WTIC AM 1929 T-antenna tuning unit.

[WA1LGQ]

The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of CT guys picked up a historic T-antenna tuning unit set of components at WTIC AM yesterday. They date from 1929 and may be one of very few like it still in existence or even the only one. These will be on display eventually at the museum. VRCMCT.ORG . Pictured are the coil and capacitors. The capacitor pancakes are hollow aluminum construction. They were removed from the original tuning unit building that is still on the site.

[KD1SH]

Thanks, Larry. After hearing about it on the 6 meter net last night, I was trying to picture what it looked like and how big it was. Great acquisition for the Museum!

[KA3EKH]

I use to have a old Gates 1949 Phasor cabinet for a two tower directional 5 kW station on 1470 that I took care of. Often thought that may have been one of the oldest still in continuous use, on air not a backup broadcast component still in use. Couple pictures of the station and its DAX-5 and the “Hi-Watter” sticker. Wonder if I can get a t-shirt with that Hi -Watter logo on it?

[Tom W2ILA]

Now THAT’S a tuner.  Great pix.  I’ll look forward to seeing it in the museum (hopefully being used with a part15 transmitter.)

[KL7OF]

Thanks for posting...Cool coilage.. I wonder what are we looking at for inductance and current capacity?

[W7TFO]

Beautiful construction!

73DG

[W1RKW]

Nice. can't wait to see it.

[AJ1G]

Awesome Larry!  Would make a great base loading coil for my 160
meter mobile setup in the Tacoma.  Looks like it would slide right into the bed.

Imagine how inadequate that would make the 11 meter 3KW mobile ops with their fat little corkscrew phased verticals!

[W3SLK]

You could use it for your 'Parks On The Air' station!

[AJ1G]

POTA would label me an outlaw.  I would actually give the name of the park I was operating from along with the POTA park number.  Whenever I casually work a POTA station while
I am mobile and they only provide their double secret park number, I only give them a zip code as my location.

[WA1LGQ]

We are thinking of trying to fire it up on 160 at some point if it will resonate. We did not measure anything yet. We might have a L and C guessing contest, the winner getting to take home a free console radio. We have lots of consoles. (Just joking). It is not "on display" yet, but can be viewed anytime. Good opportunity this weekend as there is a 2 banger swapmeet.

https://www.vrcmct.org/events

This tuning unit was used between 1929 and 1939 on a T antenna that was strung between 2 towers. The current towers went up in 1939. The  musem has one of the old WTIC 5kw backup transmitters in "transmitter alley".

https://www.wticalumni.com/museum/qst_magazine/qstcover.htm