In Which Da Boyz Fetch Two BC-610s...

[WBear2GCR]

So, I'm reading the mail, or was I sorta in the QSO, don't recall, about three weeks or so back one evening. Think some of the strapping signals were on 3885, and I hear a station breaking in... it's W2WZQ, Ralph out of Rome NY... and he's saying something about having two (2) BC-610s that he's gotta get out of there because he's moving down to South Carolina by the end of the summer.

Well, he quoted a price that was very good to my ears, and when no one else on the frequency seemed interested or to notice, I was surprised. It stuck in my mind and about a week later someone who had been in the QSO remembered who it was and I made the contact via landline by way of QRZ.com and then the a phone lookup... got Ralph on the line and we chatted agreeded on a price and a time frame.

After a few false starts, Steve KC2JXX generously agreed to make the trip and supply his Dodge van for the job.

We set out this AM at about 7AM for Rome, and W2WSZ's QTH.
About 2hours later we're in front of Ralph's place... a tour of his jam packed with stuff shack building, oogling various things and dickering on them goes on for a bit, then we head out for the BC-610s. They're hiding out back a ways.

Anyhow, I've packed all the stuff necessary to load a pair of BC-610s into a van with two people, without dissassembling them. That all needs to come out before the units can go in.

Two hours later, and nothing particularly heavy for any one move or lift, we have two of them sitting inside a very low riding van. Ralph wonders if it will not break. He gets down under the van and peers at the springs, and remarks that "there's only one leaf on it", and " it might go negative" (the bend). I reassure him that that's the way they seem to have designed them these days...

But, I'm still worried about the van bottoming out as we ride through a dirt road back to the house.

Now the pix. That's me on the left and Steve faking lifting it. We didn't have to lift it at any time to move it into the van. Well not in the sense of a real lift of the full weight. Then that's Ralph kibitzing with Steve. HEY! Get to work you guyz!

Well, the bottom line is that I was hoping/expecting that they would be more or less key-up ready condition, and they're not. I bought them anyway. Probably shouldn't have, but it's hard to pass up, especially after a two hour ride to get 'em! They're definitely "hi-RF-sex factor" rigs, look great!. But they need some time and TLC to go through them and make 'em nice, repaint that black crackle paint! They're really not too far gone at all. So, with discretion being the better part of valor as they say, I've put them up for sale here on amfone first. I feel sad, but I know that I have far too many other projects languishing and that I will not be able to get to these in a realistic time frame. No way. Someone who wants a fb rig ought to jump on these.

At least they're "rescued" from death from rot or neglect now... 

               _-_-WBear2GCR

[Bill, KD0HG]

Great job.
To me, a BC-610 looks like what a medium-power transmitter *should* look like.

Didja get any plug-in coils and/or VFO units?

[Herb K2VH]

Bear,

Just remember what I've always said about BC-610s: 

BC-610s have got a mind of their own, so you've always got to let them know who's boss.  Otherwise, they'll run you rather than you running them.

Are they both C models?

Anybody know where there's a junker?  I need a tuning chart pocket for mine.

vH

[WBear2GCR]

It's a 610-C and a 610-E

And yes I have some output coils and a bunch of those plug-in thingie strips that go into the top of the RF deck.

And Herb, I can sell you the tuning pocket from this one, no problem. You get the tuning pocket, plus the big box that it hangs on and all the parts!. Good price!! Serious.

Someone really needs to take these off my hands... as much as I wish it weren't so.

                  _-_-bear

[WBear2GCR]

A few more pix of Da Boyz out on the prowl.

First pic is "before" around 7am and Da Boyz are GUNG HO!
Just look! See?
Pshaw says Steve.

Then here's Ralph up in his shack.
You can't quite make out the DX-100, Viking ValiantII, and to the left the Super Pro JX and a really pristine National receiver.

Ralph then demonstrates his home brew toona!
I think that bulb is a "tuning indicator", but I'm not quite sure.

