January 6, 2024

1956

RCA CTC-5 Deluxe Color Television

Courtesy Ed Reitan Estate

Courtesy Radio Museum

Courtesy Radio Museum

Late Saturday night, January 6, 2024, our friend from the city of lights suggested we check out a Craig’s listing.  It was an RCA CTC-5 in great shape, needed work with a good 21AXP22A and it was close by in Tucson, AZ.  We jumped on it, messaged the seller and the next morning, he called.  Within the hour we were on our way, making the 158 mile trek in just under 3 hours.  Weather wise it was a miserable day, chilly and raining but we didn’t let that deter us.  The seller was Bruce (hi_volt) known to me from interactions on the VideoKarma forums.  Bruce purchased the set from a gentleman in California and never attempted to restore the set where it sat as a static display in his den for years.

We wrestled the CTC-5 into our Honda and headed back to the Phoenix valley. Here a photo of the set in the car in our garage.

A view of the 3 speaker “Panoramic” sound system.

The next day my neighbor and I pulled the heavy beast out of the car and here it sits in our garage.

The Deluxe badge with the “D” missing. This happens when a polishing cloth gets hung up behind the badge. We have a replacement reproduction badge

Beautiful fluted doors.

The cabinet is in remarkable original shape and only requires minor touch up with mahogany wood paste. The above photo with fingernail damage around the channel selector is the worst of it.

Views of the original chassis, 21AXP22A and flyback with decades of dust.  Going in, the 12BY7 tube is missing, also the rear panel and high voltage cage cover are missing.  Some wires from the CRT are cut and a concentric control is damaged.  That 3A3 looks hot.  A date code, September 27, 1956 appears on the CRT shroud.  The CRT tested good on all three guns.  Serial numbers can be seen in the photos below.  According to Ed Reitan’s website, the Deluxe chassis uses superior X and Z wide band color demodulation.

Cut wires from volume/brightness control and three wires from CRT socket.

We plan a full complete restoration.

January 13, 2024

I’ve added two articles from RCA Review courtesy American Radio History regarding the development of the 21AXP22. First article starts on page 122 through 169.

Click to access RCA-Review-1955-Mar.pdf

Second article starts on page 143.

Click to access RCA-Review-1956-June.pdf

RCA 21AXP22A Data sheets.

Click on image to open, courtesy Franks data sheets.

RCA Service Clinic Courtesy Early Television Foundation.

Click on image to open PDF. (Thanks JH)

Courtesy Ed Reitan estate

Courtesy Life Magazine October 22,1956

May 6, 2024, day one.

Restoration begins.

Mike Doyle came by today to pick up the CTC-5 chassis and take it to his shop.  He will jig the chassis to a test color CRT.  He needs to finish a Korean prewar radio and after, will restore his own personal CTC-5.  After that he will start on my CTC-5, the subject of this post.  Mike has restored two other CTC-5’s prior to this project and is familiar with the circuit design and layout.

Below, a few pictures of the disassembly.

Photo #1  RCA added printed circuits with this model and looks to be original.

Photo #4  6X8 tube missing from tuner assembly.

Photo #6  RCA Monogram factory rebuilt 21AXP22, serial # CC11949.

Photo #7  Emissions test of CTC5U chassis.

Photo #8  All three guns test very good.

Photo #9  Life test reduces filament voltage by 10% and no change in very good to excellent readings.

Stay Tuned.

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