Bendex AA5 Repair, Alignment, Oscillator, Antenna, IF's

[@AndyDaviesByTheSea]

Hi Rick, well, that’s another radio saved, well done! I don’t think we really realize just how lucky we are to be able not only appreciate the magic of these old radios but to actually understand how the work. Somehow dragging in the station with a screwdriver is still more exciting than twiddling the dial. I wonder if folk in the future will have the same affection for digital technology as we now have for analogue technology. Kind Regards ... Andy

[@dwtees]

Rick, Thanks for documenting the sequence of adjusting the oscillator, antenna, and IF adjustments. Another great teaching video. I agree with the other comments. Your videos are a pleasure to watch and I learn something every time.

[@Ramblin_DMC]

Watching your videos has been great. I learned most of what I know about restoring radios from videos on youtube. Yours have been very helpful over the years. I have just recently finished restoring a 12 tube shutter dial Zenith. It really put my skills to the test!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Joe Minor This is the way I used the line AA5 radios when I was in high school because I had no equipment. Surprisingly, it works very well for these simple radios. Of course I use the proper test equipment for the more complex radios.

[@THOMMGB]

Hi Rick, I know this is an older video, but the information is perfectly up to date. I always wondered how those two screws were adjusted on the variable capacitor. You showed me the exact thing I needed. Regards, Tom

[@thomasstemmer4767]

+THOMMGB that is the antenna coil trimmer and the osc coil trimmer. they are actually suposed to be adjusted using a signal generator and a vtvm as an output meter. they are peaked for maximum on the vtvm. same for the if cans

[@THOMMGB]

+Thomas Stemmer Thanks for the additional information. I'll have to apply what I've learned so I don't forget it. Regards, Tom

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

+THOMMGB The station is a signal generator

[@laharl2k]

I may have been born after that radio was made, but it still looks beautiful to me. To think we now have digital radios in cellphones. I would love to have some of those to play and learn how that technology worked but sadly i havent seen anything using vacuum tubes get thrown for almost 10 years so far. And back then i was a kid and it didn't even cross my mind to keep the tubes :(

[@ranuts2]

That about clears all that up...great series for me. Really nice video and sound quality.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Gary, I am using a new wireless headset, and it does seem to work very well. Recently I bought a Nikon Coolpix L610 still/video camera. I recently did a video on this camera because I have had several inquiries as to what camera I'm using. I did not mention that I started using a new camera and headset a little over two months ago. It's nice to know it makes the difference.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes, I bought them at Radio Shack and the capacitors at Antique Electronic Supply

[@Wyowanderer]

Great video, Rick, thank you. Your videos help make these radios less mysterious to me.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Hey Andy I view it as the same technology. I think there will be interest in the future because you can't change what a electron does, what ever it is. Already it is impossible to work on the new equipment, even some of the cell phones you have to send back to the factory to change the battery.

[@LyonsArcade]

Sir thank you for your great videos, you have a great teaching style. I'm just getting into repairing some old tube radios, and I have a question if you'd have the time to reply. I watched your other video on using the signal generator (as well as other folks videos) and I have an old Heathkit signal generator.... the question I have is, it seems as you show here, that you can also tune the IF with just using a weak station and turning it in. Or, I believe I could use the signal generator set on say 600khz and tune that in with the IF cans.... my question is, why do we need to use the 455khz frequency? I understand that the radio is tuned to that but I don't understand why I can't just tune in a station similar to how you're doing here on whatever frequency I introduce into the loop antenna. It seems I can just create my own station at 620 or whatever, set the dial to that and tune her in with the IF. Is it because the 455 should be able to be heard at any location on the dial? Thank you for your great videos!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thank you. This technique is for radios that need a little tweaking. The IF's are very sharply tuned to 455kHz as you know. This frequency was chosen because it does not interfere with anything else. This frequency is high enough that it can carry the audio information was almost no loss of audio quality. I would only use the radio station, preferably in the middle of the band, because I know for sure it's frequency is very accurate because of the FCC. If I have any question at all about a radios alignment I will use a signal generator on 455kHz and do a complete alignment according to the radios alignment procedures. I do have a free e-book that may help you. Below is the link to the download and the password is allamericanfiveradio . I think my FREE eBook may help. PASSWORD is allamericanfiveradio drive.google.com/file/d/1HHmaWYr7UMACfmS4W5uL6PADoem2KlRp/view?usp=sharing

[@LyonsArcade]

@@AllAmericanFiveRadio Thank you sir for your reply, and I will read the Ebook, I just downloaded it. Thank you for taking the time to teach us! I have subscribed to your channel and am going to work through watching your videos as I get time... I especially like some of the flea market videos, I've always loved a flea market. Thank you again!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Digital technology is really very simple, there's just an overwhelming amount of it. Once I checked how many lines of code the program was that I taught, at that time it was over 6 billion lines of code. Regards Rick

[@421CentralIowa]

AA5, can you offer a suggestion where to buy the IF tuning screwdrivers? I think some of the Zenith radios I have have hex head coil adjustments as well as flat head screws? And then I am curious where you purchase your capacitors. I have been buying mine on ebay but am looking for a more cost efficient place to find high voltage mica and electrolytics. Thanks!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks laharl2k Yes nice tube radios are getting much harder to fine. I think eBay is probably the easiest way to find them, but I still prefer to be able to look at them in person.

[@K4JOE]

Another great video Rick. Since my eyesignt is better than my hearing, I use an Oscilloscope attached to the output transformer going into the speaker with appropriate settings to adjust my IF's. As usuall in electronics there are more than one way to "skin a cat" as my Papa used to say. Joe-K4JOE

[@k9uw]

I agree with other posters - your videos are a boon to me as a newcomer to the hobby. I'm curious about the "Sani Wax" product alongside the radio. I've never heard of it or seen it before. Did you use it on the cabinet? Where did you obtain it?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Ron Pearson

[@Ronbob59]

Ok... Now I know how. Thanks for sharing, Rick...

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Douglas Tees

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Tony T.

[@TonyButchT]

A pleasure to watch and a great learning experience, Thank You!

[@nckeller]

Well done, and clearly explained. Thank you again.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Ken Abromowitz

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks JaycesVintageRadios 12 Tubes!! Very nice!!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks PETRIDISGEORGE

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Dennis Hill

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks SpeakerFreak95

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks nckeller

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks enemyace19

[@michaelreece458]

Wonderful video.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thank you, and your welcome.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks wertsdb71

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks TheEMEME

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks ranuts2

[@MrWasim100100]

thanks great video

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

THANK YOU!

[@GaRbAllZ]

Very nice.