Is it practical to try to convert a Radio's SW band to receive FM?

I have a chance to acquire a nice RCA unit, but I don't have much need for another AM/SW radio.

:Is it practical to try to convert a Radio's SW band to receive FM?
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:I have a chance to acquire a nice RCA unit, but I don't have much need for another AM/SW radio.
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I believe it is a 5Q5 or similar, 6F6 output, 5Y3 and a power transformer, 5 tubes in all.

::Is it practical to try to convert a Radio's SW band to receive FM?
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::I have a chance to acquire a nice RCA unit, but I don't have much need for another AM/SW radio.
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:I believe it is a 5Q5 or similar, 6F6 output, 5Y3 and a power transformer, 5 tubes in all.
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I just answered my own question. I'm not aware of any AM/FM circuit that uses only 5 tubes.

:Is it practical to try to convert a Radio's SW band to receive FM?
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:I have a chance to acquire a nice RCA unit, but I don't have much need for another AM/SW radio.
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Probably not in the way that you want. Basically you would have to graft in an FM tuner and use the set's audio amp stages only, in the same manner as people mod their sets to accept iPod inputs. This isn't a particularly "hi-fi" set so the results would probably be disappointing.

:Is it practical to try to convert a Radio's SW band to receive FM?
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:I have a chance to acquire a nice RCA unit, but I don't have much need for another AM/SW radio.
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You can buy small used am/fm clock radios from a thrift store for 3 to 5 dollars each. Typical problems easily remedied are noisy switches and volume control pot; spray with contact cleaner, and operate rapidly a few times. Find a unit with a step-down transformer power supply, NOT a line dropping resistor with no transformer. (You need the isolation). You can probably mount a small am/fm radio, or the 'guts' thereof, somwhere in the cabinet - or fashion a rear outboard. Feed power to the am/fm from the 'on' side of the switch in the RCA; set the AM/FM volume about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up; remove the speaker from the AM/FM, and wire in 12 to 22 ohms, 1/2 watt where the speaker was. Connect this output from the am/fm unit to the low side of the volume control in the RCA. Either hand tune the AM/FM unit to the station you want, or leave a way to get to the tuning control from the rear of the set. Connecting so the am/fm set tunes from the RCA shaft is probably extremely difficult, unless you realy bastardize the set, and destroy its monetary and historical value. With the kludged am/fm 'front end', you have a nice set you can put on your desk at work, and listen to FM (without having to become a Republican, Christian, a die-hard sports fan, or speak a another language, which one pretty much has to be/do in my neck of the woods to listen to AM radio.)

Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.

:Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.
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Well I appreciate the resourcefulness of Ed's idea. And I have plugged FM radio into the phono jack of an old radio so we could hear some Xmas music. A console radio with a big 10" speaker can transform tinny transistor portable music into something fairly easy on the ears.
But I already have the world's finest table FM radio, a Zenith C845.
Also a 1947 Marconi 245FM, a plastic Zenith AM/FM and a very good 60's Japanese AM/FM. I was trying to justify the RCA, which likely has a phono jack, no kloodging necessary. :>)

I realized from your original question that you had no idea what you are doing so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you might think this kind of silly "solution" is really clever.

Why do you feel the need to "justify" another radio? Are you a little boy who needs approval?

::Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.
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:Well I appreciate the resourcefulness of Ed's idea. And I have plugged FM radio into the phono jack of an old radio so we could hear some Xmas music. A console radio with a big 10" speaker can transform tinny transistor portable music into something fairly easy on the ears.
:But I already have the world's finest table FM radio, a Zenith C845.
:Also a 1947 Marconi 245FM, a plastic Zenith AM/FM and a very good 60's Japanese AM/FM. I was trying to justify the RCA, which likely has a phono jack, no kloodging necessary. :>)
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Thanks, Sam, waiting for a reply, no doubt. I'm happy that posting that made you feel superior somehow. Glad I could help.

:I realized from your original question that you had no idea what you are doing so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you might think this kind of silly "solution" is really clever.
:
:Why do you feel the need to "justify" another radio? Are you a little boy who needs approval?
:
:::Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.
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::Well I appreciate the resourcefulness of Ed's idea. And I have plugged FM radio into the phono jack of an old radio so we could hear some Xmas music. A console radio with a big 10" speaker can transform tinny transistor portable music into something fairly easy on the ears.
::But I already have the world's finest table FM radio, a Zenith C845.
::Also a 1947 Marconi 245FM, a plastic Zenith AM/FM and a very good 60's Japanese AM/FM. I was trying to justify the RCA, which likely has a phono jack, no kloodging necessary. :>)
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Nope, just a bit grumpy today. If you have a good FM set then you could add an output and then play it through another set that you feel has a better overall sound. Of course, this assumes you know how to do more than just turn the sets on.

Sometimes my grumpiness shows up when I read posts from people who have obviously made no effort to learn anything. This is pure laziness and most of the sets that fall into the hands of these idiots will soon be relegated to the attic, basement, or storage unit to be ruined by neglect. These silly dimwits usually have attention spans similar to that of a two year old. Of course most two year olds grow up, these fools never do.

Now, if you don't belong in this group and intend to make the effort to learn basic electricity and electronics so that you can actually do more than blindly change parts or ask ridiculous questions, I appologize.

:Thanks, Sam, waiting for a reply, no doubt. I'm happy that posting that made you feel superior somehow. Glad I could help.
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::I realized from your original question that you had no idea what you are doing so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you might think this kind of silly "solution" is really clever.
::
::Why do you feel the need to "justify" another radio? Are you a little boy who needs approval?
::
::::Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.
::::
:::
:::Well I appreciate the resourcefulness of Ed's idea. And I have plugged FM radio into the phono jack of an old radio so we could hear some Xmas music. A console radio with a big 10" speaker can transform tinny transistor portable music into something fairly easy on the ears.
:::But I already have the world's finest table FM radio, a Zenith C845.
:::Also a 1947 Marconi 245FM, a plastic Zenith AM/FM and a very good 60's Japanese AM/FM. I was trying to justify the RCA, which likely has a phono jack, no kloodging necessary. :>)
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:Nope, just a bit grumpy today. If you have a good FM set then you could add an output and then play it through another set that you feel has a better overall sound. Of course, this assumes you know how to do more than just turn the sets on.
:
:Sometimes my grumpiness shows up when I read posts from people who have obviously made no effort to learn anything. This is pure laziness and most of the sets that fall into the hands of these idiots will soon be relegated to the attic, basement, or storage unit to be ruined by neglect. These silly dimwits usually have attention spans similar to that of a two year old. Of course most two year olds grow up, these fools never do.
:
:Now, if you don't belong in this group and intend to make the effort to learn basic electricity and electronics so that you can actually do more than blindly change parts or ask ridiculous questions, I appologize.
:
::Thanks, Sam, waiting for a reply, no doubt. I'm happy that posting that made you feel superior somehow. Glad I could help.
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::
:::I realized from your original question that you had no idea what you are doing so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you might think this kind of silly "solution" is really clever.
:::
:::Why do you feel the need to "justify" another radio? Are you a little boy who needs approval?
:::
:::::Or you could just go a thrift shop and find a decent AM/FM radio instead of wasting time making some kind of silly klooge that will never be anything but a crappy piece of junk.
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::::Well I appreciate the resourcefulness of Ed's idea. And I have plugged FM radio into the phono jack of an old radio so we could hear some Xmas music. A console radio with a big 10" speaker can transform tinny transistor portable music into something fairly easy on the ears.
::::But I already have the world's finest table FM radio, a Zenith C845.
::::Also a 1947 Marconi 245FM, a plastic Zenith AM/FM and a very good 60's Japanese AM/FM. I was trying to justify the RCA, which likely has a phono jack, no kloodging necessary. :>)
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Please guys. We all love the hobby. Some of us like to tinker. All of us who have gotten this far into old radios have above average skills and intelligence. Let's be kind, helpful, and forgiving to each other. Different interests, skills, preferences, and ways of doing things are enriching to the hobby, and we can all learn from each other. God bless. Ed M

