English: Publicity photo of John Hillerman and Betty White from The Betty White Show, 1977. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Betty White: TV’s golden girl on 63 years in showbusiness | Television & radio | The Guardian.  10 November 2012

Now for something completely different…I do remember growing up with Betty White on TV.  It must have been when I was 8 or 9 when we obtained our first TV (a Stromberg Carlson, since you ask).  Betty White was on weekly, possibly in Life With Elizabeth, more likely it was The Betty White Show.  In her thirties then, I thought she looked old…but she doesn’t seem to have changed a bit since.  Of course this was before colour television became available and the studio lighting, combined with poor image quality on early TVs, made her hair appear grey at the time.  And being the age I was, anyone 15 or older seemed ancient to me.

Long may she prosper.  We’ve all be ever so slightly enriched by her.

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Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Steps… stable, secure and ready for your camping trips! This foldable, sturdy replacement Steps make hopping into your camper or RV a snap! Steps feature a powder-coat finish for rust resistance. Non-skid tape is super-grippy so you don’t lose your footing on the way up. Mounts easily to replace other popular brands of manual RV steps. State Size! Get yours today! Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Step, Double 24 Tread, 7″ Rise

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Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Steel Folding Platform Step stands up to 8 inch high with a platform 24 inch wide x 16 inch deep. Its steel construction can support 300 pounds. This step is only 1 inch in height and is for easy storage. All base metals are galvanized steel prior to powder coating the step is corrosion protection. Features four lock open braces that secures the legs.

Stromberg Carlson Product S-100 Steel Folding Platform Step Feature

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Stromberg Carlson Product Aluminum Folding Platform Step measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights. Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum which does not rust. Features a rubber feet that won’t slip.

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step Feature

• Measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights
• Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum
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Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Aluminum Folding Platform Step measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights. Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum which does not rust. Features a rubber feet that won’t slip.

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step Feature

• Measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights
• Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum
• Light weight aluminum will not rust

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Product Description

STROMBERG CARLSON PRODUCT SP-24-100 ELECTRIC STEP SINGLE 24″ TREAD

Stromberg Carlson SP-24-100 24″ Tread Electric Single Step Feature

• Feature 15 self-lubricating bushings for a maintenance-free operation
• Include a control module with safety backup timer for fail-safe operation
• Weatherproof connector to prevent corrosion

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Product Description

Stromberg Carlson 100 Series Fifth Wheel/Vented Tailgate reduces drag in truckbed, improving gas mileage and handling. Open design aids in better visibility. Constructed of heavy-duty steel tubing and expanded metal with high gloss black finish. Custom fitted. U.S.A. Tailgate Style: Vented, Fits Make: Chevy, Fits Models: 1999 – 2007, Material Type: Steel, Color: Black, Improves Gas Mileage: Yes, Mounting Hardware Included: Yes

Stromberg Carlson VGM-99-100 100 Series Vented Tailgate Feature

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Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Steps… stable, secure and ready for your camping trips! This foldable, sturdy replacement Steps make hopping into your camper or RV a snap! Steps feature a powder-coat finish for rust resistance. Non-skid tape is super-grippy so you don’t lose your footing on the way up. Mounts easily to replace other popular brands of manual RV steps. State Size! Get yours today! Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Step, Triple 24 Tread, 7″ Rise

Stromberg Carlson SM-24-30 7″ Triple Rise Manual Step Feature

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Product Description

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Stromberg Carlson SM-2410-39 9″ Triple Rise Manual Step 24″X 10″ Tread

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Steps… stable, secure and ready for your camping trips! This foldable, sturdy replacement Steps make hopping into your camper or RV a snap! Steps feature a powder-coat finish for rust resistance. Non-skid tape is super-grippy so you don’t lose your footing on the way up. Mounts easily to replace other popular brands of manual RV steps. State Size! Get yours today! Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Step, Triple 24×10 Tread, 9″ Rise

