Westinghouse H-871N6 AM/FM Radio



The Westinghouse H871N6 is a 6 vacuum tube, 3 semiconductor diode superheterodyne AM/FM radio. 550KHz-1600KHz AM medium wave radio band and 88-108MHz FM radio VHF band. It uses contiually variable capacitors to tune. It was available since at least 1964, making this radio over 50 years of age. As analog radio stations are still being used, this radio remains completely functional unlike televisions of the era, due to the digital switchover in 2009. Let's hope that radio does not follow the same fate.

Tube list:
12BE6 - AM Pentagrid Converter (RF amplifier, local oscillator, mixer)
12DT8 - Dual Triode - FM RF amplifier, local oscillator and mixer
12BA6 #1 - remote cutoff pentode - 1st AM/FM IF amp
12BA6 #2 - remote cutoff pentode - 2nd FM IF amp (Not used for AM)
14GT8 - FM Detector (uses two diodes for a FM ratio discriminator) and 1st stage audio preamplifier (triode in tube - used for both AM and FM)
50C5 (or 35C5) - audio power amplifier (gets quite hot!)

Semiconductors:
A silicon diode rectifies AC to DC for its power supply
A silicon diode is used as the AM Detector
A varactor diode is used for Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) for FM

This radio seems to have pretty good sensitivity and fairly good selectivity due to the superheterodyne design. Its output stage and wooden cabinet makes a very nice sounding bass with little to no chassis vibration making it one of the better sounding radios I own. The AM sounds somewhat similar to the Heathkit AR-3 radio, though the speaker is virtually in a sealed box and uses a different tube.

Controls and connectors:
Oddly enough, there is no backlight like many AA5's, but this is clearly not an AA5. The volume control with power on/off sits on the left. The tuner knob towards the right is string connected to the ganged capacitors and frequency indicator along the right side. A three position DP3T sits between that selects between AM, FM, or AFC FM (to help lock into stations.) It looks like AFC feeds back part of the audio signal to adjust the center frequency used for the local oscillator.

On the back is the "cheater" cord that forces disconnection of the power when opened ("cheater" since it was removed from the back panel), and the external antenna connector.


Schematics:
page 164 of "Most Often Needed 1964 Radio Servicing Information"
page 165 of "Most Often Needed 1964 Radio Servicing Information"