Hey all,

Just saying hi, I'm in Armidale, NSW.
I have an interest in anything vintage or antique.

I have just picked up an old console radio, I guess its an AWA model but any further detail would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ash

Pics can be seen here;
http://1drv.ms/1XsHPja

Welcome to the site.

Don't power the set up until it has been checked over for problems because you can inadvertently cause damage to parts that are either expensive or impossible to replace.

At the least those capacitors will need replacing.

The underside of the chassis looks clean and easy to work on.

The best assistance we can have to identify the make and model is the list of valves in it. So far I see it has 5Y3 and 6V6. What are the others?

Thanks, appreciated.
Yeah all caps out already, sourcing replacements.

5 valves in total, 5Y3, 6V6, 6J7,6U7 and 6K8. (Actually fitted with 6J8 in place of the latter).

Another word of advice do not clean the dial with any form of liquid as it may come away and you will be very dejected. Is there a model number stamped on the chassis. The chassis number is usually stamped on the sides near where the mounting screwholes are.

Good advice, thanks.
No, there are no numbers at all. The actual tuner is an EFCO unit, did they produce whole chassis?

I gather that the cabinet design doesn't really tell you much?

That's a puzzling valve line-up. I don't find any matches for it as given, but numerous candidates if I change some of the valves.

The very neat under-chassis arrangement may ring a bell with somebody.

EFCO made dials for many radios (notably kit radios, so there may be a clue there). Never heard of an EFCO chassis as such.

PS: Is there an ARTS&P sticker on the chassis?

No stickers at all unfortunately, nor any evidence of one having fallen off.

The chassis has writing on the side below each valve advising of the intended spec and a voltage warning on the back, absolutely nothing else.

I'm glad to have a mystery item! Haha.

I'm warming to the possibility of a kit radio. If that's the case, the schematic and other details might be found in Radio & Hobbies magazine.

I am smelling a rat: 6K8 was not a common valve here. I have found them in the hole that a 6A8 belongs in and 6A8, 6J8, 6K8 & ECH35 all invariably where they should not be. This lot tend to be interchangeable, but don't expect them to behave the same as the valve that should be in the hole.

The other thing is too many pentodes. 6J7; 6K7; & 6U7 I have found in the others space & I can't envisage a Plate detector if it is past 1934 and has octals. I would expect 6B8 or something else with diode plates.

I have seen 6K8 in Genelex and my WWII Frequency meter, so it presence narrows the known makers down. Eg Genalex 458 uses 6G8 (1939) as the det probably first audio & a 6K8

I think it would be wise to only discuss the technical side of this set elsewhere not here. Two posts causes confusion.

Marc

I am smelling a rat

The line-up is peculiar, but as I understand him, the OP is reporting the line-up that is stamped on the chassis.

I think it would be wise to only discuss the technical side of this set elsewhere not here. Two posts causes confusion.

I agree. Brad ought to move much of this thread to Tech Talk, but I don't think he has the capacity to do that.

Yes I don't know who's rat you are smelling, I'm not making this stuff up. It is printed on the chassis.
As mentioned, that socket actually contained a 6J8.

There seems to be a lot of angst going on regarding my choice of area, this was simply an intro and a probe for general info. If I should start a fresh thread for this ID then I'm happy to, though the description of the technical board says nothing about such discussions.

Does the EFCO tuner give any hints to the overall age of construction?
I have found it states a patent number of 2169/38, my first thought, knowing nothing about these units or the patent codes, was 1938.

If it is stamped on the chassis that is what should be reported. 6K8 & 6J8 are both valves with a Triode exciter and were normally used here in SW sets: This function superseding 6A8 /6A7.

If a set has been monkeyed with anything is possible. There were companies like Slade's catered for the build your own brand market, & circuits for them are like EMMCO..... scarce.

Identifying a radio often ends up in "General discussion" Then really should end up as a problem child in the Technical area once you get into strife trying to work out how to fix it. Eventually it all gets sorted out.

I have quite often had to resort to reverse engineering a set (one an EMMCO). So you are not alone with an unidentified set.... We can work them out.

Push button tuning is more akin to a high end set.

Thanks for the info.
Here are some additional pics that might help - http://1drv.ms/1NxjXq6