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Philco Model 40-135T (40-135) Table Radio (1940)
One of a series of table top models with similar styling from 1940 (e.g. see also my 40-145).
This model covers two bands (standard broadcast from 540-1550kc and the old police band
from 1.5 - 3.3mc) and has 6-tubes:- 7C7 (RF), 7A8 (mixer/LO), 7B7 (IF), 7C6 (detector/avc/1st
af), 7B5 (power amp), 7Y4 (rectifier). It is tuned either manually or by use of one of the five
presets (the sixth button selects dial versus preset tuning).
I purchased this radio in a Southern New Hampshire antiques store. However, from the stations
on the preset buttons and based upon a "Sarasota Radio Lab" service sticker affixed to the
rear cover, the radio appears to have originally been in the Florida area. In particular, from left
to right the push-button assignments are:- (i) WDBO, out of Orlando on 580kc, (ii) WFLA on
970kc in the Tampa Bay region, (iii) WLW from Cincinatti on 700kc, (iv) WWL on 870kc out of
New Orleans and (v) WDAE out of Tampa on 620kc.
One issue with these assignments is that the frequency coverage range of each button does
not match in all cases the CURRENT frequency of the station assigned to it. The button ran-
ges, according to the schematic on Nostalgia Air, are, from left to right:- (i) 540 - 1030kc (OK
for WDBO); (ii) 650-1100kc (OK for WFLA); (iii) 740-1240kc (marginal for WLW on 700); (iv)
900-1470kc (marginal for WWL on 870) and (v) 1160-1700kc (inconsistent with WDAE on
620kc). A look at the history of WDAE however reveals that the station was on 1220kc at the
time the radio was manufactured! WDAE, incidentally, claims to be the first broadcast station
in Florida, commencing operations in 1922. It is quite common for radio stations to have
changed frequency over the years, so early dial settings will often not match the stations
today, even assuming a station is still in operation.
WLW appears somewhat oddball in that it is geographically remote from the other stations.
However, this was and still is a very powerful station, broadcasting at 50kW in the early 40's. In
fact, up until 1939 its effective radiated power (ERP) was 500kW!! The station is known as the
"Nation's Station" and was opened up by Powel Crosley Jr, of radio manufacturing fame. The
effective radiated power was made high in an attempt to overcome design deficiencies of the first
Crosley radios, such as the Harko crystal set. You can read the full fascinating story of the
early engineering behind this station at History of WLW, Cincinnati.
This model covers two bands (standard broadcast from 540-1550kc and the old police band
from 1.5 - 3.3mc) and has 6-tubes:- 7C7 (RF), 7A8 (mixer/LO), 7B7 (IF), 7C6 (detector/avc/1st
af), 7B5 (power amp), 7Y4 (rectifier). It is tuned either manually or by use of one of the five
presets (the sixth button selects dial versus preset tuning).
I purchased this radio in a Southern New Hampshire antiques store. However, from the stations
on the preset buttons and based upon a "Sarasota Radio Lab" service sticker affixed to the
rear cover, the radio appears to have originally been in the Florida area. In particular, from left
to right the push-button assignments are:- (i) WDBO, out of Orlando on 580kc, (ii) WFLA on
970kc in the Tampa Bay region, (iii) WLW from Cincinatti on 700kc, (iv) WWL on 870kc out of
New Orleans and (v) WDAE out of Tampa on 620kc.
One issue with these assignments is that the frequency coverage range of each button does
not match in all cases the CURRENT frequency of the station assigned to it. The button ran-
ges, according to the schematic on Nostalgia Air, are, from left to right:- (i) 540 - 1030kc (OK
for WDBO); (ii) 650-1100kc (OK for WFLA); (iii) 740-1240kc (marginal for WLW on 700); (iv)
900-1470kc (marginal for WWL on 870) and (v) 1160-1700kc (inconsistent with WDAE on
620kc). A look at the history of WDAE however reveals that the station was on 1220kc at the
time the radio was manufactured! WDAE, incidentally, claims to be the first broadcast station
in Florida, commencing operations in 1922. It is quite common for radio stations to have
changed frequency over the years, so early dial settings will often not match the stations
today, even assuming a station is still in operation.
WLW appears somewhat oddball in that it is geographically remote from the other stations.
However, this was and still is a very powerful station, broadcasting at 50kW in the early 40's. In
fact, up until 1939 its effective radiated power (ERP) was 500kW!! The station is known as the
"Nation's Station" and was opened up by Powel Crosley Jr, of radio manufacturing fame. The
effective radiated power was made high in an attempt to overcome design deficiencies of the first
Crosley radios, such as the Harko crystal set. You can read the full fascinating story of the
early engineering behind this station at History of WLW, Cincinnati.
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