Farnsworth BC103

oldrocker
oldrocker Posts: 2,590
Came across this while out and about.

As usual, no clue on it but I'm sure my daughter will like the look and take it.



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Comments

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    Very cool! What is that big cylindrical object? Looks a battery or something maybe.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    It's a very nice console AM radio.
    Push-pull 6V6 output tubes are good for about 10 watts and that's an electrodynamic speaker -- using an electromagnet ("field coil") instead of a permanent magnet. The field coil of the speaker was often used as a choke (filtering inductor) in the high voltage power supply in such equipment.

    It will need some rehab if not done already, but should be a very nice radio.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited July 2018
    The can, as it says, is some sort of on-board AM loop antenna.

    I believe that the Farnsworth of Farnsworth is none other than Philo T. Farnsworth. If any single person might be eligible to be considered as the inventor of television, it is he.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo_Farnsworth

    30yt5fximybi.png


    Note, also that the radio appears to have an input for a crystal pickup phonograph. :)
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,558
    What DON'T you know?! :o:p
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    It's a very nice console AM radio.
    Push-pull 6V6 output tubes are good for about 10 watts and that's an electrodynamic speaker -- using an electromagnet ("field coil") instead of a permanent magnet. The field coil of the speaker was often used as a choke (filtering inductor) in the high voltage power supply in such equipment.

    It will need some rehab if not done already, but should be a very nice radio.

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,475
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Very cool! What is that big cylindrical object? Looks a battery or something maybe.

    big ferrite bar antenna good for AM only
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Clipdat wrote: »
    What DON'T you know?! :o:p
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    It's a very nice console AM radio.
    Push-pull 6V6 output tubes are good for about 10 watts and that's an electrodynamic speaker -- using an electromagnet ("field coil") instead of a permanent magnet. The field coil of the speaker was often used as a choke (filtering inductor) in the high voltage power supply in such equipment.

    It will need some rehab if not done already, but should be a very nice radio.

    Why wouldn't he know, the radio and Doc are about the same age. I bet he cut his teeth chewing on the side of one of those or one like it....


    Pretty darned close.

  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    There is only one Farnsworth. Professor Farnsworth.

    6mio3cw225fk.jpg
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    The can, as it says, is some sort of on-board AM loop antenna.

    I believe that the Farnsworth of Farnsworth is none other than Philo T. Farnsworth. If any single person might be eligible to be considered as the inventor of television, it is he.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo_Farnsworth

    30yt5fximybi.png


    Note, also that the radio appears to have an input for a crystal pickup phonograph. :)

    Was an interesting read for sure.

  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    Nightfall wrote: »
    There is only one Farnsworth. Professor Farnsworth.

    6mio3cw225fk.jpg

    And I found him also while researching... :D
  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    It's a very nice console AM radio.
    Push-pull 6V6 output tubes are good for about 10 watts and that's an electrodynamic speaker -- using an electromagnet ("field coil") instead of a permanent magnet. The field coil of the speaker was often used as a choke (filtering inductor) in the high voltage power supply in such equipment.

    It will need some rehab if not done already, but should be a very nice radio.

    Thanks for weighing in, had hoped you would.

    The lady I got it from said it works, I have not tried it yet.



  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    It was made approx. in 1940 as per some page I found earlier.

    Not a lot of info on it but as said earlier, the guy who thought the thing up is quite interesting.

    Crystal pickup phonograph? No clue as to that.

    And yes, sent the daughter a pic of it, she's on her way over to see it.... :D
  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    Ok, she claimed it, is going to her house.

    She suggested we work on this one together as a Daddy/Daughter project... B)
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    well, the crystal phono cartridge is (was) the forerunner of the ceramic, piezo, and strain gauge cartridges that came later. High output, relatively limited frequency response, and heavy tracking weight (n the case of the crystal cartridges). The input is probably close enough to normal line level and impedance that mono output from a CD player, DAC, tape deck, tuner, etc. would probably sound OK within the limitations of the amp and loudspeaker.
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    well, the crystal phono cartridge is (was) the forerunner of the ceramic, piezo, and strain gauge cartridges that came later. High output, relatively limited frequency response, and heavy tracking weight (n the case of the crystal cartridges). The input is probably close enough to normal line level and impedance that mono output from a CD player, DAC, tape deck, tuner, etc. would probably sound OK within the limitations of the amp and loudspeaker.

    Wonder what a 2 into 1 RCA adapter would do? Would allow for both channels to be heard, but, would it double your input voltage?
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    oldrocker wrote: »
    Ok, she claimed it, is going to her house.

    She suggested we work on this one together as a Daddy/Daughter project... B)


    I’ve debated getting one of these or similar and remove the guts and use it to hide my furnace return without blocking airflow
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    kharp1 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    well, the crystal phono cartridge is (was) the forerunner of the ceramic, piezo, and strain gauge cartridges that came later. High output, relatively limited frequency response, and heavy tracking weight (n the case of the crystal cartridges). The input is probably close enough to normal line level and impedance that mono output from a CD player, DAC, tape deck, tuner, etc. would probably sound OK within the limitations of the amp and loudspeaker.

    Wonder what a 2 into 1 RCA adapter would do? Would allow for both channels to be heard, but, would it double your input voltage?

    No it won't -- but -- here's what you need to know about the "best practice" approach to using a "Y connector" to mix to mono. It's not quite a trivial exercise for best results.

    https://www.rane.com/note109.html

    Full disclosure -- I've used a "Y" connector to mix to mono a million times... but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. :)