on low B+. Also the GE has a 70 degree CRT, where the set in question is a 90 degree CRT and a voltage doubler power supply.

I removed the speaker so I could replace the caps underneath.
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I don't recall seeing an Astron Corp cap before.
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Astron sounds like a sub-division of Spacely Sprockets.

Isn't or wasn't Golden Voice (as on that speaker) the way that Motorola branded their speakers? Of course, anything is possible across the years and across the oceans.