The AM Forum
March 18, 2024, 11:35:22 PM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
 
   Home   Help Calendar Links Staff List Gallery Login Register  
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Story of a Transmitter Restoration  (Read 26744 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
W3GMS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3063



« Reply #25 on: September 23, 2013, 10:16:16 AM »

Wonderful job Al!  Very nice restoration which I am sure took countless hours but well worth the effort.  Whats more impressive is that your using it on the air.  Why have something if you one does not use it.  I can't wait to catch you sometime on 40 meters.
73,
Joe, GMS
Logged

Simplicity is the Elegance of Design---W3GMS
John Holotko
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 2132



« Reply #26 on: September 24, 2013, 01:15:57 PM »

Really nice work. That is class.  Looks beautiful.
Logged

N2IZE<br /><br />Because infinity comes in different sizes.
ashart
Guest
« Reply #27 on: September 24, 2013, 01:55:03 PM »

Thanks Joe, and thanks John and thanks to all the other respondents!

The many compliments about the rig help a great deal to offset the hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars that went into the project!

Yes, for far less money and far less work, I could have bought something that might transmit better, but the goal here was not necessarily to acquire the world's best transmitter.  The goal was to re-build my father's creation.  A labor of love, so to speak.

Throughout the rebuilding, I had to re-create all the schematics, mechanical drawings, cabling drawings, do all the operating calculations, document the project photographically and textually, and so on.  When I originally inherited the rig on the OM's passing in 1957, for some inexplicable reason, he had left not a single scrap of paper about the rig.  As a kid, I used the rig with darn little knowledge of how it worked.  Now, even as a retired EE, it still took a long time reading pre-war QSTs. handbooks and other old literature about the technology of the '30s and '40s to remember all that stuff.

I was often sorely tempted to revise something or to add something, as the engineer in me tussled with the tension between what was "right," what was "state of the art," and what my dad had originally built in 1945.  The main revision I allowed myself was converting all the 120 ac wiring to 3-conductors, in the interest of future safety.  There were a couple of other minor revisions but it's largely what it was.

Regardless of all that stuff, every time I hit the transmit switch, my mind goes back over a half century to when I was using it under two calls as K8RJC and VE1VI/W9, and even further back to when it was built and used by my SK OM, VE1MZ and W9IVP.  It's hard not to get a bit of nostalgic sadness now and then.

For further info, be sure to read the text on the website.  Click on the Turner 99 mike!

Many thanks again, es 73.


-al hart

www.w8vr.org


Logged
W3GMS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3063



« Reply #28 on: September 24, 2013, 10:16:11 PM »

Sticking to your original goals served you well on this project Al. 

Now, maybe you will build another rig for another reason and that will be the opportunity to include all of those improvements.

Let me know when your on 40M and we can make a sked.  I would love to hear it on the air.

73,
Joe, W3GMS 
Logged

Simplicity is the Elegance of Design---W3GMS
ashart
Guest
« Reply #29 on: September 25, 2013, 08:11:57 AM »

Hello agn, Joe -

Nah!  No more rig building for me - that ship has sailed.  I'm 78 and my budgets of time and money have both been depleted.  I'll still play with my electronics and my photography, but no more big projects.  (That's unless of course, I run across a homeless BC-610 needing some TLC!  Smiley

My biggest concern now is finding a future home for the rig.  I'd sure like to find a museum to which I could donate the rig and its spare parts and documentation, and which would display and/or use the rig so that future new hams could see what the technology of the '30s and '40s looked like.  The League yawned a lot when I mentioned the project a few years back and my understanding of AWA also suggests it would not be interested.

As to a 40 meter sked, I'd be more than happy to work you, and as my time is fairly free, and because you undoubtedly know more abt 40m propagation than I, why don't you find a good time and one convenient to you and ship me an email via al@w8vr.org.  If I can possibly make it, I sure will.

73.

-al hart
www.w8vr.org
 
Logged
N2DTS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2307


« Reply #30 on: September 25, 2013, 08:38:58 AM »

There are a FEW younger guys around on AM, and that is likely the only place that rig would find a safe home.
By younger, I mean in their 40's or early 50's.

Not too long from now, there is going to be a LOT of this old gear and no one wanting it at all...

I know many older guys with huge amounts of unused prime parts who have not operated for 20 years.
Vintage rigs, homebrew stuff, parts, tubes and iron.

