My First Full Restoration of an Antique Radio!

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

I don't think this radio has Automatic volume control as its only a 5 tube radio and it doesn't even have an RF Stage like my WR-10 radio does and its from 1932 which was during the depression so it was meant to be cheap but still a decent unit.

I have a feeling that perhaps this Radio may need an alignment or something like that, which I tried to adjust the adjustment screws on the tuning capacitor but it didn't make much difference.

Even bottom of the barrel cheap mid-late 30's AA5s had AVC, but in the early 30's it wasn't universal yet. It was typically derived from the detector or a second diode plate in the detector tube (which was the reason why tubes like the 6AV6 and 6SQ7 had 2 extra diode plates instead of on just one).

If there is no AVC or defective AVC the volume will vary widely in step with RF carrier strength...Ever operate a working 1920's TRF circuit based receiver? TRFs almost always lack AVC and with the volume cranked to 11 they will struggle to put out enough volume to listen on a distant or low power station but blow your eardrums out on a strong local...Superhet sets can act the same without AVC.