Think I will convert an old cb radio.....

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Although the HB-444 series were nice looking rigs (I had three at one point), they all had trouble handling strong signals.
I'm sure you could make improvements to the front end, mixer, IF chain, and the AGC circuitry, but it wasn't worth the trouble or energy. Even new out of the box, we sold quite a few of them during their life cycle, strong signals, especially in metro areas, would bugger them up. If you were out in the boondocks, generally they would be fine unless there was a strong "E" opening. I sold the last batch of new old stock meters to some guy down in NC several years ago. The front panel of the meter had the habit of crystallizing making viewing difficult and/or annoying.

Do you recall who he was? My meter suffers from that condition

I've talked with him several times after that (he was always looking for Lafayette parts) and all the meters replaced defective or crystallized meters. Actually he was still short one or two meters. As far as I know, I was the only person who still had a stock of those meters.

[w5rkl]

The Johnson Messenger One, II and 202 are easily moved up to 29Mhz. I have all 3 of these moved to 10 AM. I have to move the crystals from one transceiver to the other. Power output is around 7 watts.

I also have a Johnson Messenger 223 that's DDS VFO controlled on 10 AM. The DDS VFO is from N3ZI. I use a small universal single transistor amp to bring the VFO signal up to a usable level. Power output is 5 watts. The Messenger One sitting on the shelf behind the Messenger 223 is one of I moved to 10 AM.

Ten has been open a few times this past week and today, mostly to Oregon and Washington state.

73
Mike W5RKL

[N8ETQ]

  yo'

   Flashback... My first "CB" was a Heath Apache
paired up with a Laughatit Comstat 19 with "tunable"
RX.. Sweet!

        It took a little screwdriver action to get the
Apache on 11m but was "do-able" even when I was 10...
I'm glad I didn't but would have traded it even up
for DX-100...

/Dan

[kc4umo]

Question,

Any of you guys remember the hallicrafters CB-3A?
Said to be able to cover 27-29 MHz.
I was just given one and will pick it up tomorrow.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Question,

Any of you guys remember the hallicrafters CB-3A?
Said to be able to cover 27-29 MHz.
I was just given one and will pick it up tomorrow.

It's an 8-channel basic receiver-transmitter. Requires separate receive and transmit crystals.
http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/hallicrafters/cb3a/ad/index.htm

[kc4umo]

Got that Pete, thanks.
It's in my Sams book.

Since it is "Hallicrafters" was wondering what the build quality was. Wonder if it was built by them or just a re-badged unit with their  name on it.


Looks simular to an old RCA I had.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Got that Pete, thanks.
It's in my Sams book.

Since it is "Hallicrafters" was wondering what the build quality was. Wonder if it was built by them or just a re-badged unit with their  name on it.

Looks simular to an old RCA I had.

Early models were made by them; some of the later models were made in Japan. Have no idea of build quality. No tunable, no meter, no stellar cosmetics, not a lot to excite me.

[w5rkl]

Got that Pete, thanks.
It's in my Sams book.

Since it is "Hallicrafters" was wondering what the build quality was. Wonder if it was built by them or just a re-badged unit with their  name on it.


Looks simular to an old RCA I had.

The Hallicrafters CB3 quality is very similar to the Lafayette HE-20 series. The HE-20 series were built in Japan with Lafayette's name silk screened on the front panel. The CB3 and the HE-20 both have the same 1.650Khz IF and very similar circuit. I have an HE-20C that I used when I was in high school, long time ago. The receive crystal frequency is 1.650Khz above the receive frequency so they can be moved to the transmit sockets. I did that with channel 18, 27.175Mhz which tuned the HE-20C right up on 28.825Mhz rather easily with about 3 watts into the 50 ohm dummy load.

I have the Sams CB3 pages which include the full schematic and alignment instructions plugs pictures pointing out the cap and resistors etc. Drop me an email and I can send the pdf files to you. The files are not big.

73
Mike W5RKL




The CB3 has about the same circuit layout as the HE-20 does, it has the same 1.650Khz IF

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Got that Pete, thanks.
It's in my Sams book.

Since it is "Hallicrafters" was wondering what the build quality was. Wonder if it was built by them or just a re-badged unit with their  name on it.


Looks simular to an old RCA I had.

The Hallicrafters CB3 quality is very similar to the Lafayette HE-20 series. The HE-20 series were built in Japan with Lafayette's name silk screened on the front panel. The CB3 and the HE-20 both have the same 1.650Khz IF and very similar circuit. I have an HE-20C that I used when I was in high school, long time ago. The receive crystal frequency is 1.650Khz above the receive frequency so they can be moved to the transmit sockets. I did that with channel 18, 27.175Mhz which tuned the HE-20C right up on 28.825Mhz rather easily with about 3 watts into the 50 ohm dummy load.