It will sit in the basement/garage till they need to move out or keel over, then it will go in some dumpster I suppose.


Logged
KC2TAU
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 293


« Reply #31 on: September 25, 2013, 10:52:57 AM »


Don't worry, there are still a few young folks interested in AM. I'm 25 and use a Collins ART-13. I recently restored a Hallicrafters S-76 (I have a thing for meters). I have also have a particular enjoyment of WWII era military issue items.

I have a friend who is about my age who recently picked up a Hammarlund HQ-150. Him and I go tube hunting on the weekends.

Al, I posted a link to your photo album on my Facebook page and tagged some of my friends who are mechanically and electrically inclined and they were really, really impressed with your attention to detail. Your level of craftsmanship really is an inspiration.
Logged
W3GMS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3063



« Reply #32 on: September 25, 2013, 10:54:30 AM »

Hello agn, Joe -

Nah!  No more rig building for me - that ship has sailed.  I'm 78 and my budgets of time and money have both been depleted.  I'll still play with my electronics and my photography, but no more big projects.  (That's unless of course, I run across a homeless BC-610 needing some TLC!  Smiley

My biggest concern now is finding a future home for the rig.  I'd sure like to find a museum to which I could donate the rig and its spare parts and documentation, and which would display and/or use the rig so that future new hams could see what the technology of the '30s and '40s looked like.  The League yawned a lot when I mentioned the project a few years back and my understanding of AWA also suggests it would not be interested.

As to a 40 meter sked, I'd be more than happy to work you, and as my time is fairly free, and because you undoubtedly know more abt 40m propagation than I, why don't you find a good time and one convenient to you and ship me an email via al@w8vr.org.  If I can possibly make it, I sure will.

73.

-al hart
www.w8vr.org
 

Hi Al,

I am sure you will find a home for that transmitter.  I am 61 and think I still have a few more years left in me so one never knows.  We can discuss that further when we chat.  

As to a time, lets try tomorrow (Friday) at 1PM on 7.285 +/- QRM.  

I will also send you an email.

73,
Joe, W3GMS  
Logged

Simplicity is the Elegance of Design---W3GMS
W3GMS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 3063



« Reply #33 on: September 25, 2013, 10:58:00 AM »


Don't worry, there are still a few young folks interested in AM. I'm 25 and use a Collins ART-13. I recently restored a Hallicrafters S-76 (I have a thing for meters). I have also have a particular enjoyment of WWII era military issue items.

I have a friend who is about my age who recently picked up a Hammarlund HQ-150. Him and I go tube hunting on the weekends.

Al, I posted a link to your photo album on my Facebook page and tagged some of my friends who are mechanically and electrically inclined and they were really, really impressed with your attention to detail. Your level of craftsmanship really is an inspiration.


Your story is a good one and I hear similar stories from time to time.  You and other will keep the filaments lit for quite some time. 

You will always hear the doom and gloomers and everyone deserves to give "their" opinion!   

Joe, GMS
Logged

Simplicity is the Elegance of Design---W3GMS
N2DTS
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 2307


« Reply #34 on: September 25, 2013, 11:24:24 AM »

Well, I hope I am not a gloom and doom person, just realistic.
I suspect there is a LOT of good stuff out there that not many will want in the future.

When I was young, I was into the stuff that was out then, CB radios (was different back when you needed a licence), heathkit, and other radios.

I got into AM and picked up slightly vintage gear as the solid state stuff was no good for AM (and still is not).

Someone young, if interested in radio (unlikely) would be more interested in SDR and computers I would think.

I think the average age of people I work on the air is about 65...but that might low..

I wonder how many people there are in the US that run AM at the moment.
Logged
W1RKW
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 4409



« Reply #35 on: September 25, 2013, 05:34:11 PM »

Nice work Al. Glad you took the time to do ALL the detail work. 

When I built GORT I payed attention to certain details and others I did not. Those that I didn't I figured I'd get back to and finish up. I was in a hurry to wrap up the building because it was either build it or dump it. It took 12 years with a 5 year hiatus in between.  But I wish I took the time to do the detail work that I ignored but it works. 

Hope to hear your rig and good work OM. Outstanding!
Logged

Bob
W1RKW
Home of GORT. A buddy of mine named the 813 rig GORT.
His fear was when I turned it on for the first time life on earth would come to a stand still.
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
 AMfone © 2001-2015
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines
Page created in 0.057 seconds with 18 queries.