RCA Model 9K3 Console - 1937

My thanks to the guy who sent me this picture.

Here's my first shortwave radio. Its an RCA Console Model 9K3. I got it originally from my shop teacher in 7th Grade when I was 13 or 14 for $5.00. That was about 1966 or 1967. Been in the family ever since. Its time has come for some serious repair work.



Its a three-band radio - BCB, 1.8 to 6.0 Mc, 6.0 to 22 Mc. The dial has markings for two other bands, LW and 'Ultra Shortwave' 24-60 Mc that I guess were available in some other models. Tube lineup is 5Z4-Rectifier, 6K7-RF Stage, 6L7 -1st detector, 6J5-Oscillator, 6K7-2nd IF, 6H6-2nd detector/AVC, 6F5-Audio Driver, 6L6-AF Out and a 6G5-Tuning Eye.



My son, who has been housing it, says it played nicely up until a year ago, when the power xfmr decided to burn up and smoke up his apartment. He said it took days to air the place out. After giving the radio a check, its a miracle that it played at all because the guts were in marginal condition with a lot of questionable repairs that I did as a teenager. Its in the process of a complete cleanup and repair.

As if all the electrical problems weren't enough, the chassis had a lot of rust. So much that I had to use one of the commercial acid rust removers on it. That was a first for me, but the radio is one of the worst to ever cross the Sparkbench. It cleaned up pretty nicely. I've located a new power transformer, and Mike Tobin of RockSea is making a new dial for it, so it won't be long before its restored by to its original splendor.





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Rev. 6 June 2022