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Author Topic: Update on Frank-KB3AHE  (Read 49291 times)
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Steve - K4HX
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« Reply #50 on: October 31, 2014, 07:11:06 PM »

More of Frank's 4-1000 rig.


The front of the RF Exciter/Audio Deck


The rear of the RF Exciter/Audio Deck


The rear of the RF Amplifier Deck sports a viewing window and a 4-1000


The rear of the RF Deck and the glowing 4 by 1 ready for action!


The man himself at the controls of the station
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W3GMS
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« Reply #51 on: October 31, 2014, 07:22:17 PM »

Fantastic pictures of Frank's rig Steve.  I never saw the innards before and its great craftsmanship for sure! 

Joe, GMS
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« Reply #52 on: October 31, 2014, 08:13:22 PM »

Fantastic pictures of Frank's rig Steve.  I never saw the innards before and its great craftsmanship for sure!  

Joe, GMS


Yes, nice, very nice work.  I never saw it inside either.  That RF/ audio deck looks commercial, it's so good.

Do you remember his funny stories on the air about getting the Johnson Invader working and modified for AM? He worked for hours and hours on it with crap out after crap out.  In the end it worked FB, but he certainly had a low opinion of Johnson's engineering practices....  Grin

T
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« Reply #53 on: October 31, 2014, 09:43:23 PM »

Fantastic pictures of Frank's rig Steve.  I never saw the innards before and its great craftsmanship for sure! 

Joe, GMS


Yes, nice, very nice work.  I never saw it inside either.  That RF/ audio deck looks almost commercial.

Do you remember his funny stories on the air about getting the Johnson Invader working and modified for AM? He worked for hours and hours on it with crap out after crap out.  In the end it worked FB, but he certainly had a low opinion of Johnson's engineering practices....  Grin

T

I remember those stories about Frank and his Johnson Invader II as well Tom.  It won no marks in his book for a well engineered transmitter.  Your right, in the end it sounded pretty darn good though but I never heard him on it much.  He said it was not worth all the work.   

Joe, GMS
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« Reply #54 on: October 31, 2014, 09:45:15 PM »

A few more of Frank in his glory! 

Joe, GMS


* 2007-0331-007.jpg (74.96 KB, 897x600 - viewed 701 times.)

* 2007-0331-032.jpg (143.83 KB, 897x600 - viewed 759 times.)

* Frank KB3AHE & Carol.jpg (94.31 KB, 800x600 - viewed 850 times.)
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« Reply #55 on: October 31, 2014, 09:55:20 PM »

Invader mods documented at the link.

http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/invader2000.htm

A quote from the article:

The Invader 2000 (especially the earlier ones) are some of the most hateful pieces of S@#% that E.F. Johnson had ever produced. They have many problems that are the nature of the design of the transmitter. Also the underside of the chassis is 10 pounds of S#$% stuffed in a 5 pound bag.
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« Reply #56 on: October 31, 2014, 09:56:39 PM »

One last picture from the GMS archives.  A great picture of Frank and Carol.

Joe, GMS  


* Frank-KB3AHE & Carol.jpg (548.92 KB, 1560x2046 - viewed 843 times.)
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« Reply #57 on: October 31, 2014, 10:43:51 PM »

Invader mods documented at the link.

http://www.amwindow.org/tech/htm/invader2000.htm

A quote from the article:

The Invader 2000 (especially the earlier ones) are some of the most hateful pieces of S@#% that E.F. Johnson had ever produced. They have many problems that are the nature of the design of the transmitter. Also the underside of the chassis is 10 pounds of S#$% stuffed in a 5 pound bag.


heheheh....  That's quite a message.

I just read his modification log.  Unfrickin-believable!   That was one big nightmare job.

Can you imagine the poor newbie bastard in 1960-63 who saved up his hard-earned money ($1500+ ?) to buy an Invader 2000?   Surprise, surprise, surprise!

That modification write-up has given me a new appreciation for Frank's electronic and troubleshooting abilities.  He really knew his schtuff.

T
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Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

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There's nothing like an old dog.
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« Reply #58 on: October 31, 2014, 10:49:36 PM »

Really nice work on that homebrew.
Was that the screen modulated setup?
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« Reply #59 on: October 31, 2014, 11:09:12 PM »

Yes. IIRC, he used two 2E26s for modulators.
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Tom WA3KLR
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« Reply #60 on: November 01, 2014, 09:24:14 AM »

Looking at the RF/audio deck yesterday, I was guessing those were 2E26's behind the unusual audio transformer - the shiny can with the feed-thru's coming out the top.
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« Reply #61 on: November 01, 2014, 10:16:10 AM »

I think that the mod tranny is out of some military rig. Frank used it at the suggestion of Norm, N3RZU.
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« Reply #62 on: November 01, 2014, 10:37:44 AM »

In conversations with Frank he indicated that an ART-13 mod xmfr would work fine.  The main thing is the extra winding so you can modulate the control grid as well.  The ART-13 transformers are very robust for their size and would loaf along in that application.  The audio response in that service is pretty good as well.  In fact, before seeing the pictures of the inside of his rig, I thought he was indeed using the ART-13 xmfr just based on past conversations with him. 

