Pioneer passes and my find

I posted this on ARF:

5/2/2006 1:20:13 PM ET
Elma Farnsworth, television pioneer, dies at 98

Elma Gardner "Pem" Farnsworth, who helped her husband, Philo T. Farnsworth, develop the television and was among the first people whose images were transmitted on TV, has died at age 98.

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I found this while looking for a find of a Farnsworth radio I just purchased at ST. Vincent De-Paul 2nd hand store.

It had a price of $250. And the note on it read the price was gathered from the unnamed Web page.

I told one of the employees that I didn't think it was that rare and that I felt the price should be more Like $20 because it didn't work and it would take some effort to get it back in shape. He said he would plug it in and get at least some noise out of it. Which he did. (I personally couldn't hear any thing), he said it made scratchy noises. I mentioned to him I have a price guide at home and one of these times I would bring it into him and show him it. He said OK I'll take your bargain for $20. He said it hasn't sold for 2 weeks so OK ring it up.
Its a Farnsworth ET-60 6 tubes AM -SW Slide rule dial has a tone switch on the back and when I got it home I plugged it in again and found out it has a hum, so I will start looking for the filter caps on-line, When I switched it to AM I Could here stations, so I immediately turned it off. And put it on a shelf. This will be my first AC/DC radio project. It also has two trimmer caps on the back and the Grill looks like Catlin, the knobs sure are as they have an swirly pattering mixed in the Ivory colored knobs. I'm hoping that the wrap around grill is the same stuff, but it will have to wait till I can clean the radio up. It has some minor scratches and a hairline crack that I will try to repair.

I am one happy camper, as this will be my first adventure in AC/DC sets since I was a kid. It was suggested that I put my Zenith Transoceanic tube portable aside and repair something simpler.

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Radiosmoker and Smokenradios is one and the same. TaDa

RIF, Is this the same radio? I like the contrasting grill. This picture is from Greg Jewitt's for sale at the radio attic. He refers to the grill as "caramel tenite" (?) and the case as bakelite. Slusser says plastic. Either way a nice looking variation on the usual post-war box.



I am going to stick with the T.O. for my first foray into ac/dc territory since I have
them coming out my ears.

-Phil

Hey Phil! Let us know what your steps are in repairing your ZTO's

I am just a novice. The TOs I started on looked a bit intimidating so I turned to a Halli S-40B that already works and
doesn't need much. That chassis has lots of room to move.

Peter Wieck on the Yahoo group thetransoceanicfanatic has some great tips. Some this week and
others earlier. His post handle is peterfjw and he really knows his stuff. Do an advanced search for
peterfjw and his posts will come up.

-Phil

Rif: I have one of those Farnsworth radios also. I got it at an auction several years ago. I've never plugged it in, haven't done more than put it on a shelf to admire. I'm saving the restoration "as a treat" for "someday". On that day I've take it down check it out, maybe put it on the isolation transformer and slowly bring it up. Then take it all apart and replace the caps, filters, etc, realign, etc. Then put it out as my "main player" for a couple of months. Some rainy day.

Don't be sad at her passing. She lived a long , full life. We should all be so fortunate to reach 98 years in the Lords Creation.