Westinghouse Model WR-30 Gothic Style Tombstone Radio (1933)
The Westinghouse WR-30 is a rare and magnificent
gothic-style tombstone radio covering four bands and using
8 tubes. It is virtually identical to the slightly less rare models
RCA 140 and GE K80. The schematic can be found at the
NostalgiaAir site under RCA 140.
Band coverage is:- 540-1500kc (Band A), 1500-3900kc
(Band B), 3900-10000kc (Band C) and 8000-18000kc (Band
D). Tube line-up is 58 (RF amp), 2A7 (mixer/LO), 58 (IF amp),
2B7 (second detector/AVC), 56 (AF driver), 53 (push-pull
class B triode output), 80 rectifier. An additional type 58 RF
amplifier is switched into circuit for Band D only, providing
improved sensitivity and selectivity. With the exception of the
type 80, these tubes all have 2.5V heaters.
That three manufacturers should turn out practically identical
sets suggests some manner of cooperation between them.
This was indeed the case and can be traced back to the early
days of US radio. In 1919 GE acquired the assets of the
American Marconi Company (largely held by foreign interests)
and founded RCA. The partnership was soon joined by
Westinghouse, ATT and United Fruit. Their goal was to pool
their intellectual property and establish a center of excellence
for US radio, thwarting the domination of the burgeoning US
wireless industry by European concerns.
At first, Westinghouse and GE manufactured radios for RCA,
which started out with no manufacturing capability and acted
in a technical and sales role only. However, in 1929 RCA
purchased the long-established Victor Company and began
making their own sets. The venture continued through 1932
when it was dissolved by the Department of Justice for
antitrust reasons. Under the terms of the dissolution, RCA
retained its patents and would initially manufacture sets for
both GE and Westinghouse. The GE K80 and the model
WR-30 seen here were two of the by-products of that
agreement for the 1933-34 season.
It appears that Westinghouse re-used the WR-30 model
number in 1935 for a console radio. However, that radio
bears little resemblance to this model, neither aesthetically
nor electrically. The reason for this confusion in numbering is
unclear and possibly lost in the mists of time!
I bought this radio recently at the NEARC show in Nashua,
NH. It will likely be a challenging restoration, given its deep
tightly populated chassis, perished rubber coated wiring and
sealed tar-filled metal boxes holding filter capacitors.
gothic-style tombstone radio covering four bands and using
8 tubes. It is virtually identical to the slightly less rare models
RCA 140 and GE K80. The schematic can be found at the
NostalgiaAir site under RCA 140.
Band coverage is:- 540-1500kc (Band A), 1500-3900kc
(Band B), 3900-10000kc (Band C) and 8000-18000kc (Band
D). Tube line-up is 58 (RF amp), 2A7 (mixer/LO), 58 (IF amp),
2B7 (second detector/AVC), 56 (AF driver), 53 (push-pull
class B triode output), 80 rectifier. An additional type 58 RF
amplifier is switched into circuit for Band D only, providing
improved sensitivity and selectivity. With the exception of the
type 80, these tubes all have 2.5V heaters.
That three manufacturers should turn out practically identical
sets suggests some manner of cooperation between them.
This was indeed the case and can be traced back to the early
days of US radio. In 1919 GE acquired the assets of the
American Marconi Company (largely held by foreign interests)
and founded RCA. The partnership was soon joined by
Westinghouse, ATT and United Fruit. Their goal was to pool
their intellectual property and establish a center of excellence
for US radio, thwarting the domination of the burgeoning US
wireless industry by European concerns.
At first, Westinghouse and GE manufactured radios for RCA,
which started out with no manufacturing capability and acted
in a technical and sales role only. However, in 1929 RCA
purchased the long-established Victor Company and began
making their own sets. The venture continued through 1932
when it was dissolved by the Department of Justice for
antitrust reasons. Under the terms of the dissolution, RCA
retained its patents and would initially manufacture sets for
both GE and Westinghouse. The GE K80 and the model
WR-30 seen here were two of the by-products of that
agreement for the 1933-34 season.
It appears that Westinghouse re-used the WR-30 model
number in 1935 for a console radio. However, that radio
bears little resemblance to this model, neither aesthetically
nor electrically. The reason for this confusion in numbering is
unclear and possibly lost in the mists of time!
I bought this radio recently at the NEARC show in Nashua,
NH. It will likely be a challenging restoration, given its deep
tightly populated chassis, perished rubber coated wiring and
sealed tar-filled metal boxes holding filter capacitors.
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