Repair Of A 1947 Motorola 56x11 AA5 Tube radio

Here's a 1947 Motorola model 56x11 that was sent in for repair. Let's see if we can get it to play again.

[@trailbossx2]

Very satisfying,,,,that's what a radio should look, and play like,,,,never ending fascination,,,,,great vid!!!!😎

[@jameslester3861]

I had to build a 5 tube radio from a kit in vo-tech school and align it and tune it. Only tube radio I ever worked on. The instructor made sure we had the chassis plugged into an isolation transformer while we were working on them.(actually any equipment)I repaired a lot of transistor radios and tube chassis TVs. I miss those days.

[@ronalddaub5049]

1975 was the last year are high school shot built a 5- t u b e radio

[@coincidentalrvadventures2081]

You did a nice job. I would have cleaned the chassie more. The open fins look like they needed cleaning also. But I’m not as qualified as you are. Thanks for taking the time of sharing with us.

[@JerryEricsson]

Cool old set. Dad and his 4 brothers all had farms, all a split of the old homestead my grandfather established in 1907. Anyhow, we got the home place that was never wired for power, so I used to love looking at the radios at my uncle's homes. One uncle had that exact radio in his kitchen, they used to set it down on a bench that stayed behind the table and when company came, they would pull that table out and we kids would sit on the bench while eating, that radio used to sit next to me at many meals. Sometimes they would leave it play if we were there for the noon meal because the hospital report was given at noon and everyone had to listen to that!

[@kennynvake4hve584]

That is an excellent performer...

[@armandcorpolongo]

Nice job on the restoration. Looks and sounds great. Many useful tips along the way. Thanks for sharing.

[@hmbpnz]

I have a Motorola 58G11 that I'm working on, but haven't done anything yet. The inside of the radio looks as pristine as this one. Great channel. I really enjoying watching. Thank you.

[@45AMT]

Thanks. Glad to have you.

[@LarryDeSilva64]

Really nice seeing you repair that old classic radio. I am sure the customer is going to be more than pleased. Thanks for sharing.

[@Lapeerphoto]

Good job - I'll watch a few more of your videos. Maybe I'll get enough courage to dig into and tinker with one of my 11 old tube radios. :) Thanks

[@bangzoom8180]

You read my mind

[@hmbpnz]

Wow, WGN and WBBM! My hometown sounds! That is super neat. What a nice little radio.

[@45AMT]

Yeah those are powerhouse stations. Like WCBS we pick them up Regularly here in the Carolina's , Thanks to radio propagation

[@hmbpnz]

I work in Schaumburg, IL, just north of the WGN/WBBM transmitters. They're in "swampy" ground right near the water reclamation plant.

[@billiewright7532]

I enjoy watching these old radios brought back to use able condition

[@macgvrs]

Great sounding little radio. Nice to see these old radios come back to life.

[@jeffadams5510]

Looks SO much better than when you started. Keep em coming!!!!!!!!!

[@TerryMcKean]

Great restore and a very nice set, too... thanks for sharing. I especially like that loop-antenna setup with the slotted blocks and stuff... definitely retro-cool design, and it's tuning range is perfect for complete coverage of today's AM broadcast band :-)

[@davidfarrell7318]

lovely radio sounding good you did an amazing job on it I wish I could fix them like that.

[@ldel6054]

Good sounding little radio. Cleaned up real good!

[@truck9moon100]

You are a very gifted person. Thanks for the video.

[@jasonthejawman5442]

Welcome back I just love your restoration video's old radio's

[@danvanlandingham3854]

I just bought an RCA with the same model number.The seller said it works,but you know how that goes.It dates from the '40s just like the other two I have.I'm expecting it to have SMD like my '49 8X71.An interesting thing about the '46 65X1,the ground on the filter cap goes to the antenna coil rather than to B-.I've never seen that before.Its repaired and works nicely;its in my kitchen.

[@MrBill844]

Thumbs Up, another nice job, You Rock, Lets Go Br......

[@Backtothefutureradios]

Very nice radio! Great explanation of floating ground and how to find alternate tie points for the filter caps! Sounds great, the speaker and alignment did the trick! Thanks for sharing, Take Care--Larry

[@45AMT]

Thanks Larry!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Nicely done and thanks for explaining things

[@fabinhoosmar]

Bom Rádio, a recepção ficou muito boa......bom trabalho !!!!!!

