Lineside wires...

[Modelcar]

Coordinated Universal Time...."tick....tick.....tick"....tick....tone".

[Deggesty]

Modelcar

Coordinated Universal Time...."tick....tick.....tick"....tick....tone".

Ah, yes. "At the tone, Coordinated Universal Time will be...." As I recall, sixty years ago, it was "Greenwich Mean Time." I still use a Hallicrafters S-38 that two of my brothers bought in 1946 for about $38.00. I have extended the life of the heaters by using a 50L6 output tube instead of the 35L6 it was designed to use.

Johnny

 

[larsend]

I don't know how to tell you this...but...a 50L6 was the original tube type used in the S-38.  I just checked inside the S-38 I am listening to, then checked the original User's Manual.

I bought mine in 1950 when I was in High School.  It is still going strong, working perfectly.  All I did was replace the capacitors several years ago.  You have got to love the All-American 5 Tube Superhetrodyne Radio!

[Deggesty]

larsend

I don't know how to tell you this...but...a 50L6 was the original tube type used in the S-38.  I just checked inside the S-38 I am listening to, then checked the original User's Manual.

I bought mine in 1950 when I was in High School.  It is still going strong, working perfectly.  All I did was replace the capacitors several years ago.  You have got to love the All-American 5 Tube Superhetrodyne Radio!

Sorry, larsend; I don't think that you have an original S-38. Is there a letter after the "38"? The manual for mine (dated April 1946) tells of the six tubes in the radio--12SA7(pentagrid converter), 12SK7 (I.F. amplifier), 12SQ7GT (beat frequency oscillator & automatic noise limiter), 12SQ7GT (detector and first audio), 35L6GT (audio power output), 35Z5GT (rectifier), and two one #47 dial lamps.

I remember seeing that Hallicrafters started selling a modified S-38 which did not have the b.f.o. or noise limiter; this is probably what you have. I was at first puzzled by the lack of some controls on the front.

Yes, the All-American Superhet circuit was quite the thing; you could run in on 110 volts AC or DC. Whether it was built with the original tube lineup, or with Loctal tubes, or with miniature tubes, millions were sold, and there may well be thousands still in use.

Johnny