                _-_-WBear2GCR

PS. I have CRS - it is W2WZQ not W2WSZ, but it would have been clever to use a non-existant call to keep you buzzards off the 'mother load'!  But that there was such a thing... 

[WBear2GCR]

Ok, so I got tired of seeing all the meese leftovers and dust.

The 610-E wanted to take a bath in the summertime sun.

The hose and a liberal spray with Mean Green, and things were looking far cleaner.
Of course, all the loose rusted paint also left, but that was flaking off and gone no matter what. At least what's there can now be seen, and the corrosive meese stuff is gone.

               _-_-bear

[W1RKW]

I remember as a kid being told by adults that water and electronics don't mix. 

When I was in the audio service business someone brought in a stereo receiver that was basically toasted from being saturated with a liter of Coca A Cola. It was all screwed up.  I figured it was as good as dead and ruined.  The customer wanted me to salvage it if it was possible.  It was a top end receiver.  He had nothing to lose nor did I so I ripped it apart and soaked nearly the whole thing in a tub of water to dissolve the mess.  Got it all back together and put the fire to the wire and it worked.

About 10 or so years ago I dropped an HT into saltwater when getting into my boat.  I figured it was dead as soon as it hit the water and gave it up for dead. Though, I wasn't about to lose a day of fishing because of an accident so I put the radio into a pale of fresh clean water and fished for several hours figuring I had nothing to lose.

I love it when I see something electronic being doused with copious amount of water and then everything springs back to life.

When I got back home I disassembled the whole thing and continued to rinse it out. Then submersed it in about a gallon of isopropyl alcohol for an hour or so.  Dried it out in the hot sun and put it all back together  and fired it up.  I still have it to this day and it still works OKFine.

[kf6pqt]

Ahhh, nice and clean!

I had the same conversation with my neighbor while hosing down some tube gear.

"You're right, electricity and water don't mix... thats why I'm gonna cook it in the sun all day, THEN plug it in!"

[WBear2GCR]

Actually, it's not the water exactly. It's the water PLUS ions from metals or salts...

If I recall my 7th or 8th grade science teacher plunked a working AC-DC tube radio into a very clean tank full of distilled water! No problems, but probably wasn't good on the speaker...    Shocking! 

The key is to get it bone dry before you turn it on. Things like transformer lams and paper parts and little gaps between things tend to hold the water longer than expected.

But in Arizona in the summer that might break down to an hour flat!!!??

            _-_-bear

[WBear2GCR]

Elvis has left the building!

The BC-610-C was be left da building today.
Headed towards Walton NY...fwiw.

The pic series - how to load a BC-610 into a pick-em-up-truck without breaking a sweat or lifting any thing heavy...

[WBear2GCR]

This one didn't want to load with the others...

[WBear2GCR]

Alright now... the saga continued!

Dave, W1EUJ contacted me and expressed interest in the 610-E. Others had as well.

Earlier today Dave showed up with his non-ham brother Mike to buy the 610-E! Yay!
A good home for the rig!

8am Dave called and said he was on the road. By 11:30 he was in the driveway. After some initial greetings and chat Dave set about fetching up all the goodies and bringing them out to the truck. Dave poses next to his 610-E.

Then we set out to levitate the beast into the truck. My neighbor Lou came by and we all had a jolly good time wrestling the 350lb Heavyweight champ. Leverage, that's the trick. No heavy lifts for this lad!

A short time later we had the item into the truck. Champagne for all! 

We shot a picture to prove the fact.

Dave and I chatted and negotiated some more, and he sweet talked me out of the very clean BC-614 speech amp!  He already had everything else left!

Well it was a good deal as he left behind a Junkston Val-I-Ain't II in partial trade for the 350lb beast. That is another topic - to be found and followed in the Technical section here...

Beautiful perfect day for doing Ham stuff!

...And an ok, fine good end to another Ham radio adventure!

         _-_-bear

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Congratulations, Dave! Now you not only have a close mate for your SX-28 project, you'll be able to run with the big dawgs.

Welcome to the Heavy Metal Club. Looking forward to its return to the airwaves.

