Newbie with an 800B

[Day Radebaugh]

Hello:

I'm Day Radebaugh from El Dorado, Kansas, and was happy to find this site.  30 years ago, when I was a starving student, I lived in a house in Baltimore that was in the process of being sold.  They had an old Scott console (with a phonograph, as i recall) which i bought for $5.  I couldn't keep the cabinet, but kept all but the phonograph.  It's been stored inside ever since.

So now I'd like to have it restored, and I would build a new console to contain it.  Do you have any suggestions about how to proceed?  Anyone you know of who could tackle a functional restoration of this unit?

Thanks for your help.

Day Radebaugh

[Day Radebaugh]

So could we.  We've got winter wheat planted on the farm, and it's been dry here for a few months.

[Dave]

That was a long sleigh ride, for the 800, to Antique Sounds in CT. We’re iceboaters here, heard they were at it as far South as MO !!

[Day Radebaugh]

It's the deep freeze.  Keeping the water open for the livestock is no fun.

[David C. Poland]

Day - there is collector in Pittsburgh area who rebuilt an 800B  Scott Chippendale radio/phono combo credenza cabinet into a console. Basically, imagine result as just the right half of the original cabinet. Turned the 40 + inch wide cabinet into a 20 + inch wide console. As though cut in half. Dismantled the cabinet and rebuilt only the right half using the left end pieces as the new left side. I wish I had kept some of his photos. The result held only the receiver with tip down front panel so receiver could roll out, speaker below with the amp behind it. Two original doors in front of the speaker. Of course, no phono now. And a lot less floorspace needed.

You put your speaker in a proper substantial cabinet like that above and be amazed at the difference in sound and bass response available. 

[Day Radebaugh]

Sounds like a good setup.  I think I can arrange this so that it's only about 20+" high.  That dimension will pass the Wifely Acceptance Factor test.

Any suggestions on noisy volume control?  I had the unit on for about 3 hrs today.  Other than that pot, it did quite well.

Thanks

[David C. Poland]

DAY - yes - use a contact cleaner, like a DeOxit product, for volume controls.

You mentioned significant hum but that then  hum lessened. Perhaps a filter cap reforming with some use. Or one could be on borrowed time. At least you have demonstrated the major elements are good (power transformer, various coils, output transformer and field coil). Find and read through the other 800B threads for orientation and restoration experiences. I restored one few years ago for someone - a lot of work but result sounded very good. 

Hope you found and read through operating procedures. There are relays that 1) power the radio on and off, and 2)  switch between AM and FM when pushing the station presets. Certain control settings required for the set to switch to FM from AM. FM stations were few in late 1940s, but today FM is where most good music programming is found.  FYI, each preset button can be changed between an AM and an FM function with a simple wiring harness change. With a little trial and error, you can make your own station all letter tabs to insert in those buttons. I used tab color to distinguish between AM and FM buttons on the one I restored.

[Day Radebaugh]

I have a lot of the documentation on the 800, including Tuning and Installation Instruction, Technical Service Manual, and an old Sam's Photofacts that I copied from the Library of Congress, way back before the Internet.  

At the risk of offending the Missus, I'm going to keep the setup that I have and proceed to put some hours on the unit, to determine any residual problems after restoration.

Suggestions?

Thanks

[Day Radebaugh]

Does anyone know how to install the loop antenna for the 800B?  The documentations says that instructions are provided with the antenna; I have the antenna, but not the instructions.  My understanding is that, in areas of reasonable signal strength, the loop will receive both BC and SW.  Attaching a pic of the loop.

Thanks

[Kent King]

Ahh...I have an original of the Antenna Installation manual, I didn't realize it was scanned and in the folder. I will try very hard to get it scanned and uploaded tonight...or very soon. 

Kent

[Day Radebaugh]

Thanks very much.  

It's clear how you connect the loop antenna for SW: plug the 4-prong connector into receptacle J7 on the back, and switch the receiver so that it recognizes the loop.  

However, some of the literature talks about using the loop for BC as well, if you have a relatively strong signal.  In fact, someone in the past soldered a couple of pigtails on the binding posts which DO NOT secure the loop itself to the fiber bracket.  So I guess my real question is, what would be the purpose of such leads, and would I get BC as well if I connected them to the BC antenna strip? 

Appreciate your help.

[Kent King]

The Installation Manual for the Loop Antenna has been added to the Archive...Set Folders > 800B. There are several additional items I had that I scanned this evening.

[Day Radebaugh]

Thanks very much, Kent.  It will be my bedtime reading.