Admiral radio with 4 tubes AA4

This was my wife's radio as a child! I re-capped it, but it will only pick up our local station?http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jrr1211/b2ca6d52.jpg

Are you sure it's only got four tubes? Should be a five tube radio. May have a bad I F transformer. Is that the only station you get. It does have a loop antenna, right?
Where do you live?
Bill Cahill

The picture you posted is of an Admiral clock radio...not a Zenith

Sorry, you are right! It's an Admiral!

The radio has these four tubes and one I.F. transformer:
50c5-12av6-12au6-35w4. It does have a loop antenna.http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jrr1211/0d199fa6.jpg

I guess this ain't an interesting radio!

No, that's not the case. I have had a rough week end, and, couldn't get back earlier. I remember that model, now. It was a cheap radio. I don't think the reception was all that great on it. Have you tested the tubes?
Is there any noticeble static while you turn the tunning knob?
If not, o.k. May also be you are in a fringe area where reception isn't that great. How is it on other radios?
Bill Cahill

Thanks Bill ,just humor, the only reason I fixed it is because it was my wife's as a child. It looks pretty cheap.
I will try some different tubes in it. I can get WSB and a few stations in Rome, Ga. also, on most sets. I saw the same radio on YouTube without a clock,a real cheapo!
Thanks for all your help, and I have not given up on the Zenith with the silver mica disease either! Lol

The radio plays good thru the isolation transformer, but regular house current seems to make it buzz? Also, it is very sensitive to my hand when I wave it over it also rotating it make a huge difference!

Not surprising. That's normal for that set.
Bill Cahill

Have you tried reversing the power cord to the wall socket? If you can pass your hand over it and get an increase in volume, then the RF trimmer cap on the tuning cap may be in need of adjustment, or one of the antenna connections is loose or broken. As far as rotating the radio, that is normal with most radios because of the antenna position. You could have a weak tube in the front end (RF) section. If it has 4 tubes then the design is pretty much standard, and almost any schematic with the same tube lineup should help.

That is one of the following models Y3303, Y330B, Y3309, Y3337, Y3443.
The Schematic can be found in 1964, Beitmans Vol 24, page 4.
It has a couplate which shouldn't effect reception operation normally.

I have seen sets like that.They left out the IF amp tube and and the extra IF transformer to make a very low cost radio in order to compete with the sets inported from Japan I guess.