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:Please guys. We all love the hobby. Some of us like to tinker. All of us who have gotten this far into old radios have above average skills and intelligence. Let's be kind, helpful, and forgiving to each other. Different interests, skills, preferences, and ways of doing things are enriching to the hobby, and we can all learn from each other. God bless. Ed M
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No fear, Ed. I have a strong constitution and insults are funny when they are digitized - just highlight and delete if you must.
Did you know the cover on the radio opening of an old car or truck dashboard is called a 'delete'?

I want to buy the radio, recap it and enjoy it for a while, then pass it on. But if it is just another AM/SW table radio with no redeeming features, it will have to sit on my shelf, and my shelf is full.
I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question.

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That's because it is nonsense and shows you don't have the skills to do anything except make "sillycon" noises. If you had ever taken the time to learn something you wouldn't make this kind of idiotic post.

If you think you have these skills, how about posting a schematic and detail just how you would tap into the variable capscitor and make this wondrous conversion?

:...........I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
:I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question.
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Oops, capacitor that is.

:That's because it is nonsense and shows you don't have the skills to do anything except make "sillycon" noises. If you had ever taken the time to learn something you wouldn't make this kind of idiotic post.
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:If you think you have these skills, how about posting a schematic and detail just how you would tap into the variable capscitor and make this wondrous conversion?
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::...........I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
::I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question.
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The schematic is here between my ears, only visible to those who believe. :>)
Mr McHenry answered my question in a civil manner and I respect his judgement that the results would be disappointing and thus not worth attempting at this time.

Sam, thanks for your interest and have a great life.

:Oops, capacitor that is.
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::That's because it is nonsense and shows you don't have the skills to do anything except make "sillycon" noises. If you had ever taken the time to learn something you wouldn't make this kind of idiotic post.
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::If you think you have these skills, how about posting a schematic and detail just how you would tap into the variable capscitor and make this wondrous conversion?
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:::...........I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
:::I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question.
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In other words you have no idea how to anything more than blindly change parts and that now admit that this was a silly statement:

"I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
:::I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question".

What Mr. McHenry was telling you was that modifying an existing AM radio to somehow make it into an FM set made no sense and that you would have to add an entire FM tuner section consisting of a front end, IF strip and detector. The only part of the old set that would be used is the audio section. If you had stopped with this all would a have been fine but you persisted in trying to show your great knowledge with the ridicuous statement above about you skills and tapping into the variable cap.

I offered my appology if you were one of the few in this hobby who will take the time to actually learn basic theory and apply it to the hobby rather than being one of the ones who just flail around.

There is no shame in being ignorant, intentionally remaining in that state is a different matter.

:The schematic is here between my ears, only visible to those who believe. :>)
:Mr McHenry answered my question in a civil manner and I respect his judgement that the results would be disappointing and thus not worth attempting at this time.
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:Sam, thanks for your interest and have a great life.
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::Oops, capacitor that is.
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:::That's because it is nonsense and shows you don't have the skills to do anything except make "sillycon" noises. If you had ever taken the time to learn something you wouldn't make this kind of idiotic post.
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:::If you think you have these skills, how about posting a schematic and detail just how you would tap into the variable capscitor and make this wondrous conversion?
:::
::::...........I have the skills to add an FM detector stage and tap it into the variable capacitor. The rectifier tube could be replaced with a sillycon diode, allowing the FM stage to go there, see?
::::I just have not seen such a conversion discussed or described, hence my question.
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