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Author Topic: Best Looking Broadcast Transmitter in Ham Service  (Read 69199 times)
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KA3EKH
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« on: September 09, 2011, 02:17:18 PM »

Ok, so I like to look at old transmitters. Epically broadcast transmitters that are now in Armature radio service, and although I am biased towards my RCA MX that I have thought I would open up the floor to allow others to post pictures of what they have and are using. Keeping in mind that to qualify it has to have been produced for commercial service and retrofitted for armature use and has to be functional. Don’t know how but maybe we can have a pole of best looking and perhaps worst looking transmitters.
The idea would be that you post a picture and a description. I will start out with my transmitter. It’s a RCA BTA1-MX built in 1955 and was installed at WLAN 1390 in Lancaster Pa. It currently operates at around 375 watts carrier on 1.885 Unlike many of the huge box transmitter of the same time like the Gates BC series this transmitter has a foot print only just larger then a nineteen inch equipment rack and I think the square shape and limited use of chrome make it appear way better looking than the rounded oversized Collins transmitters.



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WA3VJB
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« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2011, 02:26:52 PM »

Among the RCA, the shutter door BTA-1M series is a serious æsthetic rival.

All those little slots of glass showing off the 833A !
Can't be beat.

I don't have a shot handy of the 1M, but here's its big sister.

The doors have verticle slats that are hinged and roll back, retreating into the left side of each cabinet, just like a rolltop desk (but vertically arrayed)

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WD8BIL
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« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2011, 03:26:36 PM »

I'd hafta pick Robert's 20V.

'nuf said!



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W3GMS
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« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2011, 04:21:49 PM »

I'd hafta pick Robert's 20V.

'nuf said!



Budley,

I certainly agree!  Love those round corners chrome and windows!

Joe, W3GMS
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Todd, KA1KAQ
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« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2011, 05:58:48 PM »

Tough to beat the 300G for overall visual appeal in my opinion. Though there are plenty of others, like that big 50kw RCA rig out west with the cobalt blue highlights. The WE that the Vortex had or has is pretty nice, too. And the 20V family is definitely easy on the eyes. From the days when your transmitter made a visual statement about your station and overall operation.

This one came out of a station in Colorado via Barry Wiseman, N6CSW/0. The matching audio companions came along separately. Still needs a few small pieces, though the last year has provided several.


* 300G audio rack.JPG (418.04 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 1072 times.)

* 212A-1.JPG (353.31 KB, 1600x1200 - viewed 1142 times.)
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k4kyv
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Don
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« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2011, 07:21:23 PM »

Can't say what would be the best looking transmitter, but I would probably choose something with plenty of black wrinkle.  Maybe the pre-WW2 Collins with the C-300 tubes. A lot of transmitters of that era were "composite" (homebrew), so you might find a wide variety, like with ham transmitters.

But my vote for the worst looking transmitter would have to be the Gates BC1-T. It's as ugly as they come, with the sloping meter panel along the side and the silly little triangular shaped viewing window, but what takes the cake is that stupid ventilation grille at the bottom under the door, that bulges out away from the cabinet.  The thing looks more like a soda machine than a transmitter.

However, I can't look a gift horse in the mouth. The radio station gave it to me for removing it from their premises, and it has performed well on 160m for over 6 years now. I guess I can put up with the ugly considering what I paid for it.


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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
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« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2011, 07:56:40 PM »

Well, if we all had to see each other's rigs it would be ham television, but fortunately (in my case at least) what matters is only what they sound like.  I'm glad no one has to see the ugly pile of cr*p I have.

Don, I wonder if the Gates door can be replaced or modified with more glass in it.   I wonder if an automobile body shop could cut out the sheet metal and line the square with some kind of chrome strip and glass holder.  I guess that might cost you a few bills though.
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k4kyv
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Don
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« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2011, 08:37:25 PM »

I have entertained the idea of cutting out the hole to make it rectangular. The odd shape makes it difficult to view all four 833As if you are not right in front of the transmitter, as for example, from my operating position. But it would be expensive to have done professionally, and way too much work to attempt myself. I am not interested in doing a hack job.

I would replace the protruding grille at the bottom with a flat panel, maybe louvred. Besides looking ridiculous, that grille sticking out at the bottom sometimes gets in the way and makes the transmitter take up more footprint than necessary.

That was always something that made it a treat to visit another ham's shack back when I first got my start around 1960.  You never knew what someone's homebrew rig looked like until you saw it.  But when most hams started to use commercial equipment, even stuff like DX-100s, Rangers, Desk Kilowatts and KW-1s, everybody's rig began to look familiar because you had already seen dozens of other identical ones or at least pictures in the ads.
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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
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kb3ouk
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« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2011, 08:49:55 PM »

no, this is an ugly transmitter, the original Gates Vangaurd
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Vanguard-1a.jpg

this is my favorite old broadcast transmitter.
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Collins/Collins_300E.jpg
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Collins/Collins_300E_rear.jpg
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Collins/Collins_300E_open.jpg

if you want to go into higher power than what you use on the ham bands, the old (pre 1960s) RCA 50 kw sets look nice, along with this Collins
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Collins/Collins-21B.jpg
shelby
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« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2011, 09:01:05 PM »

I beg your pardon Shelby. The Vanguard-1 is not ugly at all. It's a matter of perspective.

