Squires Sanders SS-1R Receiver Test Results

[WB2YGF]

Remember the Clegg 99'er 6M AM XCVR?  Well I have the one and only Clegg 10'er. 

I converted a 99'er to 10M AM and changed the panel legends accordingly.  Shame on me. 

The wife of a guy that worked with my dad was a ham and she worked for many years at the Clegg/SS plant.  I wish I could remember the stories she told me about the place.

[W1AEX]

Remember the Clegg 99'er 6M AM XCVR?  Well I have the one and only Clegg 10'er. 

I converted a 99'er to 10M AM and changed the panel legends accordingly.  Shame on me. 

Yah, I had a 99'er. Great little radio, and good for you for putting it up on 10m! I miss mine, which I stupidly sold for around 15 bucks even though it still worked great.

Nice review Jay, you have such wonderful toys...

[va7oj]

Here is an interesting page givong a capsule history of Squires-Sanders:

http://www.radiopharos.it/nuova_pagina_4.htm (in English)

Cheers, 73,
Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ

[Pete, WA2CWA]

There was only one prototype transmitter made as a companion for the SS-1R. Transmitter never made it to production. Prototype spent its remaining days somewhere on Cape Cod. Squires Sanders made a general coverage version of the SS-1R called the SS-IBS.

There was a transmitter because the store had the set unless it was the transceiver model with the additional receiver. I remember this clearly because the person was selling it with a D104 plugged in the front. The chrome mic looked great with the shinny chrome or polished brushed steel cabinets and that’s why I almost bought them. I stupidly went with the Kenwood twins instead.

There must have been more than the one prototype, or an actual short production run because one made it all the way to Oklahoma at some point in time and I remember what Bert told me. Somewhere the historical facts must have been screwed up a little.

I just found this information below via: http://www.radiopharos.it/nuova_pagina_4.htm, but unfortunately its not correct. The transmitter was made at least for a short time.

"In March 1964(3) it was announced that soon it would be available the transmitter SS-1T to be paired to the SS-1R but unfortunately it was never marketed and remained at the level of prototype. From the preliminary data published it is known that the RF power, in SSB, had to be 130 Watt PEP and modes of operation LSB, USB, DSB, AM and CW. This transmitter was expected to work in “transceive” mode coupled to the receiver or with an external VFO SS-1TF. "

P.S. Never believe what you read on the net as fact and just assume it must be correct.

Actually, I sometimes believe very little from what I read on the net and in forums. 

However, my information doesn't come from either place. The history of the design of the SS-1T transmitter and one prototype came from Ed Clegg and a former engineer who worked on the design. When the company doors were closing for the communications product line, employees were trashing all non saleable or unusable building contents. The former employee was able to claim the prototype design, which still had many issues and was no where near getting into production. There was also never any plan for them to market a HF transceiver version of the "SS-1R" series. But as indicated in the link provided, they made a number of improvements/changes during the SS-1R receiver's life cycle.

[KM1H]

Todd, FWIW I converted my 75A4 to 7360's in 1965. I ran some tests yesterday and by swapping the pair I gained a slight improvement on 10M. I then tried 4 NIB ones and any improvement was within MDS measurement error.

Some day Im going to make time to try a Pullen mixer.

Carl
KM1H

[vincent]

Hi to all of you,
my long “Love Affair” with SQUIRES-SANDERS, INC. began long ago, in 1963, when first I read the famous Squires article in QST “A new approach to receiver front-end design”, I was 19 years old. Since then I have collected everything and read everything, that I could find, that was related and linked to that Company and to their products. My employment with an American/Italian Telecommunications company for almost 24 years has contributed, indirectly, to do it, all this when Internet was far to come. You can imagine my surprise and amazement when I saw (not in pictures but live and for the first time!), in 1974, in a famous Amateur equipment store window (here in Rome) a complete SS Line*! Although that it was not very cheap I bought it. It was in good shape but not in perfect working conditions, I restored it and I still have it. I think that (at least at that time) I was the only one here in Italy that had these radio equipments. My second SS Line* came in 1990 straight from the US, I still have it. I have also some other Squires-Sanders equipment.
When I decided to open a website (www.radiopharos.it) it was normal for me to give a tribute to the SQUIRES-SANDERS, INC. Company with my, modest, first article. I tried to do my best by giving the right information but I could have committed, perhaps, some mistakes. Therefore any valid correction and valid new information are welcome and appreciated, thanks.
Kind regards.
Vincent.
*By SS Line I intend:  SS-1R Receiver, SS-1V Video Band Scanner, SS-1S Noise Silencer and SS-1RS Cabinet w/speaker. Unfortunately no SS-1T, my information is that just a prototype has been built. (I would like to be wrong!)

