The AM Forum

My first contact of Heavy Metal Night was the most meaningful as it involved a transmitter which had not been operated since May of 1998.

That transmitter belonged to my Elmer, Dick Haungs W2UJR, and is of typical old buzzard relay rack construction. He had built it on his retirement from CalSpan and had used it daily like a fixture on 1888 KC. Since his passing, the unit had set in storage until Larry NE1S and I liberated earlier this year in Buffalo while attending the Antique Wireless Association Conference.

It was with the able help of NE1S that the W2UJR rig, a pair of 811s modulated by a pair, returned to the air on 1885 at or about 7PM last night.Thanks to Brent, HUZman and others who kindly tolerated and coached as brought the beast to life, cranking up the audio and doing manual T/R operation.

The unit has some really clever design features, like an outboard VFO built inside of an old command set cabinet, which uses a Collins PTO and National Velvet Vernier dial!

As this was the maiden voyage and we were still testing, not all of our connections were done in a workmanship manner. The trial run was especially JS, with the antenna feed clip leaded together and the workbenches were strewn with parts, tools and unfinished cups of coffee. The photos tell the story, especially our power supply and antenna connections. And we had some nice arcing when I discovered the antenna output wires had an enamel coating – amazing how quickly an RF arc removed enamel - but the beast not only made RF, it actually worked (once we figured out a wiring error I made on the audio cable).

There is much more work to do on the unit, not fundamental changes as I would like to keep the design and character intact, but minor tweaks and safety measures – take a look at the power supply section and exposed HV to see what I mean.

Anyway, I found it altogether well and fitting that it should make its return to the air on Heavy Metal Night.
Ironically one of the schematics was dated 12/29/82, some 23 years almost to the day earlier.

My most heartfelt thanks to Larry for taking time out of his day and operating hours to assist in the project.

More information, and photos, can be found at http://www.brucehowes.com/the_ujr_project.htm

Mod-U-Later,
Bruce W1UJR

(http://www.brucehowes.com/images/W2UJR%20TX%20Madien%20Voyage%20Dec%2030%202005%201530PM%20%2017.jpg)

(http://www.brucehowes.com/images/W2UJR%20TX%20Madien%20Voyage%20Dec%2030%202005%201530PM%20%2013_small.jpg)

Now, this is radio. Congratulations!


wd8kdg
Craig,

Bruce - Congradulations and hope to work you on the air with the "UJR" transmitter real soon.
Mod-U-Later,
                 Joe N3IBX

very Cool. keep your left hand in your pocket when working on that baby.

Hope you don't have any mice in the shack. They love a warm transformer to live or die on.   
TVI we don't need no stinkin tV

It was a pleasure working you guys and it's great to hear Dick's old TX back on the air. I fondly remember many 0500 QSOs with Dick/2UJR on 1888 kHz.

Kinda reminds me of the old N3DRB transmitter (812Hs modulated by 805s)

(http://www.amwindow.org/pix/jpg/drbtx.jpg)

(http://www.amwindow.org/pix/jpg/drb1.jpg)

Man, what a beauty that transmitter is Bruce, and what a wonderful story! I remember you and Larry taking off from the AWA Conference flea market to run to Buffalo to pickup that jewel. Congratulations to you both and I look forward to having a QSO with you on that beautiful bottlerack!

I like you rig Bruce however, you need to do something about your operating station! The work bench and accessories are way too new for that transmitter. The decor has to consist of an old oak desk that has been pretty well beaten by the time you got it, or an old door supported by bricks at all four corners. Some exoctic QSL cards from DX gone by, a pipe smoldering in the ash tray..... you get the picture. Also you need to dim the lights so that you are compelled to operate by the glow of the filaments!
BTW nice rig :D

FB on the workbenches, so how's this look?

When did you cut your hair Bruce ;D Seriously, it must be awesome to get your Elmer's rig on the air. I don't now how much time and effort you invested but its great when it pays dividends. My buddy Eric, WB4VVI(SK) sold me the HN-500 after he had rescued it from the landfill. It took me quite a bit of effort and time to get it to operate on 160m and change some of the input for the same. I put it on 75m once but I feel comfortable working it on 160. There's alot to be said about bring a transmitter back to life after a stage of dormancy.

Bruce,

Great pictures and great writeups too, especially the one on Dick, himself.  That rig was built in typical UJR style: open rack, perfect physical balance, butterfly final tank cap, and all.

When you commented that the UJR call is now coming out of the rig as a W1, I had to think that it started out as a W8.  In 1940 and 41 Dick was signing W8UJR, as Western NY was part of the eighth call district at that time.

Just as a matter of interest, I'm putting this old picture of Dick and Mike (W2OY) taken in 1950 below.  I didn't meet them till 1957, but they were buddies, and real radio men in the old fashioned sense of the word.  And they built and ran real radios!

Great photo Herb! Lancaster Lids. I love it!

Hey Steve,

For Easter, are you going to dress Santa Dog up in a bunny suit?  I think he'd look really neat with rabbit ears ;D

OK on the pic.  I've got lots of 'em, and one of these days will feed them into the computer for sharing.

H