Flea markets finds

[Tech_Junkie]

Found these at the flea market last weekend.

100v-600v GE voltmeter cir 1910.

Cir, '45-'55 Western Electric 302 "Lucy" phone

Anyone know what this is? I know it goes to an old radio, or other type instrument that uses vacuum tubes. I cant find anything on the web.

 

[digital_blue]

That coil thing is an air core inductor or an RF output transformer; it's probably off a HF transmitter.

 

[DakotaDaNative]

it looks like some sort of antenna

 

[Tech_Junkie]

That coil thing is an air core inductor or an RF output transformer; it's probably off a HF transmitter.

Cool, thank you. Been scratching my head for 2 days now.

 

[aryntha]

I'd guess that the RF output transformer, as described by Digital_Blue, is socketed and has a 'handle' so that the operator could swap out different inductors to tune a transmitter to different bands. A very old antenna impedance matching system, I'm guessing. One would be used for 80m/3mhz, another would be used for 40m/7mhz, etc. Probably an early implementation of a multiband transmitter system.

Is there any value or number indicated on the device anywhere? (even written?)

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Only that its licensed to the Extent company, and nothing else.

 

[charliebruce]

I still have one of those phones in my house, only in white (now beige).

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

The coil looks like an oscillator coil from an old Meisner signal shifter. That was a VFO (variable frquency oscillator) for old HAM transmitters looong ago. Different coils gave a different frequency (band) range.
The main winding on the coil provided the LC range and the other coil provided feedback to the grid circuit of the vacuum tube oscillator. Damn, I was in heaven when I could move around the 40 meter CW band with 300 Watts !! That shifter drove a single 813 transmitter tube.
The telephone has alphabet on it. I don't think that occurred until about 1955.

HMike

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Yeah I did some surfing about the phone. It's a '45-'55 Western Electric 302 "Lucy" phone. Its in amazing condition. I paid $20 for the lot.

Got a pile of vacuum tubes too.

 

[larrball]

Got a pile of vacuum tubes too.

Are you sucking up T.J. ?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Got a pile of vacuum tubes too.

Are you sucking up T.J. ?

Sucking up what?

 

[Cyparagon]

Why are the coils not... round? What is the advantage of an octagon coil? And are they wrapped on ceramic?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

And are they wrapped on ceramic?

Yes...

 

[DJNY]

:wtf: T_J where is your awesome signature

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Too much epic bullshit going on I dont like.

 

[HIMNL9]

LOL, yes, that coil was part of a set of a multiband apparate ..... before that high frequency commutators was perfectioned, the only way for switch from one band to another was pulling out the coil and substitute it with another one with different number of turns ..... and is made in ceramic just cause, at these times, the ceramic was the better and cheaper material (the only "hard plastic" that you can found from those years, was bakelite, and it have an organic base (caseine) and degrade and change electrical and mechanical characteristics with the time (and the first types was also more fragile).

The voltmeter is interesting ..... don't know this specific model, but some collectors can be interested in it ..... you need to find one with knowledges about collection items and evaluation from different periods and models, anyway, for get a real evaluation, i'm not an expert about that, just a "collector for fun"