I found an old Silvertone floor model 6438B in great condition and would like to restore it. ReCap, couple of new tubes and should be good asnew...EXCEPT...there is no antenna. This is a 5 (or 6) band radio and if Philco is any example, there should be a couple of antennas, one for AM and one for shortwave, et.al. I have looked in some parts catalogs and found some antennas/antenna kits but don't know what to get. Antennas are rated in micro henrys (inductance?) but are more better? Also, circular wound antenna kits list "appeture" as property which I'm assuming may be important. I've seen anntennas from approx 200 mhenrys to about 650 mhenrys and ranging from 3" ferrite types to 19" diameter round (octagon) kits. I have no clue. Shortwave reception would be nice but is not critical, AM is, obviously, required. Any ideas? (Sorry this was so long!)

Judging by what the age of it is, the ferrite lopsticks are not going to do a lot for performance. That era used essentially a long wire strung out to a tree, or another building etc. You should even get some reception with about 10 feet of wire stretched out on the floor. Attach it to the antenna terminal that gives you a signal.

:I found an old Silvertone floor model 6438B in great condition and would like to restore it. ReCap, couple of new tubes and should be good asnew...EXCEPT...there is no antenna. This is a 5 (or 6) band radio and if Philco is any example, there should be a couple of antennas, one for AM and one for shortwave, et.al. I have looked in some parts catalogs and found some antennas/antenna kits but don't know what to get. Antennas are rated in micro henrys (inductance?) but are more better? Also, circular wound antenna kits list "appeture" as property which I'm assuming may be important. I've seen anntennas from approx 200 mhenrys to about 650 mhenrys and ranging from 3" ferrite types to 19" diameter round (octagon) kits. I have no clue. Shortwave reception would be nice but is not critical, AM is, obviously, required. Any ideas? (Sorry this was so long!)

:Judging by what the age of it is, the ferrite lopsticks are not going to do a lot for performance. That era used essentially a long wire strung out to a tree, or another building etc. You should even get some reception with about 10 feet of wire stretched out on the floor. Attach it to the antenna terminal that gives you a signal.
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hi there is a website called [daves loop antennas] it shows how to build various ones from scratch i built one and it works good not quite as well as a long wire ant. however. butch
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::I found an old Silvertone floor model 6438B in great condition and would like to restore it. ReCap, couple of new tubes and should be good asnew...EXCEPT...there is no antenna. This is a 5 (or 6) band radio and if Philco is any example, there should be a couple of antennas, one for AM and one for shortwave, et.al. I have looked in some parts catalogs and found some antennas/antenna kits but don't know what to get. Antennas are rated in micro henrys (inductance?) but are more better? Also, circular wound antenna kits list "appeture" as property which I'm assuming may be important. I've seen anntennas from approx 200 mhenrys to about 650 mhenrys and ranging from 3" ferrite types to 19" diameter round (octagon) kits. I have no clue. Shortwave reception would be nice but is not critical, AM is, obviously, required. Any ideas? (Sorry this was so long!)