Stromberg Carlson SM-2410-39 9″ Triple Rise Manual Step 24″X 10″ Tread Feature

Stromberg Carlson SM-24-20 24″ Double Tread Manual Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Steps… stable, secure and ready for your camping trips! This foldable, sturdy replacement Steps make hopping into your camper or RV a snap! Steps feature a powder-coat finish for rust resistance. Non-skid tape is super-grippy so you don’t lose your footing on the way up. Mounts easily to replace other popular brands of manual RV steps. State Size! Get yours today! Stromberg Carlson Products, Inc. Manual Step, Double 24 Tread, 7″ Rise

Stromberg Carlson SM-24-20 24″ Double Tread Manual Step Feature

Stromberg Carlson Product S-100 Steel Folding Platform Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Steel Folding Platform Step stands up to 8 inch high with a platform 24 inch wide x 16 inch deep. Its steel construction can support 300 pounds. This step is only 1 inch in height and is for easy storage. All base metals are galvanized steel prior to powder coating the step is corrosion protection. Features four lock open braces that secures the legs.

Stromberg Carlson Product S-100 Steel Folding Platform Step Feature

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Aluminum Folding Platform Step measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights. Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum which does not rust. Features a rubber feet that won’t slip.

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step Feature

• Measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights
• Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum
• Light weight aluminum will not rust

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Aluminum Folding Platform Step measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights. Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum which does not rust. Features a rubber feet that won’t slip.

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step Feature

• Measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights
• Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum
• Light weight aluminum will not rust

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step

Product Description

Stromberg Carlson Product Aluminum Folding Platform Step measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights. Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum which does not rust. Features a rubber feet that won’t slip.

Stromberg Carlson Product PA-100 Aluminum Folding Platform Step Feature

• Measures 19 inch x 14 inch x 3 inch or 8 inch having multi heights
• Supports 1,000 pounds and is made from light weight aluminum
• Light weight aluminum will not rust

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This Stromberg Carlson Fifth Wheel Louvered Gate improves vision, reduces drag in the bed of your truck when towing and protects OEM gate from damage while traveling. In Black. U.S.A. Tailgate Style: Louvered, Fits Make: Ford, Fits Models: 1997 – 2004 F150 (including Heritage Edition), 1999-2011 F250 and F350, Material Type: Plastic and steel, Center Pull Handle: Yes, Color: Black, ImproThis Stromberg Carlson Fifth Wheel Louvered Gate improves vision, reduces drag in the bed of your truck when towing and protects OEM gate from damage while traveling. In Black. U.S.A. Tailgate Style: Louvered, Fits Make: Ford, Fits Models: 1997 – 2004 F150 (including Heritage Edition), 1999-2011 F250 and F350, Material Type: Plastic and steel, Center Pull Handle: Yes, Color: Black, Impro… More Information by Amazon.com

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I’m making these available free of charge to any collector or hobbyist who can use them, in the hope they’ll save someone the amount of frustration I had to go through to get my 520 dial restrung without a guide. So, without further delay, here they are:

These diagrams obviously cover the Stromberg-Carlson models 519, 520, 512, 522 and 523. If you’re looking for schematics and engineering data, check out Made in Rochester where you can find high quality scanned data for servicing and aligning these receivers.

The radio was fairly beat up when I found it – dirty, scratches, missing the speaker cloth, and completely original electrically.

After assessing the condition of the coils and transformers, it was time to mount the chassis to the bench and start the real work.

After replacing pretty much everything that needed replaced or probably would soon, the radio was back to full electrical integrity and ready for alignment:

Alignment completed, it was time to work on the cabinet:

And, at last, time to re-cover the speaker and reinstall! The final results:

It plays beautifully on line input, and picked up distant AM and Shortwave broadcasts (including Radio Australia, a Russian CW and an Entertainment station, Japanese music, English-language religious programming, and a Cuban broadcast. Now, it’s on to the next project!