[Tom WA3KLR]

Below is a photo of my Squires-Sanders HF comb generator BSSG-1; makes quick work of testing a receiver's sensitivity across the LF/MF/HF spectrum.

Vincent,

I see you have one on your website!

[vincent]

BSSG-1 is an interesting test equipment.
Tom you made a small mistake; I have 3 of them!!
Regards. Vincent.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I recently spoke to a technician who worked at the Squires Sanders plant in Millington. Only one SS-1T prototype was built and it was not a complete transmitter. He recalls there were a number of issues that still needed to be resolved including sideband suppression, oscillator pulling, some audio distortion,  and several other issues that he couldn't remember. He recalls they (designers) estimated that a minimum of 4 to 6 months more would be required before final design drawings could even be submitted to manufacturing. He surmises that the decision then was made to kill the project. So, as I suspected, and reported earlier, no SS-1T transmitters were ever manufactured or distributed to any dealers. He also stated he has no idea whatever happened to any of the design drawings and schematics. When I spoke to the person (back in the 90's) who retrieved the prototype from the junk trash when they were winding down the business, he also did not have any of the drawings.

[vincent]

Hi Tom,
while preparing some new photos for the next update of the Squires-Sanders page of my website I thought of sending you the pictures of the three BSSG-1 that I have. As you can see two of them have a black logo (as yours) and the third has a green one. From the serial numbers we can deduce that the BSSG-1 with a green logo is an earlier version. As you said the BSSG-1 makes quick work of testing a receiver's sensitivity across the LF/MF/HF spectrum and as you probably know it can also be used, in conjunction with a Spectrum Analyzer, as a “tracking“ generator to measure the frequency response of filters (only wideband filters!) thanks to its good amplitude flatness and frequency linearity.
To measure the response of narrower filters the External Drive Input can be used by injecting a low frequency (as low as 5 kHz) so as to have narrower spectral lines. Squires-Sanders was using the BSSG-1 in the production line of some of their apparatus and especially in that of the SS-1V, the Video Bandscanner, so as it appears in the “SS-1V Test Procedure” manual. It is really easy to align and to check the amplitude flatness, the frequency linearity and the sensitivity of the SS-1V by using the BSSG-1!
Regards. Vincent.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Vincent feel free to put the UltraMonitor information I sent you on your web site too. I'm also trying to get the new owner to take a few pictures of the unit. I was really dumb for letting that unit go before I took some photos.

[WA1GFZ]

Wow Carl, an A4 with 7360s. Don't waste your time with a single ended mixer.
I would love to see dynamic range numbers on that radio and I bet the phase noise is as good as an R390A. Sounds like a radio Jay could have fun checking out. Hopefully you have enough LO swing on each mixer to really make it perform.

[KM1H]

Phase noise wasnt even on the radar back then Frank.

I want to put the A4 on the bench sometime soon and see if it needs any work, its been about 25 years since Ive done more than a tube swap. Its the best CW radio for DXing on 80/160M Ive ever owned or operated in DX or contest enviroments and I use it right next to a souped up TS-940 when the going gets tough. The cascaded filters help.

Ive a full shop of HP test equipment here and will run a full range of tests. Jay' tests stop at 20M and there are still more bands above it that have growing AM activity. There have been pileups on 29.0 within the past few weeks along with DX.

I recently put a rebuilt HRO-60 with a 6GM6 1st RF thru its paces and it is very hot on 10M without degrading signal handling; thats what Ive been using there and 15M recently. It was Nationals longest production radio and received absolute minimum changes during the years of major tube improvements.