I understand that Joe, IBX is the new owner and it will be good to hear it back on the air.

Joe, GMS
     
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« Reply #63 on: November 01, 2014, 10:44:20 AM »

IIRC he used the mod iron from an ARC-5 modulator. I mentioned the ART-13 mod iron and he said it would work but woud be overkill.
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Bill KA8WTK
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« Reply #64 on: November 01, 2014, 01:23:29 PM »

That may be it Bill.  I am assuming the ARC 5 XMFR has the extra tertiary winding in addition to the normal secondary higher impedance winding that would go in series with the HV going to the final. 

Joe, GMS 
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« Reply #65 on: November 01, 2014, 01:37:02 PM »

Was there a diagram, or did he build it in his head like I tend to do?
It really looks fantastic.


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« Reply #66 on: November 01, 2014, 04:33:28 PM »

Was there a diagram, or did he build it in his head like I tend to do?
It really looks fantastic.

I know someone cleaned up the schematic of Frank's original screen modulator circuit, but here is his hand drawn schematic.  I did find several references that it is indeed an ARC 5 XMFR.

http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=16319.0

Joe, GMS
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« Reply #67 on: November 01, 2014, 05:49:23 PM »

That rig sure is impressive!
Any time I build something, it gets huge, that rig is very small and compact, yet well done.
I hope Joe puts it on the air.
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« Reply #68 on: November 01, 2014, 09:17:54 PM »

More of Frank's 4-1000 rig.


The workmanship in Frank's rig is better than what I've seen in many commercial broadcast transmitters! Frank knew his stuff and he will be sorely missed.

Phil K2PG
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Vortex Joe - N3IBX
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« Reply #69 on: November 02, 2014, 01:42:04 AM »

Hello All,
           I have the following information for anyone who wants to attend the Memorial Service for Frank Esposito,KB3AHE.

Date: Saturday November 15

Time: 11:00AM

Place: The "Prince of Peace" Lutheran Church, Philadelphia Rd. Rosedale,Md. 21237

Please note that this will be a Memorial Service for Frank. Plans are currently being made for a possible celebration of his life and I will post that information, place,date,time, etc. when that information becomes available to me.

Thank you,
               Joe Cro N3IBX
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Joe Cro N3IBX

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« Reply #70 on: November 02, 2014, 01:53:59 AM »



I understand that Joe, IBX is the new owner and it will be good to hear it back on the air.

Joe, GMS
     

Hello Joe,
            I'm very much looking forward to putting the famous "Four by One" rig that Frank built out of plans in his head on the air again. I have the same Behringer VX-2000 Ultra Voice Pro microphone EQ and Marshall condensor mic that Frank used with it and will always remain with it and used when I put it on the air. It was designed to do duty on 160/80/40 Meters.  Along with it came probably enough spare 4-1000A's to last me the rest of my days before I turn it over to the next worthy benefactor to keep it on the air for another lifetime. 
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Joe Cro N3IBX

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« Reply #71 on: November 02, 2014, 04:08:21 PM »

Folks:

I am sorry to read about the loss of Frank. I believed I worked him only once or twice. That being said, reading about him on AM-Fone shows that he gave  our group a good name. This is also where our hobby provides a family style of support.

I hope Carol fares well, and am glad she has a number of folks in the AM community to directly help her, and an extended family in all of us.

Dan
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« Reply #72 on: November 03, 2014, 11:19:12 AM »

Joe, N3IBX, had been keeping me posted to Frank's status. I guess one could say it was a curse and blessing, depending on how one looked at it. I don't think I can give him anymore praise than what has been stated before me. I don't know about anyone else but all I can say that my fondest memory of him to this day will be during the post-Timonium get-togethers, the essence of garlic pervading from his humble abode there in a quiet Baltimore neighborhood. The fests and the airways, will no doubt seem more empty without his presence, but the memories will linger on.

Joe said,
Quote
Along with it came probably enough spare 4-1000A's to last me the rest of my days before I turn it over to the next worthy benefactor to keep it on the air for another lifetime.

I was happy I was part of that 'Pony Express' that brought them from Frank, GFZ in Enfield, CT to you Joe, and you were able to deliver them to Frank.
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Steve - K4HX
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« Reply #73 on: November 03, 2014, 11:01:25 PM »

More AHE Photos

1. 4-1000 Rig RF Deck, Back

2. Backyard, Antennas

3. Post Timonium Party, 2002


* ahe_rig_finaldeck_back.jpg (508.1 KB, 1024x729 - viewed 912 times.)

* ahe_antennas.jpg (513.32 KB, 978x768 - viewed 802 times.)

* 2002_Post_Timonium.jpg (591.38 KB, 1024x768 - viewed 777 times.)
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« Reply #74 on: November 04, 2014, 11:05:56 AM »

Worked Frank back in '09.  Made me feel welcome to the AM community

Attached: the entry in my Excel logsheet

Al


* KB3AHE.jpg (20.33 KB, 1200x323 - viewed 706 times.)
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