Anyhow, we could receive three channels: ABC, CBS and NBC

Anyhow, we could receive three channels: ABC, CBS and NBC. One broadcast from Houston, one from Galveston and one from Lake Charles, Louisiana. Thus the antenna rotor was used to aim the antenna on the pole outside toward the transmitter mast to get the strongest signal. Generally the picture was fuzzy.

All of the TVs at this time were based on vacuum tube technology. When the TV was turned on there was a 30 second warmup period before things came on. If the TV did not work, it was probably a defective tube.

The process was to turn the TV off, take the back cover off, remove all of the tubes, marking a piece of paper to note which socket contained which tube. Then head to the 7-11 and use the tube tester on all of the tubes. Replace the defective one and get going again.

On the back of the TV were some controls to adjust the picture. We generally put a mirror in a chair and got behind the TV to move the knobs while watching the result thru the mirror. Favorites were Horizontal Hold, Vertical Hold, Brightness and Contrast. Modern TV’s have it all over those old Black and White behemoths.