Radiophile.com

I never met an old radio I didn't like

I get e-mail!
But I am unable to answer most of it, though I read it all and appreciate the attention. Most of the questions I get are already answered elsewhere on the Internet—see Internet Resources at right—or can be answered on the Internet if you'll post your question on the Antiqueradios.com Forum or the rec.antiques.radio+phono Usenet newsgroup.

Here are answers to some of the inquiries I receive often.

Can I get parts or service information from Radiophile.com?
I cannot supply schematics, service information, tubes, or parts. The links below and at right lead to many sources that sell such items, however. (Also, I cannot supply Bake-O-Bryte polish. This is or was sold by UK-based The Radiophile magazine, which has no connection with Radiophile.com. I have no contact information for The Radiophile.)
Where can I find a replacement knob, bezel, etc. for my old radio?
Original cosmetic or mechanical radio parts, such as dials, pointers, escutcheons, etc., are generally not available from any source other than another copy of the same old radio. There are a few exceptions, such as models that sold in high numbers and are now popular with collectors (such as Zenith—see Great Northern Antiques). Also, reproduction pushbuttons, knobs, and other parts are available from Renovated Radios, and some original bezels and many knobs are sold by David Frush.
How much is my old radio worth?
Please—don't ask me this. I don't offer appraisal services. In any case, the best answer to this question is whatever you can get for it. The values of old things vary widely depending on the venue and the presence or absence of the right buyer. If you really want to know how much someone thinks your old radio is worth, try Radio Era Archives or American Radio Research. These are both for-fee appraisal services, and have no connection to Radiophile.com. (In fact, I found them by Googling "antique radio appraisal.")
You said you transmit your own old-time-radio programming to your radios. How do you do that?
The low-power AM transmitter I use to broadcast old-time programming to my radios is the Ramsey Electronics model AM-25. The AM-25 is capable of modulation percentages approaching 100%, with low distortion, good frequency response, and good carrier frequency accuracy and stability. I recommend this kit, as long as you replace the "wall-wart" AC power supply with a properly regulated and filtered one.
I'm looking for a particular model of old radio (or record player, recorder, manual or brochure). Where can I find it?
These days, I have essentially only two sources for old radios and related items: antique radio swapmeets (scheduled by antique radio clubs around the U.S. at various times of the year) and eBay. Unless the radio you're looking for is a model that sold in large quantities originally, finding a particular old radio model is an arduous task, possibly involving months or years of searching. You might also try your request on the forum and the newsgroup.
I like this Web site, and realize that it costs money to run Radiophile.com. How can I help?
(I admit it—I made up this question. I only wish it were one I commonly received.) You can support this Web site by clicking the Amazon.com links here (above right) and on the Home page whenever you need to buy something at Amazon. If you get to Amazon.com via the links on this Web site, I receive a tiny percentage of your purchase amount, at no additional cost to you. Thanks very much to those who have already purchased stuff at Amazon through the links here.

Still have a question?
If you've perused the rest of the information on this page and still have a question, your chances of getting a good answer are best if you post your question on the Antiqueradios.com Forum or on the rec.antiques.radio+phono Usenet newsgroup.

My e-mail address is below. (To try to foil spam harvester bots it's an image, not a link. You'll have to manually type it into the To: field.) If you send me an e-mail and don't get an answer, I apologize. In advance.

Internet Resources
Here are some links to some of the best Internet resources for information about old radios and radio collecting.

The FAQ (frequently asked questions) of the rec.antiques.radio+phono Usenet newsgroup is a basic antique radio collecting primer. It's highly recommended reading.
The Radio Beginner section of Phil's Old Radios is recommended reading too.
Many Web sites maintain comprehensive lists of antique radio collecting resources (vacuum tubes, parts, books, etc.), on the Web and elsewhere. A good one is the Antique Radios Online resources page.
If you want to learn still more about antique radio collecting and get more involved in it, I recommend three things: Subscribe to Antique Radio Classified magazine, join your local club, and go to Amazon.com and buy some books on the subject.
If you want to learn more about Amateur Radio, a good place to start is at the American Radio Relay League, the national organization representing all U.S. hams. Or try some books about ham radio from Amazon.com.
If you want more information about Drake ham radio equipment, visit the Drake List Home Page, and try the Drake Virtual Museum.

Sidebars
Informative bits and pieces from other pages on this Web site