[W1EUJ]

Do I wear a black wrinkle smoking jacket? Does the little dude running a DX-60 bring me my single-malt?

Thanks all. Anybody know where I could find a 610E RF deck? :-(

Dave Goncalves

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Nah, you need nothing more than the functioning transmitter. The signal speaks for itself. Anything else is just fluff.

If you don't locate the parts you need or a deck by the time NEAR-Fest rolls around, remind me there and I'll hook you up with a guy who has a bunch of that stuff. Between him and the military guys, we can likely get you what you need, or at least generate some good leads.

[Herb K2VH]

If you don't locate the parts you need or a deck by the time NEAR-Fest rolls around, remind me there and I'll hook you up with a guy who has a bunch of that stuff. Between him and the military guys, we can likely get you what you need, or at least generate some good leads.

Hey Todd, as I mentioned above, I'm looking for a tuning chart pocket for my 610-E.  Think that guy might have one of those?

I'm thinking seriously about going to NEAR-Fest.

Herb

[W1EUJ]

Herb,

 You need tuning cards? I have three sets.

Dave Goncalves

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Hey Todd, as I mentioned above, I'm looking for a tuning chart pocket for my 610-E.  Think that guy might have one of those?

What a coincidence: I need one for my T-368, too. Where DO they go? Tubes, covers, those things I can understand. But the chart pocket??

Sounds like I need to make a call, if he has the stuff, it would be nice to have it available there. I've got to make some calls tonight for the 'fest, so I'm not sure about time, but perhaps I can track him down by the weekend?

I'm thinking seriously about going to NEAR-Fest.

YES!!! By all means, DO!! You'll see a lot of familiar faces, plus be able to put faces with some of the voices you've spoken with over the years and decades. I know I'd really enjoy meeting you, after some 18-20 years since we first spoke. 

There are a number of folks coming from across the country and north of the border. Johnny Novice and the HUZman will be in attendance, W1ES is coming up from...South Carolina? Plus all of the usual crazies from 3 Land, NY, and the northeast in general.

We're going to have some interesting guest speakers both days, workshops, Special Event Stations for Class E as well as Classic Tube gear (new addition this time), and the ever popular AM Dinner on Friday night.

You'll have a blast, and we'd sure love to see you there!

http://near-fest.com/

[Herb K2VH]

Thanks Todd, and Dave.  You're both very kind.

Dave -- I have a set of cards.  What I need is the metal pocket they go in to.  Somebody drilled a big hole in that spot on my rig, and put a meter there.  Thanks for the offer though.

Todd -- I hope I can make it.  Mr. Mike has already personally invited me and kindly sent me a pass.  I talked last evening with Bill Russel, KC2IFR, about driving as far as South Glens Falls, and then riding the rest of the way with him.  He is very agreeable with that.  So it might really happen.  Let's see if I'm up to it by then.  Right now, I'm still feeling rather down in the dumps.  But then again, a good fester like NEAR-Fest is probably just what I need to feel better.

Thanks guys!

Herb

[W1EUJ]

Herb,

 If you've any parts to help me with my BC-610, I think I can make you a pocket in the machine shop here at work. I've got the steel, black wrinkle paint, and a pattern (the one my my box). I was just building some fixturing this afternoon. I'll take a look at the pocket and see how difficult it is to make.

Dave Goncalves
W1EUJ

[Herb K2VH]

Herb,
 If you've any parts to help me with my BC-610, I think I can make you a pocket in the machine shop here at work. I've got the steel, black wrinkle paint, and a pattern (the one my my box). I was just building some fixturing this afternoon. I'll take a look at the pocket and see how difficult it is to make.
Dave Goncalves
W1EUJ

Dave,

I really don't know what you need for your 610.  Are there parts missing from your RF deck?  I might have a few odd tuning units you could use, but other than that, I don't have too much in the way of spare 610 parts.  Let me know what you're missing.

Thanks for your offer of making me a pocket.  Hopefully we can work something out.

73,
Herb