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« on: April 09, 2020, 11:23:37 AM » |
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Had a serious fire the night before last. Started in a florescent light fixture in the garage next to my shop. Pretty much lost all my vintage stuff and thousands of parts plus all of my modern components( 25 -30 storage bins loaded with semiconductors and passive parts.
My lab got very hot and hosed down and likely all may be lost. Had a R75 and and audio system and very nice 75A4 in there with 3 scopes and a nice Rigol spectrum analyzer. Multiple counters and Rigol function generator that was a favorite. Also had a backup Icom 718, but my K3 was on the kitchen table being modified and it was saved. By class D project got really hot and not sure about.
We will be out of the house for 6 months or so while it is cleaned and repainted so thet will be a total pain.
No one was hurt and we are fully insured so all is well that ends well. My shop will be rebuilt and likely better. The vintage sockets , V caps and Millen Dials and etc will be most missed.
Attache are a couple of photos of a very nice R388 that I got from Bear and a recently purchased DX 60
Pat
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KD1SH
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« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2020, 11:59:38 AM » |
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My prayers and condolences go out to you. Aside from death or disease, that's about the most tragic thing I can think of. I wish you well.
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K1JJ
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« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2020, 12:47:13 PM » |
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Sorry to hear this, Pat. At least everyone is safe.
On the bright side, over time I have noticed that most house tragedies involving fire, floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc., usually get resolved into having something much better than before. IE, in five years you will probably realize that it was a lot of work, but you now have a house, work area, test lab that is much superior to what you had. The insurance will help you to build something that you will be proud of in the future.
Good luck with the new project, OM.
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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« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2020, 03:49:22 PM » |
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75A4 makes me want to weep, but glad you all are OK.
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Radio Candelstein - Flagship Station of the NRK Radio Network.
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Steve - K4HX
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« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2020, 04:21:27 PM » |
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Wow! Hard to read and look at. So sorry this happened but good to hear you are safe.
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W7TFO
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« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2020, 07:19:04 PM » |
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My heart goes out to you, Pat.  73DG |
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Just pacing the Farady cage...
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2020, 10:44:09 AM » |
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What a bummer, Pat! I'm very sorry to hear about this, losing your stash, radios, etc is such a down thing to happen..... Especially when we are locked at home.
Rebuild, even better! That's the inky good part about this.
My (ex) wife had a flood. When insurance was done, both she and the kids all came out better in the end. I hope you're the same.
--Shane
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N4LTA
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« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2020, 04:51:34 PM » |
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Thanks for the nice comments. I think things will be built back better than existing. I needed to cut back and reduce the clutter, but this wasn't the best way to do it.
I probably had more than 30 Acro Mills type cabinets filled with old and new parts and that will be hard to value. Hopefully the insurance company will give me a decent allowance for those. Otherwise the large stuff except for the area that the fire started if ID able.
Thanks again
Pat
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W6TOM
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« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2020, 05:12:52 PM » |
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Glad you are OK, that is the important thing, I lost a friend to a house fire a number of years ago, none of his smoke alarms were working.
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KA8WTK
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« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2020, 11:35:00 AM » |
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Very glad you are OK.
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Bill KA8WTK
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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG
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« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2020, 08:01:46 AM » |
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OMG!!Oh wow. That has Sugar Uniform Charlie King written all over it. Was it a standard florescent light fixture or a newfangled LED? Geez. Personally sorry that the R-388 got trashed.  Please check to see if the power iron in it was melted or not - I'll take the transformer back if it is only discolored...!! Anyhow this is how it looked... _-_-bear
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N4LTA
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« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2020, 05:08:29 PM » |
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bear
From the looks of the outside, I looks fruitless. I'll let you know.
Spent most of the day filtering through the ash. I had a new 3CX1200 and socket and a 4CX1500 and socket plus a ice new 4-1000A and socket
The settlement will be OK and I will be in the market for a good vintage AM receiver
Pat
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w4bfs
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« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2020, 08:25:47 PM » |
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it is almost as bad as losing a loved one and most people cannot understand such attachment to gleaming glass and painted metal but we here on Amfone do. I hope the pain will ease soon. 73. John
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2020, 03:24:45 PM » |
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bear
From the looks of the outside, I looks fruitless. I'll let you know.
