Why do I collect radios?

Dear Ernst and future friends at Radio Museum:
At the age of eleven I met a friend who had a 1 tube radio powered by a battery, and his dad was a HAM operator. I was mesmerized by the ham equipment and by this 1 tube radio. So when I was 12, I began delivering newspapers and earned the money to buy a crystal set with a cat whisker. Then I began running antennas all over the place facing several directions, inside and outside of the house. When my customers found out I liked radios they began giving me their discarded ones. In that way I eventually was given 35 radios and 10 televisions. I spent many a night til 1 A.M. runnuing back and forth on the Short Wave bands wondering what country would be next.
Regretably, when I moved from New York to Wyoming, I saved my 3 favorites and only the tubes from the rest. None of the TVs made the move. As time went on, I discovered Heathkit Co. and eventually built a preamplifier, 2 receivers, a tube tester, and 2 color televisions (one tube and one transistor).
Being recently retired, I've revived my old hobby and have added to my collection. I've just learned how to recap radios so I'm doing a lot of that. However, alignment is my first love so I find myself spending several hours on any one radio bringing it back to peak performance. Then I joyfully spend several days running back and forth on the dial, seeing how many stations it can pick up. My very most favorites are the shutter dial Zenith 12-S-267 and the recently acquired Graetz 51W. This German radio is my only European radio. It's a real gem .
I'm sure glad I discovered Radiomuseum. Sincerely, Bill DeRycke

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Hi all,

I'll start by saying I do not collect radios! I collect valves. At one time I did collect military radios but sadly I do not have the space now.

I first became interested in electronics when I was about 8 - and I have an 8 year old son now who is showing similar interests. I have a 7 year old son too but his interests are not all the same. So there is hope for the next generation. It was my grandfather who got me interested by drawing a sine wave and talking about ac and dc. He gave me some old radios - and I wish I still had them but I pulled the valves out to see what happened when they were smashed! Well, I was only 8. I still have a 425PEN valve from that time, 37 years ago now, and that was the first valve in my collection that of now almost 2000. I even took that valve into primary school with a battery and showed the teachers how it lit up.

When I was 12 the local TV repair shop closed down and myself and a friend were given all the old stock of valves and components. We were both into construction then, but we drifted apart later. Also I never got round to becoming a licensed radio amateur but I still plan to do so.

At secondary school I discovered a house clearence trader and he had all sorts of old radios which I would buy, fix, and give to local pensioners. I also did some trade repairing and selling old Creed teleprinters for pocket money. That was all a long time ago now.

Then came a big gap as I discovered the dreaded automobile! All my money went into cars, petrol, spares to replace bits I broke etc. Then came motorsport and there went even more cash. I finally escaped from all of that in the late 1980's and in the late 1990's got back to collecting valves.

Currently my main interest is the WWII era valves, especially the more unusual types. And after that, basically anything. I have a number of early magnetrons and klystrons but there are always more to find. And so I go on hunting these down and will probably always do so! My valve collection is online at http://www.tubecollector.org/

I am by no means an expert given the knowledge that others possess, but I am still learning and have become a good researcher, helped by the fact that I work in a university with a huge library including many old books and journals on electonics and radio.

Jeremy.

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Hello,

Why do I collect radios? I think radios are finding me is the answer. It is a great joy to me to bring old tube equipment back to life and put smiles of my friends faces when their old friend 
comes home happy and healthy. 

When I was a young boy, I got as a present of a crystal set that resembled a rocket ship. I would spend hours in our backyard "fort" with my rocket ship clipped to the fence and listen to radio staions from around the mid-western US, with simple amazement that I could tune in the world with no power on such a simple device. I must have taken it apart and put it back together a hundred times. I guess that is where it started.

Many years past since then and now that I am much older I decided to restore and supplement the television service lab that helped me work my way through college back in service. After many years in engineering management, I realized that I really missed the hands on servicing of tube equipment. So I started on my old amplifiers and tubed TV, then I bought a tubed radio, and then people have started giving me their old radios to fix, and now I am starting to collect selectively. It is like a snowball rolling downhill and I have several radios now and I really enjoy listening to the oldies on KFRC and basketball games on KHTK. My dog and I spend hours in my lab listening too and working on old radios and amplifiers or watching a game on the old Zenith. On a cold night the room has such a cozy feeling with all those tubes glowing and the sound, well you know already.

It needs be acknowledged that Radiomuseum was my first contact with radio lovers and I just want to thank Ernest Erb and Konrad Birkner for being so helpful getting me started back on the road of something I love doing.


Best Regards
Kirby Hallenbeck

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To our newer members, Jeremy and Kirby, who speak with an accent. . .
Let me be one of the first to additionally welcome you to the Finest Virtual Radiomuseum that has existed. Thanks in great measure to our founder and many of the staff that have made this a "unique" experience.

I believe the terminology is still considered acceptable - or as some individuals would say - PC.

With additional representation from Californa to Europe, and interests from TV to Tubes, and from Collectors to Restorers (and some of us who try to do both), it means that the RMorg will most likely continue to find itself "active" nearly 24 hours of every day.

Respectfully,
Robert

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Why I collect German vintage radios, test equipment, valves and watt-hour meters? As I sit here, my mind is swirling with visions of all the people that have inspired me with my RF quest. 

My love of short-wave radios began when I was around twelve years of enthusiasm. My dad helped me get an old Phillip's unit for my bedroom. Neither my Dad nor I understood the antenna reception requirements, so off I headed to the library and found myself immersed in a world of unfamiliar technology.
I joined the Marine Corps in 1968.  While in the Corps, I was exposed to a vast array of technology and equipment.  As a young Marine in the late sixties, I served my time in the west pacific as many others had. 
After recovering from injuries, I was reassigned to the Second Marine Air Wing and VMFA-312.  I had aquired knowledge of Phantom F-4 aircraft and now was an Avionics Technician.  Electronic, engineering and in-depth RF experience became my focus. 
The precision of the German audio receiver design and focus on detail caught my eye. I especially enjoyed putting my diagnostic abilities through their paces within the framework of a Nordmende chassis.
My first Nordmende Kadett 57 comes to mind.   I had received this beauty from a dear friend and his wife in Europe, he had located it in an old store in Munich... Having noted that it was inoperative.  They immediately shipped it to his ol USA collector friend (me). 

Upon receipt in the good ol USA, the huge packing box and large pile of packing materials were impressive for this piece of equipment, my wife looked over my shoulder and well... she remarked regarding the condition of the radio...(not exactly my wife's wording, I edited her words to avoid deletion of this reply).  Her allergy of dust was immediately brought to my attention.  The relationship of the garage's proximity and how this old radio would look so much better on my work bench rather than the living room was also discussed!  My beautiful wife was born in Munich and still retains her German citizenship as well as citizenship as an American.  

The first time I removed the rear cover from this old Nordmende, my heart jumped and my cheeks hurt...  the pain must have been coming from my ear-to-ear smile.  Upon looking up at my wife, I noted the look of sheer disbelief of the large amount of accumulated dust within the housing.  All I could think of.... if only this lil radio could tell me the stories of it's many years of service within it's home in Europe. Why this scratch was here or that mark was there?  The years of use would mean neglect to one person, but has only inspired wonderment in my minds eye.

I presently only own six Nordmende radio's of different vintages and makes, also a Siemens Klangmeister III, two older 23 channel SSB units, six different Walt Disney radios, seven very old Hickok multi-meters, a 1923 ohm-meter and an Edison Watt-hour meter of 1906 vintage (removed same from an old Texas pipeline facility years ago). 

I especially enjoy an older military signal generator and antique ohmmeter while working on my restoration projects.  My 610-tube tester is invaluable while going through all the valves in each project. Using the older equipment in concert with newer meters and diagnostics always keeps a smile on my face!

The wonderment of my childhood years, while listening to my grandfathers older tube radio, included programs from around the world.  It is my opinion that the tone and clarity of a valve amplified receiver is beyond the technology in today's world. Many have told me that I am very biased…. well so what... yep, I am smiling big time!

Well, I understand that I am biased regarding tube radios and older radio's in general and now I am an enthusiast member of a very elite group of people.  We all have a deep love for RF and the world in whole.

I personally hope we never change and can involve as many other radio lovers throughout the world!

 

There is nothing more enjoyable in my life than listening to a program or a favorite song through a restored piece of our history! Especially if you have worked and restored the equipment yourself!

 

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this unique RF family!

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