Philco 116B Major Features
PHILCO ..  A Musical Instrument of Quality
  • Automatic Aerial Selector - in effect a separate aerial for each band
  • Precision Radio Dial - the easiest, most precise tuning in all radio
  • Philco Balanced Superheterodyne Circuit - new heights of perfection
  • Completely Shielded - to attain maximum amplification
  • Live Rubber Condenser Mounting - eliminates microphonic squeals
  • Philco High-Efficiency Tubes - for power and efficiency
  • Automatic Bass Compensation - brings up bass as volume is reduced
  • Glowing Arrow Waveband Indicator - shows visually the band in use
  • Two-speed Planetary Drive Station Selector - fast & slow (80:1)
  • Super Class-A Power-Driven Audio System - reception without distortion
Philco Model 116 Baby Grand (116B) Shouldered Tombstone Radio (1936)
The 116B is a 5-band ac-powered super-heterodyne using 11 tubes, with RF stage, dual IF amplifiers and a 10W "super class A"
push-pull audio system based upon a pair of triode-connected type 42 tubes and a triode-connected type 42 driver. The tube line up
for this set's code 121 chassis is:- 78 (RF amp), 77 (mixer), 76 (LO), 78 (1st IF), 78 (2nd IF), 37 (2nd detector), 77 (1st af), 42 (driver),
2 off 42 (push-pull triode-connected af output) and  80 (rectifier). The schematic is available
here, courtesy of NostalgiaAir.

In contrast, the 116X floor model uses the code 122 chassis, having 6A3 output triodes in place of the type 42s and a 5Z3 rectifier in
place of the 80. Its audio output is 15W. Also of note is that the 116B uses a type H-13 10.5" loud speaker, which although of the same
diameter, is of a much lighter construction than the type U-9 speaker used in the 116X.

Band coverage is:-
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The Philco 116 Baby Grand (116B) tombstone radio was introduced
in June of 1935 as one of the company's line-up of 43 models for
1936. It had an initial list price of $97.50 in the Eastern and Central
USA and was Philco's top-of-the-line table set for the 1936 season.

The 116B's 11-tube chassis, new for the 1936 season, was a slight
evolution of the one used for the previous year's model
16B (basically
longwave coverage was added). An alternative version of this chassis
was incorporated into Philco's model
116X High-Fidelity console radio,
introduced to the marketplace along with the 116B; that version of the
chassis featured an upgraded audio output stage as well as long-
wave coverage. Unlike the floor model, the 116B seems to have not
been heavily promoted by Philco and as a result it sold comparatively
few units; according to
philcoradio.com 15,750 sets were built, about
half the number of the rather more expensive 116X.

At mid-season, in early 1936, the 116B received a
new shoulder-less
cabinet containing a smaller (8") type K-17 loudspeaker in place of
the
massive 10.5" type H-13 used on the set featured here.

The 1936 season would be the last for Philco's 16/116 line, although
the models
37-670B (1937) and 38-670B (1938) ostensibly carried
the line forward for another two years, albeit with completely updated
electronics.

I came across this radio in an antiques store in Southern Maine. The
grille scrollwork was damaged, the lacquer finish all but gone and the
grille cloth was torn. I refinished the set in lacquer after repairing the
grille and a replacement cloth was obtained from  
grillecloth.com.
Technical Details
               Band 1)  9.7 - 22.5mc  (daytime shortwave)
                         
2)  4.1 - 10mc     (night time shortwave)
                         
3)  1.5 - 4.1mc    (1.5-1.6mc experimental Hi-Fi band, old police band & amateur)
                         
4) 540 - 1500kc  (standard broadcast)
                        
 5) 150 - 390kc    (long wave)
For further details on the 116 radios, see my 116X page.
Philco 116B (early version, June 1935)
more...
  • Program Control - mellow, brilliant, speech, normal, noise-reducing
  • Rigid Chassis Base - permanent alignment guaranteed
  • Shadow Tuning - shows you visually when each station tuned in perfectly
  • Power-Line Noise Rejectors - keeps power-line noise out of the radio
  • Full Automatic Volume Control - to counteract fading and blasting
  • Triple Selector System - automatically rejects interfering stations
  • Safe From Fire & Shock - conforms to Underwriters Safety Standards
  • Oversize Philco Electro-Dynamic Speaker - faithful bass & treble
  • Noise-Excluding Signal Amplifier - rejects interference & image noise
  • Non-Radiating - built in filter prevents radiated interference in nearby sets
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PHILCO MODEL 116 SERIES