Radios contained tuned circuits, and like any tuned circuit it can drift over time and become un-tuned. Poorly aligned tuned circuits will result in all kinds of problems – stations showing up at the wrong place on the dial, low volume, distortion, and poor reception. Superhetrodyne receivers, the modern type made popular in the early 1930s and still in use today, convert the incoming radio signals from their radio frequency (RF) level, down to an intermediate frequency (IF). By injecting a signal at the same frequency as the IF and adjusting the fine tuning on the IF transformers, you can measure the changes in output using a meter or even by ear – the volume change is very obvious.

The radio is ready to reinstall:

The last steps are to clean up the cabinet a bit, and repair the grill cloth. I’ve purchased a new grill cloth from Grill Cloth Headquarters (linked on the right sidebar of my blog) and have finally dismantled the mounting board. I’ll be using Howard Restor-a-Finish, #0000 steel wool on scratches, rings and marks and a regular finish application pad for the flat surfaces. This particular cabinet is in excellent shape for its age, and the finish needs just a little touch-up to look great again.

If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to send this beautiful piece of history to its new home in only a few more days.

In this photo, the shortwave loop antenna for distance reception, the cabinet with speaker board removed, the original Webster-Chicago 78 rpm drop changer, and the speaker board. The record changer is still functional, in fact – the motor started up and the mechanism clicked when I turned it on, and pressing the action button made the tone arm lift up, move over and set itself down. Quite a surprise!

This was definitely the case with my radio, as I’m discovering evidence of someone else having been inside and attempted repairs that were of dubious quality and may never have worked properly in the first place.

It’s pretty easy to tell if someone has made repairs before. Component brands is the easiest method, at least for major-brand radio sets from that time period. Most of the capacitors in this Stromberg-Carlson set were branded with that name, but Mallory capacitors made a couple of appearances too. These were clearly replacements, S-C .01uF capacitor on top and a Mallory .01uF capacitor on the bottom. Making it worse, the solder job was so bad I was able to slide the entire joint up and down along its wire – I doubt there was ever an electrical connection between the wires, even though they were physically fixed together.

There’s also an extra part not listed on the schematic, bypassing the high voltage plate resistor for the audio amplifier tube to ground. I speculate this was done to eliminate some interference from getting into the audio, but it’s another modification that is of unknown quality. The capacitor, the block with colored dots, has started to fail after ~70 years and occasionally introduces some static into the audio as it’s playing. (The capacitor is across R-6 on the schematic snip slightly lower on the page.)

Finally, there are wiring changes made that don’t match the schematic. Is the schematic wrong, or is the wiring in the radio wrong? Schematics of the day were hand-drawn by draftsmen who frequently worked long hours revising and publishing schematics and service data, and mistakes are not unheard of.

I’ve been in other radios that have shown evidence of previous repairs, like this Packard Bell 35-Late which has 5 different brands of capacitors from 3 distinct eras of materials, but were all wired correctly. Pretty much every one of the cylinders except for the tiniest ones is a capacitor in this photo:

or this Zenith 7-S-363 which used both Zenith- and Mallory-branded capacitors from the factory, and also contained Aerovox and Solar later replacements but also worked perfectly after repair:

This Stromberg-Carlson is the first radio I’ve serviced where there were clear mistakes made along the way. It’s an entirely new set of challenges on top of the already-difficult antique radio repair process, but it does add a level of fun and discovery that a straight-up easy “recap” repair doesn’t offer.

Edit: After some peer review, it turns out it was a draftman’s error between the schematic diagram and the wiring diagram! Annoying. I should publish some errata, maybe I’ll do that soon.

The Radiomuseum doesn’t have any more information than I do (in fact, those are my photos on their site). There’s nothing in the Radio Attic Archives, a huge collection of photos of restored radios from all different models. The Antique Radio Forum gallery of Stromberg Carlson radios has a bare chassis photo of another model in the 520 family. And even “Made in Rochester“, a site dedicated to a lot of S-C audio equipment, has only the scanned engineering data. A fellow radio collector has identified it as having a highly desirable Ingraham cabinet, which is a plus.

