[davemc]

   
The Philco Tropic 46-888 E.Z. is a 9-band 11-tube AC Superhet circuit radio built in the USA for the export market. The radio is capable of operating on a range of mains voltages based on 115 or 230 volts, but having a HI, MED, and LOW setting for each basic line voltage. The radio receives the standard broadcast band and three short wave bands (from 1.5 to 22mHz). It also has five band spread bands for 31, 25, 19, 16, and 13 meters plus phono input capability.

The radio was purchased on eBay and was sold as "For Parts or Restoration" – it had no power cord. The only schematic diagram I could find was at Radio Museum Schematic. No other service information was found on-line. The Radio Museum schematic was from the Philco Home Radio Yearbook 1946-1947. I found a copy of that book at Amazon.com and purchased it. The book was somewhat disappointing.  It did have the schematic diagram, parts list, and alignment instructions. But there was no dial cord stringing diagram, under-chassis component locations or circuit voltage readings.  The capacitors in the parts list also had no voltage ratings (other than filter capacitors) and the resistors had no wattage ratings. Any parts references in this document will refer to the Radio Museum schematic, but membership is required for access.

The radio is unusual in that it uses a mix or Loctal, Octal, and Standard Base (big pin) tubes such as 76, 78, and 80. Perhaps that is due to the fact that this radio was built just after WWII, so parts may have been difficult to find. Or Philco may have been using up excess inventory.

According to an excellent article on Philco History found on Philcoradio.com, Philco Tropic radios were built for locations where super reception of short wave is necessary and where the radio and the cabinet are exposed to extreme conditions. The IF transformers in my radio were stamped “Tropicalized in Feb 45”. The radio has a tuned RF amplifier stage, two IF amplifier stages, push-pull 6V6 audio output tubes and should have excellent performance.

The radio appeared to be mostly original, with most original parts still in place. I decided to attempt to restore the radio and maintain the original chassis appearance to the extent possible.  Two paper capacitors had been replaced (C100 and C101 – 80 rectifier plates to chassis). One tubular filter capacitor had been tacked in under the chassis.  The original filter capacitors were still in place. Two tubes obviously had been replaced: the 80 rectifier and one 6V6 output tube. The rest were all branded Philco and could have been original. Only one of the tubes installed had the “E” (export) designation (78E).

Before I start work on the chassis I annotate an under-chassis photo with part number callouts from the schematic, and then compile a complete survey of the condition of all parts.