Spent most of the day filtering through the ash. I had a new 3CX1200 and socket and a 4CX1500 and socket plus a ice new 4-1000A and socket
The settlement will be OK and I will be in the market for a good vintage AM receiver
Pat
N4LTA
Pat, The ceramic tubes might still be ok. I've parted out a transmitter that had a fire. The ceramic tubes survived. I'd still claim them, in case they don't. The 1200 (either model) is an amazing tube! --Shane KD6VXI |
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w1vtp
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« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2020, 02:51:08 PM » |
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Had a serious fire the night before last. Started in a florescent light fixture in the garage next to my shop. Pretty much lost all my vintage stuff and thousands of parts plus all of my modern components( 25 -30 storage bins loaded with semiconductors and passive parts.
My lab got very hot and hosed down and likely all may be lost. Had a R75 and and audio system and very nice 75A4 in there with 3 scopes and a nice Rigol spectrum analyzer. Multiple counters and Rigol function generator that was a favorite. Also had a backup Icom 718, but my K3 was on the kitchen table being modified and it was saved. By class D project got really hot and not sure about.
We will be out of the house for 6 months or so while it is cleaned and repainted so thet will be a total pain.
No one was hurt and we are fully insured so all is well that ends well. My shop will be rebuilt and likely better. The vintage sockets , V caps and Millen Dials and etc will be most missed.
Attache are a couple of photos of a very nice R388 that I got from Bear and a recently purchased DX 60
Pat
N4LTA
That is a really tragic loss. Dedicate the insurance and build the shack of your dreams. After we get through the Covid 19 thing, think about all the shopping you can do at the fleas. What band(s) do you work? I'm on 75 meters GL es 73, Al |
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N4LTA
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« Reply #15 on: April 20, 2020, 09:15:27 PM » |
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Yes, I expect to end up with a lot less junk and a few pieces of real good stuff for what I replace this stuff with. 75 and 40 mostly.
Thinking of getting a very nice R390 A that I have had my eyes on for a few months and a very good AM receiver. Not sure but it seems a Superpro might be one choice. Any opinions would be appreciated.
73,
Pat
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WBear2GCR
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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG
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« Reply #16 on: April 20, 2020, 10:22:33 PM » |
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Pat, Besides those other receivers, I know some guy who does a nice job on R-388s? He may have a couple that could be refurbished...  _-_- |
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N4LTA
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« Reply #17 on: April 21, 2020, 09:26:22 PM » |
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Got any more like the first one?
Pat
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W2PFY
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« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2020, 11:36:01 PM » |
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Sorry to see that Pat! I think Bear asked if that fixture was and older type or was it a newer LED type? Over my work bench I have an older fixture that I turn on, on days that I think I may work on something. I think I have read reports from fire departments about the transformers in those older fixtures catching on fire in the past?
Best of luck on the cleanup and recovery!
Terry
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The secrecy of my job prevents me from knowing what I am doing.
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N4LTA
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« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2020, 11:35:42 AM » |
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It was an older non solid state ballast florescent fixture. I am an electrical engineer design professional and have done fire investigation. I am not so sure that is what it was.
I had a Chinese circuit board preheater in the same location plugged in but turned off next to a hot air station plugged in but turned off. The county fire marshal is a friend so I will bow to his expertise.
Pat
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WBear2GCR
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Brrrr- it's cold in the shack! Fire up the BIG RIG
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« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2020, 03:05:30 PM » |
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Got any more like the first one?
Pat
N4LTA
One could be refurb'd like the previous one. I expect. Still get an R-390 though... Email please? Anyone else who is interested too, probably better to do two at the same time. Being a glutton for punishment at any rate... _-_-bear |
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N4LTA
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« Reply #21 on: April 26, 2020, 10:22:53 AM » |
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pbunn at matrixei.com
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N4LTA
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« Reply #22 on: April 28, 2020, 09:00:48 PM » |
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ServoPro cleaning out the burned up stuff. These are two brand new Eimac 4-400Cs. The fire was hot
I found the 3CX1200A7 but the filament was open.
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W2PFY
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« Reply #23 on: April 29, 2020, 09:13:37 AM » |
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Clean them up and sell them on ePay as NOS  They use that NOS on ePay and I'll bet most people who use it don't know what it means, but someone else used it so it must be OK fine! It would be interesting if either one still has it vacuum? I'd bet in the one that is deformed the most,may still be in vacuum? UP date, just looked a little closer, looks like the the one less deformed may have vacuum? There, I've covered all my basses... |
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The secrecy of my job prevents me from knowing what I am doing.
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Patrick J. / KD5OEI
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« Reply #24 on: April 29, 2020, 11:38:59 AM » |
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I can imagine the insurance company having a cow.
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Radio Candelstein - Flagship Station of the NRK Radio Network.
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