Wilcox 99A

[k7yoo]

I see that Todd is moving out his 99A--It amazes me how much "round tuit" stuff is starting to see daylight!!. If anyone is interested I ran one of these critters for several years in its stock form and it is about the same power level as a BC 610 or GK 500. The unique part is that (depending on the accessories) it was capable of transmitting on three different bands simultaneously. The power supply will do 2500V at around 2 amps with a brick on the key. The modulator(s) uses a pair of triode connected 813's and the transmitter could support 2 modulators. Often these were set up with one voice channel and 3 RTTY channels. Any 3 could be run at once. The PA tubes were 250TL's but most were converted to 250TH's. The driver is an 813.  This transmitter is the "baby brother" to the Wilcox 96 that used a similar concept with PP 450TL/TH tubes in the modulator and PA--good for about 3KW. Many of these were set up for remote operation with an elaborate "analog computer" relay switching scheme that will give you hours of entertainment, until you finally break out the clip leads! This is one HD xmitter-just make sure your floor is sturdy!
Skip

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Interesting. I used to have some pieces-part of a similar system made for commercial use (FAA related) made by Bendix. Had three RF decks for the same freq ranges as Todd's Wilcox unit, single modulator deck (two 811s) and a single power supply deck. I had the modulator deck and the VHF Rf deck which was push-pull HK54s. The LF and HF RF decks used two 811s in push-pull. Nice stuff.

[w3jn]

I had (have?) a spare 2X813 mod deck for this radio.  It's a nice, compact design with the fil xformer on the mod deck (mod tranny is mounted elsewhere). 

Todd if your mod deck is incomplete lemme know and I'll look around to see if I still have it.

I had a front panel for it also but I donated it to someone on the forum who was restoring one.  Can't remember who though...

[Opcom]

If the schematic were available for the looking, it might provide an edjumication about the use of multiple modulators and one PA.

[WBear2GCR]

W'all I'll be hawg tied!

I've had a really nice Wilcox exciter deck sitting around here for at least two decades - it be chock full of really nice parts and counters. Very very well made. Never knew what it came out of... Now I know.

I guarantee that if I had the way to get it here and the $$ I'd jump all over that rig!

I think I pulled a single 838 or 805 out of mine... yeah odd that it would be there, but I'm 98% sure that's what came out of the hole...

Thanks for solving this mystery at last! 

                               _-_-Wombat Beastie Two Giant Cockroach Radiator

[k7yoo]

There is room for 4 separate PA's, and the xmitter could be equipped with 0,1,or 2 modulators. There were class C decks ( 250TL) covering the 2-18mc range, as well as a single 4-250 deck covering MF/LF, a VHF deck, and even a deck containing a complete SSB xmitter with a 4CX1000 PA.  The only one I have not personally had in my posession is the VHF deck. I may know where the complete manual and original sales catalog I had went off to.

[John K5PRO]

W3JN
It was me you donated the front panel to. I have my 96D RF unit in the garage, got a bunch of parts for it, but haven't gotten the time to start the restoration.

73
John
K5PRO

[w3jn]

Well, John, if you need the mod deck lemme know 

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Thanks for posting additional info, guys. Should've known Skip had one at some point. 

I know virtually nothing about this transmitter from a technical standpoint, but was aware of some ability to 'simulcast'. Don't recall seeing anything with it that looked like it was made for 4-250s, but it's been a while since I looked it over. The drawers are in the unit stored elsewhere, the decks are upstairs over the garage at home.

It's awfully tempting to just strip it for parts as it would supply the AM community with a lot of goodies for years to come. It's very well made, no corners cut here. But as an interesting and fairly scarce piece of history, it would be great to have someone grab it who would restore it. One fellow is very interested in it for this reason, along with a few tire kickers who maybe like the thought of it pretty well. This ain't no Dixie 100.

And Skip is right: this thing is a heavyweight. With iron and decks removed, it took several of us to lay it down and heft it into the back of my dad's Ranger, after laying it on the tailgate and bending it into a big 'U'. Dad was not pleased!

Thanks for the offer Johnny. I'll check the deck this weekend, but pretty sure all the 'stuff' is there aside from a few tubes. Maybe the next owner would like some spares, I'll pass the info on.