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I acquired a lot of vintage electronic components at an estate sale.

The sale included a dozen of what may be variable resistors.

These components are all the same size and have the same plastic mounts.

The code on the bottom varies but the last part of each code is N4A.

Can you tell me what I have?

enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I was going to say air cored inductors wound on a phenolic former, but then noticed what looks like a ferrite slug in the 'tube'. So they're variable inductors (chokes). Doubtless for RF use. \$\endgroup\$
    – Graham Stevenson
    Commented Oct 10, 2020 at 18:04

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No, they're certainly not variable resistors but coils for tuned circuits of a vintage TV set.

The moulded channel strips, from a vintage colour TV turret tuner, carry channel coils wired to rivet-like contacts.

Picture courtesy: rfcafe.com

enter image description here

https://www.rfcafe.com/references/popular-electronics/taming-tv-tuner-popular-electronics-march-1967.htm

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah, very likely the digits leading the part code indicate the TV channel. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Oct 10, 2020 at 0:33
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These are variable inductors - vintage TV/radio gear.

Turning the core with a flat-blade screwdriver causes the (linked) inductance to change. These were used to "tune" RF circuits for old "over the air" television.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I'll just place this here (no affiliation). Lots of vintage radio innards: youtube.com/c/MrCarlsonsLab/featured \$\endgroup\$
    – Chris Knudsen
    Commented Oct 9, 2020 at 14:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ Those coils are part of a vintage TV turret tuner. \$\endgroup\$
    – vu2nan
    Commented Oct 9, 2020 at 17:31
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No, definitely not a variable resistor because it has coils of wire. Here's what a variable resistor looks like. There are all sorts of what they look like.

enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to the site :-) Please see this site rule, which says that when we include something in an answer (e.g. photo, image or text) which isn't our own original work, we should properly reference (cite) it. Those images seem to be from other sites, so can you please edit your answer and add a link back to the original web page for each one? That would prevent you being accused of plagiarism. I know they are quite generic photos, but the site rule doesn't say those are exempt. Please see the tour and help center for more rules. Thanks! \$\endgroup\$
    – SamGibson ♦
    Commented Oct 10, 2020 at 17:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ Sorry, I forgot to say I got it from google. \$\endgroup\$
    – Logan S. Colon
    Commented Oct 10, 2020 at 18:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hi, "I got it from google" Thanks, but Google isn't the original source web page for any image (they are just a search engine to find web pages and images from elsewhere) so that doesn't meet the site rule. The site rule requires a link to the specific original web page for each photo / image / piece of text which someone copies into an answer from elsewhere. If you use Google Images, then for each image, Google does provide the link to the original web page. I hope that helps to explain things, so that you don't get into trouble for breaking the rules here. Thanks! \$\endgroup\$
    – SamGibson ♦
    Commented Oct 10, 2020 at 18:57

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