Television History - The First 75 Years
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1935-1941 Tech Data

This page provides a glimpse at the early pre-war television owner's manuals, and tube layouts for key collector sets. 

1938 Scophony Projection Television (UK)

1938 Scophony Manual Cover (72K bytes) (72K)    1938 Scophony Set - Page 5 (40K bytes) (40K)    1938 Scophony Set UK - Rear (68K bytes) (68K)
See all 24 pages of this manual  (Courtesy Early Technology Library - Scotland)

 

1939 RCA TRK-9 Owner's Manual

1939 TRK-9 Manual1.JPG (160415 bytes) (160K)    1939 TRK-9 Manual P1.JPG (100850 bytes) (100K)    1939 TRK-9 Manual P6.JPG (170159 bytes) (170K)    1939 TRK-9 Manual P12.JPG (229234 bytes) (229K)

 

1939 RCA TRK-12 Promo Manual and Owner's Manual

1939 RCA TRK-12 Preview Booklet (56K bytes) (56K)    1939 RCA TRK-12 Owner's Manual (36K bytes) (36K)

 

 

      1939 RCA TRK-12 Rear View (32K bytes) (32K)    1939 RCA TRK12 Rear RH Side (60K bytes) (60K)    1939 RCA TRK-12 LH Side Rear (50K bytes) (50K)    1939 RCA TRK-12 Radio (65K bytes) (65K)    1939 TRK-12 CRT, Yoke & Mountings (65K bytes) (65K)
                            1939 RCA TRK-12 Rear Chassis View

Photos After Full Chassis Restoration

1939 RCA TRK-12 Chassis Top View After Restoration (70K bytes) (70K) Top View

1939 TRK12 - Chassis Bottom AFTER Restoration (120K bytes) (120K) Bottom View

1939 RCA TRK12 Circuits AFTER restoration (136K bytes) (136K) Circuitry Closeup

1939 TRK12 Screen Photo (24K bytes) (24K) Screen shot

With the generous assistance of Mr. Steve McVoy, my TRK-12 has once again come to life, after nearly a half-century of silence.  This involved the total restoration of all four chassis, and included the installation of new capacitors inside the 'shells' of the old capacitors, to preserve the original 1939 appearance.  The set works beautifully and perfectly, aside from the fact that I still need a 'new' 12AP4 picture tube.  The set displays a nice clear picture, it just lacks full brightness.  Actual image is better than digital photo above.  When a 'good' 12AP4 is substituted, the picture looks the same as Steve's TRK-12.

If anyone has information as to the whereabouts of a replacement tube, please contact me.  Thank you!

 

 

1939 General Electric HM-171  --- Tube Layout Diagram

GE.jpg (56550 bytes) (56K)

1939 RCA Model TRK-12  --- Tube Layout Diagram

1939 RCA TRK-12 TUBE LAYOUT LH Side (90K bytes) (90K)    1939 RCA TRK12 TUBE LAYOUT RH Side (190K bytes) (190K) 

 

Click here for a listing of television stations operating in the United States.
Time Periods Covered:  1930 to 1986, selected years.
 

 

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