TH - Canada Southern Railway

86 New York Central Lines Magazine for May, 1928
A
What the Kadi© Manufacturers Offer
i^The Freed^Eiseinan NM^60
FEW days ago a prospective
member of the Order of Radio
Fans asked the writer, "What
constitutes a good radio?"
I promptly answered, "A radio set
in order to be called good must have
selectivity, sensitivity and good tonal
quality."
This did not satisfy the questioner
and lo and behold, he popped the question
all radio men are trying to dodge,
"What is the best radio set?"
That is a hard one to answer. As
a matter of fact I would say that it is
impossible to answer it truthfully. A
better question would be, "What sets
do you consider
good that cost
around $100 (or
whatever price you
mi ght want to
spend).
But so far as the
best set in radio—•
there is no such
set. Your set,
your neighbor's set,
your best friend's
set, each is the
"best" set in radio
today. Whether it
cost $50 or $500,
it's the best set because
it's yours.
In this article
(which is the first
of a series) I am
going to give the
results of a test
given to the new
Freed - Eiseman
NR-60 electric set. This is one of the
good sets that cost $160. The photograph
shows the set with a Peerless
speaker. Freed-Eiseman is to be congratulated
on turning out such a set
as this one. Model NR-60 is a onecsntrol
receiver that has selectivity,
sensitivity and excellent tonal quality.
The cabinet is made of mahogany and
is of a very neat design that will harmonize
with almost any living room.
The power unit is contained in the
cabinet with the set and is designed so
that it does not affect the efficiency of
the receiver. Both set and power unit
are completely shielded.
The big feature of the NR-60 is a
device called an inductor (which is a
tapped variometer) that aids the set
owner in eliminating interference on
Freed-Eiseman NR-60 electric set with Peerless speaker
the low waves and is a big help when
searching for distant stations. Using
an aerial of 100 feet in length all locals
were logged, with stations in
Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Atlantic City,
Springfield and Philadelphia, while
the numerous local New York stations
were broadcasting. At 10:30 P.M.,
real distance started coming through.
Antennae of different lengths were
tried and the set still worked efficiently.
On a strip of wire ten feet in
length Nashville was logged.
The Peerless speaker used while
testing this outfit worked excellently.
No matter how much volume was
turned on, the speaker retained its
sweet and mellow qualities. Inside
this speaker is a filter which protects
the speaker. The Peerless costs $35.
CeCo tubes were used during the
period of test and are recommended by
this department. The CeCo tubes on
test have given longer life than any
other tubes tested.
An interesting experiment was tried
on the NR-60. The ground connection
used was attached to a radiator
about ten feet away from the set. Another
ground was connected to the receiver
and louder signals were received
on distant stations. Eight ground
connections were used in all, which
increased the range of the receiver.
Next month—The Steinite Electric
Set.
Laboratory
Notes
V E R Y good
cure for a motor-boatingreceiver
is to use an
Eveready Layerbilt
battery in connection
with the B
eliminator. The
B-minus of the B
battery should be
connected to the
B-m i n u s of the
eliminator. The detector
voltage
should be taken
from the B battery
and not from the
eliminator. The
Layerbilt Eveready
battery _ is
recommended because of its long life.
These batteries are constructed differently
from any other battery on the
market today. The cells instead of
being cylindrical are flat or layer
built, one on top of each other. Their
life exceeds that of most heavy duty
batteries.
There has been a question in the
minds of some radio fans as to whether
an automobile six-volt battery could
be used as a radio A battery. A
Gould automobile battery has been
connected to a radio set in the laboratory
and results have been excellent
so far. The battery has been connected
only for two weeks. See next
month's laboratory notes for further
results.
The 1928 Centrola (five or six
New York Central Lines Magazine for May, 1928
87
tubes) is quite a receiver. Distant
stations have been received on an Ail "A" Eliminator That Every Fan Can Build
;ierial forty feet in length. The July ACHAT'S the matter, Joe, why 29 Drilled Base Board.
issue will give full details on this set. W , „, 30 Metal Cover.
*
This department is only too glad
to answer questions pertaining to
your radio set, but please give full
details such as make of set, circuit
employed (if you know it), number
of tubes, kind of tubes, age of your
tubes, length of aerial, kind of wire
used on aerial, age of the aerial, kind
of batteries used and age of batteries.
Have you had the set repaired at any
time? To what is your ground connected?
Write in your troubles and
we'll try to help. Also write in your
experiences, so they can be told to
other readers.
v
SO glum.' 3 1 A c Line Attachment Cord with Plugs.
"Well, the storage battery that be- 32 Output Cord for connecting to set with
I
For The Good of Radio
T is just around this time of the
year that radio fans will start
hearing, "This is the last of the
Iodine hours for this season. The
Iodine Company, sponsors of these enjoyable
Iodine hours, will be back on
the air the second week of September.
Until then the Iodine Company (sponsors
of the Iodine hour) bid you all
farewell."
Each year this happens. Toward
the end of May and during the first
few weeks of June many sponsors of
these programs sign off until September.
And then there is so much good
entertainment that you miss half of it.
Now there is a remedy for this falling
off of these hours, and the radio
fan himself can be the doctor. Here's
the cure: Write to the stations to
which you listen and tell them that
you would like to hear the Iodine hour
during the summer months.
Get all your friends to write in to
the different stations. These letters
are always forwarded to the sponsors
of these hours. The reason, according
to the donors of these programs, that
these hours are discontinued is that
fans don't "listen in" during the hot'
weather.
In a way you can't blame the manufacturer
who supports the program
for feeling that way, as he receives
very few letters of encouragement.
It's up to the set owner, so now,
go to it! Get your pen out and write
a letter today to the sponsors of the
hours that you enjoy. Tell everybody
to write. It's for your pleasure and
also for the good of radio.
Next month a four-tube portable set
will be described. This set can be used
with 201-A tubes or the 199 type. Not
alone is this outfit good as portable,
but it can be used as set for the living
room.
Free Booklet
An interesting booklet may be obtained
from Electrad, 175 Varick
Street, New York City, free of charge
by writing and mentioning the New
York Central Lines Magazine.
This booklet gives the popular B
eliminators and power amplifiers of
today. It is called "What B Eliminator
Should I Build?"
longs to my radio went 'west' last 3 3 F 1 S 1 5 wire.
night and I have to get another bat- * * *
tery. But do you know that I hate The smaller parts come in envelopes
to buy another one. I'm tired of o n -which are printed the contents,
charging it and adding water and item number and on which parts the
having all that muss that goes with a contents are to be used.
wet 'A' battery." J} 0 not attempt to open all envelopes
"I had the same experience myself, and then pick parts at random; rather
Joe, about a month ago and I bought follow instructions and assemble each
myself an 'A' eliminator that is abso- individual sub-assembly at one time.
lutely dry, requires no water, and op- if the metal cover touches the AC
erates without the slightest hum." pi ug connector, it should be insulated
"You see, Jack, I was afraid to get by means of a piece of cardboard cut
one of those devices because I didn't to fit over the prongs of the AC conknow
how efficient they were. What nector. This is important, as if it
kind have you?" touches there may be a short circuit.
"It's a Knapp 'A' eliminator and it if the connections are made corcomes
in kit form. I assembled it in rectly you will find that your receiver
about ninety minutes and it was a i s ready for immediate operation on
cinch. First time I ever tackled any- the throw of the toggle switch. This
thing like that, but I took my time, switch also controls a "B" eliminator,
checked up all connections carefully which may be plugged into the top
and before I knew it I was finished connection. The unit works equally
with it." well with "B" batteries or an elim-
"That seems to be a good bet. Think inator.
I'll get one. But wait; you know I When tuning the set on or off use
have an eight-tube set. Will it work the switch on the Knapp "A" power,
an outfit with that many tubes?" Leave your switch on your set "on"
"Sure it will! Take down the address at all times and throw the switch of
of the firm that manufactures these the eliminator to start or stop the set.
kits. It's the Knapp Electric Cor- The resistance unit and top plate
poration, Port Chester, New York." switch are used to supply the proper
So Jack bought an "A" eliminator "A" voltage for all receivers up to
kit and upon opening it found thirty- eight tubes. If the flexible plug conthree
parts, each tagged with its item nector is placed on stud 1, then the
number for identification. The parts lowest available voltage and current
a r
e: are obtained; and in like fashion maximum
output is realized where the plug
Item Name Symbol j s inserted in post 8. For best results
1 Transformer A a re]i able voltmeter should then be
2 Rectifier Unit R tried until the voltmeter reads 6, when
Condenser
C a p a C
t y
'
. .. C-l all tube filaments of the receiver are
4 Choke Coil with 6 brass spacers L-l burning. A 6-volt supply is correct
5 Special high capacity "A" Power for all sets employing 201-A, 112 and
Condenser C-2 171 type tubes. After this adjust-
6 Choke Coil — .......1^-2 ment has been found no further volt-
7
8
Drill Base Plate (Copper"d
Drilled Top Plate (Brown Bakelite with
studs in place).
m 6 t e r
°J /"enticm to the
POWer unit IS needed.
For small sets, say those using
9 Contact Plate (with mounting bracket). three or four tubes, it may be neces-
10 Transformers
and Nuts
Mounting Screws s a ry to install a 6 or 10-ohm rheostat
. Envelope No. 1 j n t h g „ A„ m i n u g j e a (j g 0 t
1 1
"stews 0
( L " .
1 )
.-.
. MOUnt
EnvelopeNo. 2 reduce the output voltage to 6.
12 Rectifier Fastening Nuts.. Envelope No. 3
13 Nuts for fastening wire to rec- Whv Not a Tnne GnntrnlO
tifier on underneath side of V»uy i>Ol a lone control.
14
t 0
a t e
P P'
Plug for "B" Eliminator
Envelope No. 4
Envelope No. 5
» . t
WW
E bear much ree-ardine- a suit-
, , mucn regaramg a suit
t t
15
16
Nuts for holding Transformer
Top Leads Envelope No. 6
Screws and Washers for mounty
7
able volume control, but very
little about a tone control. Yet the
j a e r i g a l m o s t a s important as the
ing Choke Coil (L-l) to Top m .
Plate Envelope No. 7 former. There are times when we
17 Screws and Spacers for mount- want sharp, crisp reproduction, such
ing Transformer to Top « , i j i • i
Pl| t e Envelope No. 8
a s f o r
speeches, band and jazz selects
H & H Toggle Switch... Envelope No. 9 tions, and weak signals, while at other
19 Screws, Nuts and Washers for times we want mellow, soft, entranc-
mountmg Contact Plate to . , . , ,
Top Plate Envelope No. io m
20
21
2 2
S vocal and instrumental rendition.
Terminals EnvelopeNo.il A tone control, therefore, is necessary
Condenser Mounting Bracket to remove the higher frequencies
Screws Envelope No. 12 which are responsible for the sharp,
"str e
ew?^ (L
: 2)
. MOUntm
23
24
25
n d
lnve.opeNo.i3 f»*p/ ^ / disagreeable quall
t y o f s o m e
Bottom Plate Mounting loudspeakers. The Sim-
Screws Envelope No. 14 piest tone control comprises a volume
Nuts and Washers for Ter- control clarostat in series with a Vi
minal Posts Envelope No. 15 condenser, the combinations
Resistance Umt Envelope No. 16 being shunted across the loudspeaker
26 bwitch Post Connector. . . Envelope No. 17 - j ! m • i . ,, r
27
,
Screws for fastening metal cover XTl
V^t- Turning the knob of the clar*
to Base Board Envelope No. 18 stat serves to increase or decrease
28 Condenser Mounting Brackets. sharpness.