CT-100 S/N B8002601 is Operational

[Tim]

Thanks for the comments guys.

John:

Yes, convergence can be tricky. I just was going around in circles on this with the few handles there are and not making it any better. It was concerning me that I was at the end of the adjustments, including focus, and have no more range. Is it typical for the focus to be up against the clockwise stop?

This HV issue I guess is normal but it is hard to believe it was that way when it was designed, that the owners could not turn up the brightness and contrast without a complete focus meltdown. My brightnes and contrast were set about 75%. Is this a component age thing or is it the belief that this was always that way?

Bobby:
The CRT is probably the original but it still has good emission. The date code of the CRT is the 26th week of 1954. Most of the other tubes in the set are dated the 12th week of 54.

Thanks Steve. It is always good to learn what is considered technically "normal" for a model set. If this is as good as it gets then so be it. Interesting that you mention degaussing as I was considering that but did not do it as this thing was sitting idle for so many years. I have to remove the CRT again before I set it up for good so I'll leave it as it is and try to walk it in better when I get it moved upstairs and degauss it. I guess degaussing would be regular maintenance for this set. Has anyone had any problems using a standard degaussing coil and procedure on a 15GP22?

[Pete Deksnis]

... re the focus control: no, it shouldn't be at the end of the pot of course. Could be the 50-meg resistor in series with the pot or, let's hope not, the vertical convergence transformer could be heading south. That 0.01-uF filter cap on the focus line has no doubt been replaced and therefor is not much of a suspect. To start with, I'd make sure the series string is okay.

[Pete Deksnis]

Great work, Tim. Missed the fun earlier in the day cause I'm in Michigan for a grandson's first birthday.

As John indicated, convergence is something of a skill to be developed. Keep at it. As I see it, what you have will produce a good picture, but there is also room for improvement if you want to spend the time. As for the blooming. Join the club. I suspect that RCA/NBC showed off the Model 5's on Jan. 1, 1954 in a dark room to avoid the blooming thing and probably to eliminate reflections from all that glass. I've used a regular '70's-era degaussing coil on the 15GP22 but couldn't notice any particular improvement. I've noticed the resolution of the picture improve as convergence improved, as you would expect. But it really looks impressive, particularly when the source is a live sporting event shot with hi-def cameras, perhaps because, as old-tv-nut has indicated, the hi-def system standards specify camera matrix characteristics.

It's back to NJ for me tomorrow.

Pete