The CB3 has about the same circuit layout as the HE-20 does, it has the same 1.650Khz IF

73
Mike W5RKL

Incorrect. The Lafayette HE-20, 20A, 20B, and 20C were all manufactured here in the U.S.A. The HE-20D and 20T were manufactured in Japan. See the ad: http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/lafayette/he_20c/ad/index.htm
A number of Lafayette's early amateur and CB products were manufactured here in the U.S.A. A number of CB manufacturers used the 1650 KHz IF in their products.

[kc4umo]

Thanks for that info guys. Either way I only see a bit of history in this old radio. Nothing spectacular.

Back to the D201

[w5rkl]

The Lafayette HE-20, 20A, 20B, and 20C were all manufactured here in the U.S.A. The HE-20D and 20T were manufactured in Japan.

I stand corrected. I thought the HE-20 series was made in Japan. Thanks Pete for the correction.

A number of CB manufacturers used the 1650 KHz IF in their products.

Yes I'm sure there are others that have the same 1.650Mhz IF frequency. I was simply making a statement that the CB3 and HE-20 have the same IF frequency, nothing more.

73
Mike W5RKL

[Pete, WA2CWA]

The Lafayette HE-20, 20A, 20B, and 20C were all manufactured here in the U.S.A. The HE-20D and 20T were manufactured in Japan.

I stand corrected. I thought the HE-20 series was made in Japan. Thanks Pete for the correction.

73
Mike W5RKL

When I was first hired part-time by Lafayette, the HE-20 series was a hot seller. Typically I could move 5 to 8 of them on a single Saturday(our busiest day). In the made in the U.S.A. category, there also was the Lafayette CB HE-15 series, HE-90, HB-111, HB-115 series, HB-200, HB-222, HB-266(made by Hammarlund), and the HB-333(made by Polycomm). In the amateur category, there was the HE-35 series, HE-45 series/VFO, HE-50 series/VFO, and the KT-390.

[w5rkl]

When I was first hired part-time by Lafayette, the HE-20 series was a hot seller. Typically I could move 5 to 8 of them on a single Saturday(our busiest day).

Back in my junior high/high school days I had the Lafayette catalog, loved to page through it every day. I wanted an HE-20C but couldn't afford it. I got lucky a short time later and bought one from a friend for $25. Took me 6 months to pay him the $25. Back then $25 was a lot of money for me, I worked part time after school at a greasy spoon, "Red Barn". If I remember correctly I only made $35 a month. I was also paying for my Suzuki 150 I used to get to and from work. Gas was 27 cents a gallon back then. I'm sure you remember those days. I solid the HE-20C and the Suzuki 150 many years ago when I joined the Navy. I recently found an HE-20C in excellent condition along with the other HE-90 I also wanted. They sit on the shelf and I power them up every now and then to keep the "cob webs" out. I don't talk on them, just keep them for memories of those old high school days.

73
Mike W5RKL

[W4EWH]

The Johnson Messenger One, II and 202 are easily moved up to 29Mhz. I have all 3 of these moved to 10 AM. I have to move the crystals from one transceiver to the other. Power output is around 7 watts.

I visited a firetower in New Hampshire as a JN: the lookout was using a Messenger, but it was on a fire service frequency. I remember being surprised when I looked at the license, but IIRC it showed 29.8xx or thereabouts.

Bill

[w5rkl]

The Johnson Messenger One, II and 202 are easily moved up to 29Mhz. I have all 3 of these moved to 10 AM. I have to move the crystals from one transceiver to the other. Power output is around 7 watts.

I visited a firetower in New Hampshire as a JN: the lookout was using a Messenger, but it was on a fire service frequency. I remember being surprised when I looked at the license, but IIRC it showed 29.8xx or thereabouts.

Bill

I'm not surprised since the vacuum tube Johnson Messenger transceivers can, with the correct components, operate on any frequency from 25Mhz to 50Mhz. The proper components for each 5Mhz spread of frequencies are found in the Johnson Messenger 202 parts lists.

The Johnson Messenger One, Messenger II, and business band Messenger 202 are very easy to move up to 10 meter AM.  I have to physically swap the crystals from one radio to the other. I have all 3 of them on 10 meter AM, worked both coasts, Canada, and Italy with only 5 to 7 watts into an inverted vee. It's fun when the band's open.

73
Mike W5RKL

[WA1LGQ]

I forget which CB it was, but I once had one with the 1650 IF and  I just swapped the RX and TX crystals and retuned and it was on 10M.