Category Archives: Commentary

New Toy: Keithley 2015 THD Multimeter

Posted on September 12, 2014 by jwk

I picked up a new piece of gear for the shop recently, the Keithley 2015 THD Multimeter. It was a fantastic deal – a refurbished and calibrated unit for about 10% of the MSRP. These have been manufactured for about … Continue reading →

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Mailbag: Can An Antique Permanent Magnet Speaker Catch Fire?

Posted on September 11, 2014 by jwk

Here’s a question I received recently that I thought could use a Mailbag post: Can an antique permanent magnet speaker catch fire? Interesting question. Short answer? Maybe. Longer answer? Well: It really depends what the source of the fire is. Pretty … Continue reading →

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Parts of a Vintage Radio – Middle Tube Era

Posted on September 8, 2014 by jwk

Photos with parts diagrams of a vintage tube radio – the Crosley 10-139, from about the middle of the tube era. Click each photo for full size.  

Posted in Commentary, Photos, Radios and Tubes, Resources, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Craigslist and eBay Antique Radios – Be Careful!

Posted on March 19, 2014 by jwk

It’s not uncommon to run across antique or vintage radios on Craigslist, eBay and other sales site which are advertised as “working”, “repaired” or “restored”. Many times these are in fact professionally reconditioned items – just like you read about … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Electronics, Photos, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Evidence of Past Repairs

Posted on September 16, 2013 by jwk

It’s always interesting to see what’s happened with equipment that’s been worked on previously. It’s often a mixed bag with some great repair jobs, some that have a lot of room for improvement, and some that really just don’t measure … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Commentary, DIY, Electronics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Visitors From Around the World

Posted on November 9, 2012 by jwk

I’m working on a couple of projects – another Bose equalizer, and a Grunow radio – but they’re not quite finished to post photos, so in the mean time I’d like to post some meta commentary for a moment. WordPress … Continue reading →

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Spotty GPS is Interesting

Posted on October 8, 2012 by jwk

I’ve just returned from Whistler, BC  for the season-ending weekend on the downhill mountain bike park, and wanted to track my progress using Google’s free My Tracks application which records your GPS position on the map for review later. I’ve … Continue reading →

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Modern Caps Can Fail Too [Farnsworth K-262P]

Posted on June 5, 2012 by jwk

I’m working on a radio for a client, and it’s nearing completion, but I ran into a rather unexpected issue that was worth sharing on here. The radio itself is a Farnsworth K-262P, a radio/phono combination from 1951. The radio … Continue reading →

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How Television Benefits Your Children [Vintage Ad]

Posted on May 17, 2012 by jwk

Motorola, leader in television, shows how TV can mean better behavior at home and better marks in school! Own a Motorola and you know you own the best. Does that clown look terrifying to anyone else?

Posted in Commentary, Photos, Television, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Canadians Invade: Highway Advisory Radio Interference in Seattle from Saskatchewan (CBK)

Posted on May 14, 2012 by jwk

Flammable cargo was prohibited under the Washington State Convention Center on I-5 last weekend according to the large Smarter Highways signs along SR-520 in Washington, as there’s some sort of maintenance happening. There’s a highway advisory radio station on 530 AM … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Radios and Tubes, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment