I got a 1923 ham radio that works.

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We have people from all walks on this forum, that I thought might be interested to see this. I dad was cleaning out his basement and asked me if I wanted this old ham radio. He said he played with it a little and it worked fine. My dad has been in electronics work and play, all of his life. He has a lot of stuff he is throwing away. The serial number was 1939. He thought that was the year it was made. Anyway I checked it up. Model Airline Special W-4 Tri-City Radio Supply Co. Davenport, Iowa. It was built for Montgomery Wards. Year 1923 Wards W-4. It needs 2 batteries to make it work. I found the schematic on line, but there where no pictures of it.

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Looks like some safe cracking device lol,looks like a amazing piece,,might do well at auction if you decide to sell buts that's cool
Hey I take the green coils are old school range extenders lol
 
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Looks like some safe cracking device lol,looks like a amazing piece,,might do well at auction if you decide to sell buts that's cool
Hey I take the green coils are old school range extenders
I read the spects on it and it has a 1000 mile range. I thought about incorporating it into my controller. With that kind of range, I'm just going to have to get a stronger battery for my P4. Lol

After I'm done playing with it, I'll probably give it to a museum or sell it and save up to buy a better drone for photography. I'd love to have a P4 pro. Photography is my passion.
 
We have people from all walks on this forum, that I thought might be interested to see this. I dad was cleaning out his basement and asked me if I wanted this old ham radio. He said he played with it a little and it worked fine. My dad has been in electronics work and play, all of his life. He has a lot of stuff he is throwing away. The serial number was 1939. He thought that was the year it was made. Anyway I checked it up. Model Airline Special W-4 Tri-City Radio Supply Co. Davenport, Iowa. It was built for Montgomery Wards. Year 1923 Wards W-4. It needs 2 batteries to make it work. I found the schematic on line, but there where no pictures of it.

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Does it fly?
 
Oh yeah. I have to give it a try. I have to get 2 batteries, one 22 1/2 volts and the other 6 volts. I don't know if a power supply would be enough to drive it. I have a 24 volt charger. I wonder if 1 1/2 volts over would hurt it?
No idea but bet you could find a Ham forum to join and
get all the info and what’s it worth quick.Is what I would do.
Piece of history you got there.
 
We have people from all walks on this forum, that I thought might be interested to see this. I dad was cleaning out his basement and asked me if I wanted this old ham radio. He said he played with it a little and it worked fine. My dad has been in electronics work and play, all of his life. He has a lot of stuff he is throwing away. The serial number was 1939. He thought that was the year it was made. Anyway I checked it up. Model Airline Special W-4 Tri-City Radio Supply Co. Davenport, Iowa. It was built for Montgomery Wards. Year 1923 Wards W-4. It needs 2 batteries to make it work. I found the schematic on line, but there where no pictures of it.

View attachment 118002View attachment 118003View attachment 118004
Love it. Thanks for sharing. I’d love to see more of your Dad’s old stuff if he and you would be willing. I find it very fascinating.

I have a 1954 Regency TR-1, the first commercially manufactured transistor radio, and it uses one of those 22.5v batteries. It lasts about 15 hours in my radio. I’d bet with that giant vacuum tube in your 1923 radio, the battery would last about 3 hours.
 
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Love it. Thanks for sharing. I’d love to see more of your Dad’s old stuff if he and you would be willing. I find it very fascinating.

I have a 1954 Regency TR-1, the first commercially manufactured transistor radio, and it uses one of those 22.5v batteries. It lasts about 15 hours in my radio. I’d bet with that giant vacuum tube in your 1923 radio, the battery would last about 3 hours.
He just sold a newer model of a ham radio for $10US. I almost cried. I’m doing my best to stop him. He also gave away his Tesla coil. I can't go into his house because of this virus. He and my mother are both fighting cancer. Mom is the worst. The weather was good and I sat on the patio away from them, when he asked me if I wanted the radio. I think what I have is just a receiver?
 
He just sold a newer model of a ham radio for $10US. I almost cried. I’m doing my best to stop him. He also gave away his Tesla coil. I can't go into his house because of this virus. He and my mother are both fighting cancer. Mom is the worst. The weather was good and I sat on the patio away from them, when he asked me if I wanted the radio. I think what I have is just a receiver?
Yikes. He’s giving stuff away. It bothers me when people take advantage and buy stuff for cheap from unsuspecting sellers.

I think with yours there was probably a headset of some sort.

Please pass along our best wishes to your parents.
 
We have people from all walks on this forum, that I thought might be interested to see this. I dad was cleaning out his basement and asked me if I wanted this old ham radio. He said he played with it a little and it worked fine. My dad has been in electronics work and play, all of his life. He has a lot of stuff he is throwing away. The serial number was 1939. He thought that was the year it was made. Anyway I checked it up. Model Airline Special W-4 Tri-City Radio Supply Co. Davenport, Iowa. It was built for Montgomery Wards. Year 1923 Wards W-4. It needs 2 batteries to make it work. I found the schematic on line, but there where no pictures of it.

View attachment 118002View attachment 118003View attachment 118004
On the chance that you still have this radio 1 year later, and if you do, could you take a photo of the posts and metal labels near the tube that you hook the batteries up to? That way I could read the labels to see which battery (A or B) and + and - goes to? I have one of these that someone owned years previously and they rewired it and must have forgotten to put the labels back. I would like to know what hooks up where so that I can use it. Thank you.
 
On the chance that you still have this radio 1 year later, and if you do, could you take a photo of the posts and metal labels near the tube that you hook the batteries up to? That way I could read the labels to see which battery (A or B) and + and - goes to? I have one of these that someone owned years previously and they rewired it and must have forgotten to put the labels back. I would like to know what hooks up where so that I can use it. Thank you.
Gad to help. This is how it looks as it was given to me. One battery is 6 v. and the other one is 22 1/2 volts.
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