By the way, your links aren't working.



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KL7OF
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« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2011, 09:37:43 PM »

pick one...


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kb3ouk
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« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2011, 09:50:06 PM »

i have no idea what is up with linking to pictures on oldradio.com. don's pic he posted doesn't display right, it should  be of a gates bc-1t. anyway the other two rigs i tried to pst links to were the Collins 300E and the 21B.
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Bill, KD0HG
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« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2011, 09:52:21 PM »

I have to pass along an ad in the latest ER posted by Sam, W6HDU.
Sam has always had some primo sounding AM rigs on the air.And beautifully restored.

Collins KW-1. Perfect condition- $20,000 (ouch!. My car payment)
Collins 20V-2 BC transmitter on 3870- $4.500
Collins TDO shortwave transmitter, 1940s- $5,500
Collins 21E- 1 to 5 KW on 3870, 1950s vintage, $4,500. I think Gary has one of these.
Western Electric 451A-1 250 watt AM box, made from 1930s to 1940s, "Tubes behind an etched glass window, in front of a blue anodized background- on 160 meters"- $10,000.

These are all instant woodie transmitters, out of the range of ordinary mortals. All perfectly restored, I've worked them many times.

Just for grins, kids.
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« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2011, 11:43:11 PM »

Any Western Electric, any vintage, any power level--they eats the others' lunch, IMHO. Cheesy

As far as looks go, that is. Cool

Keeping one running today may be a real challenge, 'specially if you want to run factory tubes. Undecided

73DG

ps...They were built into the early 50's, then the line was sold off to Continental in Dalllas.
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k4kyv
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Don
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« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2011, 11:58:13 PM »

i have no idea what is up with linking to pictures on oldradio.com. don's pic he posted doesn't display right, it should  be of a gates bc-1t.

That's what shows up here. What do you see there?  Agreed the quality is poor, but it still displays on my screen and shows how the BC1-T is constructed.  I probably have a photo of mine which I could attach, or I  could take one if that one  doesn't display right.
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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
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« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2011, 12:47:30 AM »

The RCA BTA-250L is a very good-looking transmitter. No windows but the art deco look is very respectable.


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« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2011, 04:03:04 AM »

Maybe you have to have an account on oldradio.com for it to display... here's what I get...



* Gates-BC-1T.jpg (113.04 KB, 660x590 - viewed 815 times.)
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WA3VJB
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« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2011, 07:21:26 AM »

Barry's got his oldradio site locked against links to his images, that's all.

He wants visitors to see the site and its pages, not just the pix.

Also cuts down on theft.
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WA3VJB
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« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2011, 07:25:32 AM »

Western Electric 451A-1 250 watt AM box, made from 1930s to 1940s, "Tubes behind an etched glass window, in front of a blue anodized background..."

Vortex Joe, N3IBX has one of these, I think i've seen.
Yes, probably the prettiest of them all.

Wonder why Sam's selling down?  He had a house full of great gear last we spoke on 10m.  Hope he's okay.


* 451A-1.jpg (544.49 KB, 1000x780 - viewed 971 times.)
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flintstone mop
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« Reply #19 on: September 10, 2011, 07:47:08 AM »

pick one...

The pictures look like a broadcast station....All of the TX's lined up and on the air

Amazing how this hobby explodes.........
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« Reply #20 on: September 10, 2011, 10:43:28 AM »

I beg your pardon Shelby. The Vanguard-1 is not ugly at all. It's a matter of perspective.

By the way, your links aren't working.


Hmm, that rig looks familiar.  AHA It reminds me of this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ultimate_Computer


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k4kyv
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« Reply #21 on: September 10, 2011, 11:39:46 AM »

Barry's got his oldradio site locked against links to his images, that's all.

Fixed it (scroll back up to reply #5).

Strangely, the image displayed OK on my Win7 laptop, but I got the logo when I viewed the posting on my XP desktop. I created the link to the site using the laptop, so maybe that had something to do with it. His site just happened to be the first one I found showing an image of the BC1-T.
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Don, K4KYV                                       AMI#5
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« Reply #22 on: September 10, 2011, 11:51:20 AM »

Clear your cache and you'll see what everyone else is seeing, Don.
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« Reply #23 on: September 10, 2011, 12:18:52 PM »

" Hmm, that rig looks familiar "


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Steve - K4HX
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« Reply #24 on: September 10, 2011, 12:38:05 PM »

I don't have a pix, but the WE unit KK4BO used to have was the coolest looking TX, BC or otherwise.
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