Echophone EC-1B

Made by Hallicrafters, this three-band (BC and two short wave bands) six-tube AC-DC receiver is very similar in design to the early six-tube S-38 which replaced it. Tube line-up and function are identical with the use of two 12SQ7's (one for bfo/ noise limiter and one for detector/ AVC/ audio amplifier). Other tubes used for both the EC-1B and the S-38 are 35Z5 (rectifier), 35L6 (audio output), 12SA7 (mixer) and 12SK7 (I.F. amplifier). The schematic for the EC-1B is shown in Rider's Volume 16. The radio was introduced in 1946. The schematic in the manual is dated December 1945.

The EC-1B is nearly identical to model EC-1A. Both are updated versions of the EC-1. The EC-1B uses an inductor link to the oscillator coil for the bandspread with a cheaper broadcast-type variable capacitor. The EC-1A uses the more conventional and more expensive dual-control variable capacitor. An early ad for the EC-1A in the January 1946 Radio News features Hogarth (see the EC-1) dreaming about it. The Hallicrafters S-41G (gray) and S-41W (white) are electrically and mechanically identical to the EC-1A/B with the main differences being color and knob style.

Safety note: The EC-1B and others mechanically and electrically identical to it have one side of the power line connected to the chassis by way of the power switch. There are grommets separating and insulating the metal cabinet from the chassis. That insulation must remain intact. For safety, it is strongly recommended that the EC-1B (and other AC-DC style radios) be operated from an isolation transformer.
If you must plug it in directly, at the very least plug it into a GFCI (ground -fault circuit interrupter) outlet.