general-el: 542

Hello,

I have a General Electric Model 542.  I've uploaded pictures to through the Picture Upload feature on the page for the model but I don't see them listed there. 

Anyway, this radio has an RCA type jack on the back in the bottom center of the radio.  Is this an audio output?  Could it be a phono input? 

Thanks in advance for any help.

Brian

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Dear Brian!

Welcome at radiomuseum.org!
Please be patient. Uploaded pictures dont' show up automatically. Our picture admins have to confirm your upload first. This is part of a process to obtain quality assurance in the database.

Best regards

Harald

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Brian,

Most likely your RCA jack is a phono input that was added by someone after the radio was made.  If the center connection of the RCA jack is wired to one of the outer lugs of the volume control, it is definitely a phono jack.  That being said, it will also work as an audio output for a line-level output.  To use it as a phono input, you simply tune the radio to a position on the dial where it is quiet, since both the radio and the phonograph are simultaneously connected.

Be careful when using a jack like this on an AC-DC radio.  Hopefully the center connection of the jack is wired with a capacitor in series.  If not, you could damage the equipment you connect this to, or end up having a dangerous voltage on the other equipment's ground system (including metal cabinet, front panel, etc.).

If it was wired with a capacitor on the center connection, and the outer conenction goes to chassis ground, and the chassis ground is a "floating" ground connected to the radio's common internal "ground" via a capacitor (not directly), then it is reasonably safe to use.  The schematic shows this radio has a floating chassis ground, so as long as it has a capacitor on the center connection, you'll be OK.

Tom

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Thanks for the welcome Harald!   i'm glad to be here.  I'm trying to share as many photos as I can.  I'm still new to radio collecting but I'll add more as I get them!  :)

Thanks again Tom.  I appreciate your help.  Unfortunately, I tested it before I read your comment.  Zowie! :) 

Definitely did NOT come from the factory like that.  My guitar sounded pretty good through it.  Shocking even.  

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