Carl
KM1H

[WA1GFZ]

When I wrote my last post I was going to suggest the only way to make it better would be to cascade filters. I guess you have that covered. A third filter at the output of the IF will make it even quieter. My Hot Rod Racal RA6830 has 15 filters (3 Sets of 5) in the second IF and 2 in the first.
I think Jay said the 7360s need 10 to 12 volts peak to peak  for LO injection to get the best dynamic range. Now how about the product detector?
Sounds like a very cool radio.

[Rob K2CU]

The 7360 was the vacuum tube fore runner of the now famous Gilbert Cell of MC1496 and NE602 fame.

RCA recommends applying the carrier or LO to grid 1 to modulate the beam current, and apply the signal or audio to the deflection plates. Comparing similar 6ME8 and 6AR8:

7360  Ip ~18mA for zero Vg and 10Vpp for deflection plates
6ME8 Ip ~ 30mA for zero Vg and 40Vpp for deflection plates
6AR8 Ip ~ 60mA for zero Vg and 40Vpp for deflection plates

The high Gm of the 7360 makes it a good contender for a low noise mixer, comparable to many a Pullen design.

BY the way, I have developed fairly good spice models for all three of them. Just aks And I will email them.

[KM1H]

There is no such thing as quiet on 160 Frank and any selectivity back there would ring my head off; I always use headphones. Passive audio filtering is better for CW IMO. Of course it came with the reduction knob when I bought it 

I have a half assed SS Lamb style noise blanker I built in the 80's that does a fair job but could stand a redo with some better design and components. The Noise Silencer option on my HQ-180 works better.

The PD is original I think but I have to dig out the manual and see if I changed anything back in 65.

I did go with SS hang AGC with selectable constants.

Rob, the 6AR8 was shipped with microphonics in the box, not a good tube for much of anything. I have enough NIB 7360's to last my needs but Im itching to benchmark the 7360, then go with a 12AT7 traditional dual triode and then a 6ES8 Pullen.

Carl
KM1H

[WA1GFZ]

I messed with a number of noise blankers and never found one I liked.

[vincent]

A very interesting dual triode (6DJ8) switching mixer, designed by W.K. Squires, appears in Ham Radio (February 1973) in an article by Ray Moore,
“Designing Communications Receivers for Good Strong Signal Performance”.

[KM1H]

The 6DJ8/6922 is an excellent tube that the audiophools have discovered and ruined as usual. Old Tek scopes are about the only source of them these days.

The 6ES8 in a traditional or Pullen mixer is, IMO, the top of the line for tube technology. Its also the only dual triode (at least in a 9 pin) with variable mu characteristics. It should be easy to get below a system NF of 8dB (including a 6GM6 or similar RF amp) which Ive found to be the maximum required for top 10M performance. Overload performance should be off the scale especially with a Pullen. The 6DJ8 wouldnt be far behind either.

Carl
KM1H

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Amazing to me is how quiet the Clegg Interceptor receiver is. Tuning around after getting it going had me thinking there was a stage not working, until I finally came across a signal (2 & 6 were pretty quiet up north) and it jumped to life. The Venus transceiver uses the 7360 but is nowhere near as quiet, for whatever reason. I think these rigs were both out before the SS/Clegg merger, but perhaps only the Interceptor was? After all, the SS Booster was an accessory for the Venus.

One of my 75A-4 receivers has been hot rodded at some point years ago, I think with the Bob Stankus mods. Haven't looked inside it for a while, but it doesn't have the 7360 or 6DJ8 in it. Many times I've thought about upgrading or changing it since it's already been 'spoiled' (boohoo) and building it up as you have, Carl. Strikes me as a good topic to bat around at NEAR-Fest this fall with you, Jay, Frank, and anyone else into this kind of stuff. I also spoke with Jay recently on 40 about running Greggie's favorite receiver through its paces and am trying to work out the details. Could be fun. 

[KM1H]

I had the same feeling about my Interceptor Todd until I hooked it up to the 8 el yagi or 16 el collinear on 6M and was working QRP stations down into Western CT and over the hills into VT and even the Albany area. Mine is the nuvistor equipped B model.

Near-Fest sounds like a good idea. I should have definitive data on several performance mods on various receivers by then. And be looking for winter projects to drag home and having you nagging me to get over to the group again.

Carl
KM1H