I need to obtain a few parts for it and wonder if anyone can give me a few references. Antique Electronic Supply has been unresponsive except to refer to their catalog. I need a 5 pin speaker connector and a tube cap connector.
Any suggestions?
Steve
Don Black informed me of your posting. You do have a radio built around 1930 but the Atwater Kent 55 uses a 4 pin speaker plug. Breadboards were made in the early 20's and used 201A tubes.
The AK55 has 2 - 24A, 2 - 27, 2-45 and 1 - 80 tubes. Atwater Kent did made a Model 70 which has one more #24 tube and a 5 pin speaker plug.
Is the 5 pin speaker plug the same as a 27 tube base? If so, I can mail one. A tube cap connector can be taken from another radio.
Components on Atwater Kent radios are arranged nicely. They are interesting to display and make a nice conversation piece..
Norm
: I am working on a Atwater Kent model 55 AM receiver, at least I think that is the model type. This one has a # 80 tube for rectification, push-pull 45s for audio output, 24s for rf amplification, and 27s for audio amplification. I is a breadboard type and is beautiful.
: I need to obtain a few parts for it and wonder if anyone can give me a few references. Antique Electronic Supply has been unresponsive except to refer to their catalog. I need a 5 pin speaker connector and a tube cap connector.
: Any suggestions?
: Steve
I am glad to hear from you about the model 70. The breadboard Atwater Kent receiver I have is all metal base, but does not have a model number, but it does have three 24 tubes as you noted.
I'm attempting to work from a schematic from the book by Mr. Ed Romney, "Fixing Up Nice Old Radios" and the schematic for the 55 was very close to my receiver in functiionality. Now that I know that its a model 70 I can obtain a schematic from Tannebaum (in Ambler, PA).
This receiver does have a 5 pin speaker plug, but alas, it is not the same as the 27 tube base. I purchased this receiver for only $ 55 with a full complement of "dead" tubes. Only the 80 power rectifier tube and one 27 tube tested "good." So, I tried one of the 27s in the speaker plug and it didn't fit. I guess I'll have to make one up the hard way. Thanks for the offer anyway.
The power supply tests very good with the 80 tube. The power filter inductors test good. And even the power capacitors test good. I am very impressed with this set! The power-on switch needed to be replaced and I am going to replace the near/far antenna switch. The rest of the set looks good and will be tested during startup after I get the replacement tubes.
I ordered replacement "used" tubes from Electron Tube Enterprises in Vermont. Dick has always been a faithful supplier of good tubes. I am surprised at how expensive the number 45 power triode tubes are - $ 60 each NOS. Wow.
I do have a speaker from a set I had to purchase for $10 on the spot in a junk "antique" store. I had to remove the electronics from the cabinet in the store and I hated to do it, but I did. I can use the "dynamic" speaker from it, but I hate to cut off the speaker plug from it to use it in the Atwater Kent reciever. I'll make one up from scratch first.
I'm a 1969 electrical engineer from RPI whose first semister incluced tube electronics, but that disappeared the next year. Now I am involved in designing and implementing electric power trading systems using the Microsoft suite of produces (Visual Basic) in the New York State electricity auction market. Quite a change for a fellow who wanted to be rocket engineer and go to the moon. These antique radios offer an opportunity to work on and fix real electronic equipment that was the marvel of the world at the time. Much fun.
Thanks,
Steve
Before you buy a schematic, check out the Atwater Kent schematics on nostalgiaair . Besides the schematic there is other information for your radio, all at no cost.
You will probably need to make the 5 pin plug for the speaker. You could try using a 35 mm film container. Push the pins through the plastic and "bondo" them in place.
Check over those tubes. Unless someone put dead tubes in the radio they may still work. Even tubes that test weak will work in these TRF radios. I would check flea markets and swap meets for 45 tubes.
Those power switches on Atwater Kent radios have a light spring. Sometines you can clean them up by spraying cleaner from the front of the switch.
Be sure your speaker has a center tapped output transformer.
After working in the semiconductor industry for 30 years I retired at 50 and decided to have fun playing with these tube radios. I'm a PE in the State of California.
Norm
: Norm, I have been very impressed with your timely and informative responses to our questions - thank you.
: I am glad to hear from you about the model 70. The breadboard Atwater Kent receiver I have is all metal base, but does not have a model number, but it does have three 24 tubes as you noted.
: I'm attempting to work from a schematic from the book by Mr. Ed Romney, "Fixing Up Nice Old Radios" and the schematic for the 55 was very close to my receiver in functiionality. Now that I know that its a model 70 I can obtain a schematic from Tannebaum (in Ambler, PA).
: This receiver does have a 5 pin speaker plug, but alas, it is not the same as the 27 tube base. I purchased this receiver for only $ 55 with a full complement of "dead" tubes. Only the 80 power rectifier tube and one 27 tube tested "good." So, I tried one of the 27s in the speaker plug and it didn't fit. I guess I'll have to make one up the hard way. Thanks for the offer anyway.
: The power supply tests very good with the 80 tube. The power filter inductors test good. And even the power capacitors test good. I am very impressed with this set! The power-on switch needed to be replaced and I am going to replace the near/far antenna switch. The rest of the set looks good and will be tested during startup after I get the replacement tubes.
: I ordered replacement "used" tubes from Electron Tube Enterprises in Vermont. Dick has always been a faithful supplier of good tubes. I am surprised at how expensive the number 45 power triode tubes are - $ 60 each NOS. Wow.
: I do have a speaker from a set I had to purchase for $10 on the spot in a junk "antique" store. I had to remove the electronics from the cabinet in the store and I hated to do it, but I did. I can use the "dynamic" speaker from it, but I hate to cut off the speaker plug from it to use it in the Atwater Kent reciever. I'll make one up from scratch first.
: I'm a 1969 electrical engineer from RPI whose first semister incluced tube electronics, but that disappeared the next year. Now I am involved in designing and implementing electric power trading systems using the Microsoft suite of produces (Visual Basic) in the New York State electricity auction market. Quite a change for a fellow who wanted to be rocket engineer and go to the moon. These antique radios offer an opportunity to work on and fix real electronic equipment that was the marvel of the world at the time. Much fun.
: Thanks,
: Steve