The AM Forum

Does anybody recognize this transmitter,  I can't find any nameplate on it.

Hi Steve,

Great looking transmitter!  I don't recognize it, but will pass the photos around to those that may recognize it. 

Welcome to AMfone!

73,
Joe, GMS

I don't recognize the transmitter....What are the tubes?  It looks well made..Is that vario coil the antenna tune?...I can't make out the modes on the "Emission Selector"...  Good Luck..

Maybe a CAA airways or ILS transmitter. Perhaps made by Federal or another contractor.  Nice condition.

Emission; CW, MCW, Keyed MCW.

Serious variometer there on "antenna coupling."

CW, MCW, Keyed MCW.
It also has a phone jack below that that says 1020 (Sine wave)
If you click on the picture you get a nice enlargement.
Carl
/KPD

I thought that the 1020 cps tone sounded familiar.

I think you have a Low-Frequency Radio Range transmitter there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-frequency_radio_range

http://ed-thelen.org/TJohnson-LFRDF.html#Article

With all that inductance it sure makes sense on the low frequency of operation.

Joe, GMS

1020 Hz is a standard modulated cw identification frequency for aviation navigation resources.  With the low frequency inductors shown (variometer and antenna loading coil), I think it is a non-directional beacon (NDB) transmitter.  The usual frequency range was 200 to about 450 kHz.  Some beacons ran power like 50 Watts and just repeated the 2 letter or 3 letter i.d.  But some beacons were higher power and broadcast weather information.

Most beacons in this range have left the airwaves, but some are still on, by my observations.

http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm (http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm)

Here's a nice write-up about how Adcock antennas were used in this system. It goes a bit into some of the nuances.

Pretty clever offsetting of the .- of the A with -. the N so if you're hearing both equally, you hear just a steady tone.

http://www.vias.org/radioanteng/radio_antenna_engineering_01_13_03.html

The style of the labels make me think of the manufacturer Wilcox.

lt looks like a low freq xmitter to me. What are the tubes in it?

I think you guys nailed it as an NDB. In addition to the Modulated CW identifier, the lower power ones located near airports also transmitted voice weather conditions at the airport to aid pilots in choosing runways and setting their altimeters based on atmospheric pressure.

I'm an avid pilot and I've been fascinated by NDBs since I was given an AM/LW receiver when I was very young. I heard the 4000 Watt powerhouse on Nantucket Island which transmitted "TUK" in a loop behind a Transcribed Weather Enroute Broadcast (TWEB) report for flights arriving from Europe or flying throughout the Northeast.

I miss DXing the many NDBs that could be heard throughout the 200-400 kc band.

Would you please let me know the tube line up? Maybe a picture of the other side?

Thanks Terry 

Hey guys thanks for all the input, I will take some pictures tonite see it there is tube identification at the tube sockets someone picked all the tubes out. I got the thing for free I never pass up a deal like that even if I don't know what it is. My wife thinks I'm nuts.

Some pix more to follow.

More pix.

More

Having a little trouble posting pix for some reason. May be that files are to big. Hope this helps.

Tks
Steve

Very cool OT transmitter Steve!  Thanks for posting the pictures and I am sure you will get some comments about what you have shown!
73,
Joe, GMS

AH-HAH!!!

Your transmitter is missing the identification plate just below the bottom row of fuses: "Compass Locator Transmitter" "Federal Aviation Agency" (which pre-dates the FAA).

<a href="http://www.w8ji.com/ndb%20beacon%20fish%20buoy%20net%20beacons.htm"</a>

(http://www.w8ji.com/images/NDB/ndb%20front.jpg)

Love this stuff!

Clark

Thanks Clark looks like you hit the nail on the head.  Thanks for the link it was an interesting article.Now I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do with it, Thanks again I'll have to look in the garage and see what else I have you guys can figure out.

Steve

Exactly what I was thinking... what are you going to to with it??

Does it have tubes in it?

Also, my first reaction seeing the thumbnail in post one was "Wilcox" - but it may not be. They made some very nicely built stuff. I have a "module", slide in drawer,  from a larger xmitr built by Wilcox, it is really fabulously well built.

     _-_-

The tube sockets are 4 pin UX base, two small, two large pins  and apparently held 809's (says so) in one of the pictures shown.

Neat rig.

Looks like a great transmitter for 600 meters!

--Shane
KD6VXI

For those curious about what information this transmitter used to send to pilots in flight, tune to 3.485kc SSB most evenings. New York and Gander Radio transmit TWEB (Transcribed Weather En route Broadcast) announcements for the Northeast. If you live near an airport, the ATIS transmission, usually on VHF in the 130mc area, offers a very good example.

Both of these services should be searchable on the net.

I like to use New York Radio as a propogation indicator, I usually can hear it on all 4 frequencies throughout the day (3485, 6604, 10051, and 13270). There still are a few NDBs down in the 200 to 400 khz area, CLB on 216 khz is probably the easiest to hear.

The LF NDBs don't transmit anything like what you'll hear on the HF weather radio stations like NYR and Gander. Also, the signals are quite different. One is modulated CW, the other SSB voice.

Back in the 1980s I used to ferry aircraft overseas and could listen to BBC4 on 200 kc half way across the north Atlantic on the ADF, just don't try to navigate on the skywave! Good programming and the shipping forecasts! For the last couple of hundred miles the ADF would be reliable.

Aha,, The shipping forecasts. For those not familiar,

http://www.npr.org/2013/12/16/249722733/the-shipping-forecast-from-britains-seas-into-its-soul

I recommend you click "Listen to the story" at the top.

Good Stuff Greg!

Great story, thanks!

Just add music...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDUk11Z0bkQ

There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Fisher, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Finisterre, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faroes and Southeast Iceland. The general synopsis at one eight double-O: low just north of Viking, nine double-seven, moving steadily east-northeast.

Low 300 miles south of Iceland. Atlantic low forming, moving steadily northeast. A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Utsire. The area forecast for the next twenty-four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth.

Atlantic low forming, moving staedily Northeast. A ridge of high pressure has swayed between North and South Urtsoire. The area forecast for the next twenty four hours. Viking, Forties, Cromanty, Forth

[/quote}
Back in the 1980s I used to ferry aircraft overseas and could listen to BBC4 on 200 kc half way across the north Atlantic on the ADF, just don't try to navigate on the skywave! Good programming and the shipping forecasts! For the last couple of hundred miles the ADF would be reliable.
[/quote]

Not to pick-a-nit but BBC4/World Service is on 198kc, I'm listening to it right now...   8)

Not to pick-a-nit but BBC4/World Service is on 198kc, I'm listening to it right now...   8)


[/quote]

Back then it was at 200kc, but due to the 9kc spacing scheme of the Eurozone they had to move it down 2kc.