Hallicrafters SR-42 Vibrator

[W6TOM]

  I have a Hallicrafters SR-42, 2 meter AM transceiver. It has an internal vibrator, 4 pin, 2 small pins and 2 large pins, it will run off of 12 volts. Does anyone know what type of vibrator this is and where I might find one?? Thanks!!

                                  W6TOM

[WQ9E]

The one in mine is marked Mallory Type G1501.

Antique Electronic (and others) sell solid state replacement units that will probably work OK.  Otherwise it will have to come from a hamfest or someone's junk box and vibrators aren't the most reliable component every produced.

It might be easier to just operate the SR-42  from 120 VAC and use something else mobile

[WB2EMS]

Or use a small mobile inverter to run the radio off 120 VAC.  Probably more efficient than the original vibrator supply too.

[WB6NVH]

If the vibrator is still present, but doesn't start or run well, you can hook it in series with a regular 40-60 Watt lamp bulb and use your wall socket to clean the contacts up.

The cost of a solid state vibrator is about what an SR-42 is worth and they seem about as robust as a canary anyway. 

Those 4-pin vibrators are very common and you ought to be able to source a good one for about $ 5.

But...who's running VHF AM mobile these days?