That is an amazing piece of vintage technology. I love looking at how they built this old stuff and how much space it took up and now these days it all fits in the palm of your hand. Pretty cool!
I picked up a beautiful, clean comstat 19, at a ham flea,,,today,,,got home, fired it up,,,no mike,,,,no audio,,,didnt have a variac,,, just fired it up,,,and same exact thing,,,after about 10 min of warmup, I was happy all the tubes were lit,,,not having a mike to hookup to,, it was probably the reason why no audio, ,then pop,,,,and smoke,,, just like yours,,,opened it up,,,and just like yours ,,a cap was elephant trunked,,, 8 inches of the tinfoil,,,well,,,,its cap replacement time,,,probably do em all,,,and the tubes too,, ,,this was my first cb when I was about12,,and I really want to get this baby back up,,,,its extremely clean,,, and to me,,,i get a chance to be 12 again,,,,great vid!!!!,,,,by the way I'm an extra class amateur operator now for 38 years,,,,,NV1H,,,,,,thanks for a great vid!!!!to me, tube radios, are what a radio is supposed to be!!!!!,,,,,😎
That's a nice old radio. Gee ! I remember the old Layfayette Electronics kits and catalogs from way back in the 1960's. What fun it was to buy kits from them, and Allied Electronics and also Heathkit too. Good stuff. Thanks for showing me,...all of us I guess,. this .
My dad had a unit identical to this one back in the 60's. We lived on a hilltop in PA and he used to talk on (I believe he called it skip) to people as far away as Texas.
25a was my first CB, circa late 60's. Recall friend nearby warning me that the FCC was in town, and sharing photos he took of their antenna decorated, but otherwise unmarked van parked at a motel where they were staying, just a half mile from my home 20.
In high school we all had cb radio's in our cars/trucks. I drove a rusted '79 silverado 1/2 ton, drag raced it 1 time & lost to a ford highboy and the cb radio's came in handy. Sheriffs dept was always 1 step behind us so that was the motivation. lol. Real life fast & furious good times.
I realize that this is seven years old, but... There are supposed to be meter lights and a dial light. This basic chassis, copied from the Courier 23 from 1965, was used in many Japanese radios. OEM tubes were Matsushita and someone told me that Panasonic made them for everyone. According to my vintage Lafayette catalogs, the original Comstat 23 first appearance was in the 1966 catalogs. It was cosmetically identical to the 25A but featured a 5W-100 mW power output switch. The "Range Boost" switch increases the average modulation for better range. 1967 saw the introduction of the Comstat 25, with the A and B channels for the proposed H.E.L.P., or Highway Emergency Location Plan. It was quickly abandoned. 1968 gave us the new Comstat 23 Mark V and the Comstat 25A. The front panels are not painted, but use some kind of ink that is easy to wear off with the fingertips and will come off if you try to clean the front panel with anything! Many a radio sported Dymo labels where the OEM once was. Electrolytic capacitors. Some people like to bring an old radio up gradually, with a Variac, to give the caps a chance to reform before hitting them with the full voltage. The one that always blows up is across the transformer secondary winding. Given a good, careful alignment, these radios will provide many hours of pleasure, and help keep the shack warm in the winter. You can even turn the lights off and enjoy the warm glow of the tubes.
Howdy, I'm sure you know by now the front added switch is for an external VFO that plugs in to the added RCA jack at the back. I knew it was a matter of time before you hear the bang. Just replaced the same cap in mine last week! LOL On the chassis behind the speaker you will see a pot. That is for the Range Boost. Turn it all the way up. Just don't turn up the D-104 to much. Have fun with the old girl!!! 73
I have this same radio! i was listing to it one night and i herd the CLAP! the room filled with smoke .. shes been in the closet ever since =[ . noone around here will service it and i dont know how . she was a power house tho! paid 20$ for it . Ole comcast 25 A .
I have a comstat 23 with a D-104 it worked when put up I Just hooked it up with a new battery in the D-104 now the relay in the radio just clicks on and off what may be the problem radio or the D-104 thanks.
Very Cool when I was growing up Lafayette electronics was like a big Sears store .I bought my first real stereo there when i was about 13 .Iwasalready working at the marina for a couple of years by then , making $3.75 / hr .I bought the amp , tunner, turn table and reel to reel plus 2 huge speakers all for my bedroom . My Dad took me there because i was too young to drive . I think I spent around $650.00 in cash . I worked the weekends 6am to 6pm .when school was out I always worked .In the summers I worked 5-6-sometimes 7 days a week .6am-6pm I learned so much at a very young age :)))
I too have a Lafayette Comstate-25A, could you tell me how to wire a mic? I also have a Citi-fon model-cd-5, would you know anything about it? Thanks and I enjoy your videos.
the switch can be used for not only 23a but foran external vfo too which cbers used it for then or a switch with extra crystals for above 23 channels and other a channels
Nice old radio. Radios need that smoke to work it seems, once it leaves the cabinet they usually quit working. I loved 11 meters, but it is so easy to get your HAM license now. I had to take the code test when I got mine. Have fun !!
+Whitey, "once you let the 'Magic Smoke' out, they no longer work." Learned that from a friend, who used to work for a small computer memory company, in Mt View Ca, that later made CPU chips. Yes, Intel. Friend was employee # 49. steve
Hi I hope You are still on You tube, I just picked up the same Cb radio, But mine is the 25b, Do you remember what pins on power cord,are for 120 volts, I don't have a power cord, I believe I have the 8 pin connector, Thanks for any Help Brian
Correct me if iam wrong, I recently watched a video of a guy demonstrating a CB radio that had the same chanel function. the A/B switch will split the mechanical channel selector A) 1-23, B) 24-46.??? Thanks for sharing.
Thats the same cap that blew out in mine. I am going to do a complete recap soon and get mine back on the air. Great radio, my brother had one back in the 60's.
you need to replace all those old paper caps and electrolytics. this .05uf can be replaced with more common .047uf without issue. the paper on those caps becomes acidic with age and actually conducts like a resistor in parallel with a capacitor. could take out a power transformer to. ceramics are fine but all those gray ones gotta go along with the can. I'm leaving the can on mine for looks but don't leave it hooked up!
Yes you definately need to replace all of the electrolytic caps. I have been servicing and collecting them for many years and have 4 of those still new in their boxes as well as over 400 NOS tube and transistor cb radios. And yes that cap is usually the first one to pop. Many tube radios use this very reliable panasonic chassis with various names as Robyn, Lafayette, Gemtronics and others. Them as well as the johnson messenger 1 & 2 have always been my favorites so over the years i have collected dozens of super nice display models as well as several still in their unopened boxes.
You need to fully recap that radio or you will have this happen more. These are very old and I bet most are no good. Probably why it has a weak receive.
the one that blew out those are the worst designed capacitors you should replace all of those like that with the foil inside with these days modern new ones a good chance others are not to far to do the same to blow out
Every cap needs to be replaced, otherwise you will destroy the radio. You should NEVER power up old radios until all caps are replaced. You can easily destroy the power transformers.
Please use newer technology Cb radios man! Those old technology tube radios weren't made to last to 2016! Its a cool tube radio but if there is coming smoke out and something blew up you btter to test it with some meters before you fire it up! Nice vintage radio but i would rather use some new tech!!!
