My First Vintage TV.....

[Carmine]

The distortion at the top of the screen also goes away on the cable so it must be the VCR or it's interaction with the TV.

It is. That's a problem with all old TVs & VCRs, but not with DVDs.

As to the noise, it tends to be a tube-trait, but might be more of a Zenith problem. I think it's the horizontal oscilator, oscilating. Also could be a virbration in the HV cage.

As to the term "UHF STRIPS", it seems like Zenith kept using the same antenna connections LONG after UHF became standard. So ignore the term, doesn't apply to your set.

That set looks like 1970 to me... Might be a Chromacolor I?

We in the old TV word salute you sir for saving it.