There’s this ad, showing the 520-PL which has the chassis mounted under a hinge in the top, and the record player is accessed from above:

Another radio enthusiast on the board found a 520-J which uses the same chassis but in a tabletop format, that’s the closest I’ve found so far:

You mentioned Eddie Condon’s Floor Show.  We got a TV early, in the fall of ‘49.  There were lots of little musical programs in those early, primitive days of live TV: Morton Downey, the Kirby Stone Quartet, a black pianist-singer named Bob Howard, others.  I think they were all 15 minutes.  They were filler; the stations didn’t have enough programming to fill their schedules.  (Hey, we thought it was exciting to watch a test pattern!)

I watched Eddie Condon’s Floor Show (on channel 7) before I knew anything about jazz.  I remember immediately noticing this trumpeter who played out of the side of his mouth.  They had a regular segment in which someone from the studio audience (probably 15 people dragged in off the street) requested songs for the band to play. Once somebody requested “Rag Mop”.  In those days, when a novelty like “RM” hit, it hit huge.  For a few weeks it would be everywhere, I mean everywhere – then it would disappear without a trace.  (The same thing happened with “One Meatball” and “Open the Door, Richard”.) Well, it was the fall of ‘49 and the Ames Brothers’ record of “RM” had just hit – only it hadn’t hit Condon and his cohorts, so when somebody requested it, the Condonites were incredulous and dismissive.  I remember them laughing derisively saying “There ain’t no such song” or some such.  Too bad they didn’t know it was just a blues.  Wild Bill would have played the hell out of it.

You can see our Stromberg-Carlson with 12-1/2” screen in the attached photo, taken during my Bar Mitzvah party in Jan. ‘52.  Amazing that such larger-than-life memories (Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, the Army-McCarthy hearings, Edward R. Murrow, Sugar Ray Robinson, Toscanini conducting with fire in his eyes, countless Dodger games, Jackie Gleason breaking his leg on live TV, my first encounter with Wild Bill Davison) could have come out of such a little box!

That one of my readers saw the Eddie Condon Floor Show on television is wonderful and startling.  For those of you who aren’t as obsessed as I am with this particular bit of jazz history, I will say briefly that Condon, who was organizing jazz events before most of us were born, had angled a few brief television programs in 1942 — when the medium’s reach was unimaginably small.  Then, in 1948, he began a series of programs that offered live hot jazz with everyone: Louis, Lips Page, Billy Butterfield, Roy Eldridge, Muggsy Spanier, Jonah Jones, Jimmy McPartland, Cootie Williams, Wild Bill Davison, Dick Cary, Jack Teagarden, Cutty Cutshall, Benny Morton, Brad Gowans, Big Chief Russell Moore, Peanuts Hucko, Ernie Caceres, Sidney Bechet, Pee Wee Russell, Willie the Lion Smith, James P. Johnson, Earl Hines, Count Basie, Gene Schroeder, Sammy Price, Ralph Sutton, Cliff Jackson, Joe Bushkin, Teddy Hale, Avon Long, Jack Lesberg, Zutty Singleton, Sid Catlett, George Wettling, Kansas Fields,Buzzy Drootin,  J. C. Heard, Buddy Rich, Lee Wiley, Rosemary Clooney, Sarah vaughan, Thelma Carpenter, June Christy, Johnny Desmond, Helen Ward, and on and on . . .

In case some of the names surprise you, Condon’s appreciation of good music was deep and never restrictive.  Ironically, his name is now associated with a blend of “Dixieland” and familiar routines on Twenties and Thirties pop songs.

Some music from the Floor Shows was preserved and eventually issued on the Italian Queen-Disc label.  To my knowledge, nothing from these recordings (and the collectors’ tapes) has made it to CD.

In addition, no one has found any kinescopes (they were films of television programs, often recorded directly from the monitor or set) of the programs.  We continue to hope.  Perhaps one of my readers has a pile of 16mm reels in the basement.  Let me know before you begin the obligatory spring cleaning!  My father was a motion picture projectionist, so such things are in my blood.