[@chadcastagana9181]

This radio frame looks just like my EMERSON that is also from the 1940's. Mine is not rounded on the edges but has the same dial deco. Only tunes from 550 to 1,600 KHz though. 17:15 My late father built for himself a tester like that, he had apprenticed at RCA

[@mjg263]

Nice job!

[@THEWWIICOLLECTOR1941]

Awsome ! Good work!

[@danielsteele7544]

Expert work

[@stevegibson9671]

That was Marty calling the Reds game on WLW Cincinnati.

[@andyleibrook6012]

I caught that too.

[@joecarson8281]

Beautiful job with the cabinet. Care to share the secret sometime in the future? Thanks for sharing and keeping these radios alive.

[@jeffadams5510]

I can get chicago stations up here in Minnesota too-cool!!!

[@nitebirdscuffle4213]

Nice video Bud.......Really great channel you have.....Absolutely love it.......Bringing beatiful old radios back to life.

[@45AMT]

Hey Thanks so much for checking out my channel!!

[@Inflec]

Surprised to see dogbone resistors and octal tubes still being used in a '47 radio. Must have been one of the last sets to use them. Most designs had gone over to the miniature AA5 tube complement around that time.

[@laureanoruaorozco1562]

well done¡

[@Captain_Char]

I had a similar problem with my philco model 70, I thought I had to redo the filter caps, but it was actually a cheap 120 to 5 volt wall wart causing interference

[@bangzoom8180]

You need to get someone to hold the camera so you can use both hands...great video...thx!

[@charliehustle5529]

hi what did you use to clean and polish the bakelite with . thanks for your time and thanks for the vid

[@davidhamm5626]

It came out great. I have a question about your tube tester. Does it test all 3 sections at the same time? Many of the ones I get have a bad 3rd section, so the performance suffers.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

I think the grandkids will be thrilled with grandma's radio. In a few years when all the civil disturbances get worse then this radio will help their kids find out what is happening to their children fighting the red chinese around Peking. Which gets me. Why would the red chinese care whether we English speaking people call Peking or Beijing their nations capital. I mean they speak Chinese and I am sure what they call it is way different than what we call it. It is still Peking to me. Like Peking Duck.

[@nor4277]

So where do you buy extra speakers,I want to keep.a couple around as spares ,good video .great to learn from.

[@ronalddaub5049]

I get parts by collecting all of the junk I can get

[@rondeldebbio9219]

On the 3 section filter cap, did you put in a 22uf cap for the blue wire? Looks like you only showed 2 sections of it, the red and orange, not the blue. I assume you used a 22 uf cap for the blue same value as the orange.

[@dylanlepert232]

Do you ever replace capacitors with the foil end how it was originally, or do you find that it does not really matter? I am newish to restoring radios, but I have been collecting for years.

[@ethan1970]

Hello, i was wondering how much you would charge to get a Dial string restrung on a AA5 tube radio. I have already restored the electronics, but do not have the time to restring the dial string. Thanks. -Ethan

[@45AMT]

Yeah i avoid them whenever i can. I only do them when absolutely necessary.

[@ethan1970]

The Dial String on mine has broke, so i cant use it anymore. How much would you charge to fix the problem? -Thanks

[@rawtry65]

Do you have to remove the resistor to measure?

[@Inflec]

Depends. If the resistor in question has other resistors or components paralleled in the circuit with it, it is a good idea to disconnect one lead to be certain of getting an accurate reading. If the resistor is going to a tube pin with nothing else in parallel it can usually be checked in situ without having to do this. Solid state electronics generally requires the one lead disconnect because of the shunting effect of transistors and i.c.s.

[@kennynvake4hve584]

I might be wrong (6:44 in the video)...but dont two caps in parallel halves the total of the two....and two in series is adding the two...is this right...???

[@Inflec]

Nope. Just the opposite. Two identical caps in series gives you half the capacitance (but doubles the voltage rating). Parallel gives you double the capacitance and same voltage rating.

[@kennynvake4hve584]

@@Inflec maybe I was thinking of resistors..

[@Inflec]

@@kennynvake4hve584 - That's correct.

[@eugenetheodore2956]

Hello, I have a model A15J3 that I need a volume control for. Do you know where I may obtain one?

[@45AMT]

What's the value?

[@eugenetheodore2956]

@@45AMT It is 1 meg. & it's on a pcb & has 5 pins.

[@danielthomas3057]

You should check it out first before powering it up.

[@miroslavbelik3133]

U7