Gates BC-1H1 Soon to be available in Colorado

[Bill, KD0HG]

Save it from the Sawzall!

A client radio station will be disposing of their Gates BC1-H in the next few months.

It works and it's complete. The BC-1H has a solid state exciter followed by a pair of 807s for RF driver and a solid-state audio chain. RF finals and Class B modulators are pairs of 833s.

It is located in the Denver area.  Will need a couple of strong backs to remove from transmitter building.

It can be disassembled for parts on-site as well. Must take all.

PM me for details.

[WA3VJB]

The "H" is the last in the line of BC-1 Gates transmitters, with production ending by 1973.

The cabinet is the smallest of the series, not as tall as the G or T models, and going back to an older layout of 833As that arrays them from left to right along the front door with a small observation window. The G and T arrayed the 833A from front to back along the right wall of the cabinet.

Nice transmitter both for size and convertability.  Easily re-tuned stock through 160, and through 75 with a few component substitutions.

Here is a comparison of the H versus a T. Take some pictures when you go get it !!!

[n3lrx]

Why are the freebies always a thousand miles away?

[John K5PRO]

Bill, does it have tubes. Whats the condition, working? I left you a PM.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Hi, John

Yes, it is working fine. It's been a backup for the last 5 years.

It's going to be replaced with a modern solid-state rig, my client just found the money to buy a replacement backup transmitter. These days, you can get a 1 KW AM BCB transmitter that fits in 1/2 of a standard rack!

In any case, it'll be a few months before they can let it go. I'll contact you when the time gets closer. OK?

[John K5PRO]

Thanks Bill. I will definitely come for it, when you let me know. KRSN 1490 in Los Alamos just bought a Harris 1 kW tiny thing, DSP/PDM model, to replace their ailing MW1. They wanna borrow my dummy load to test it soon. Their backup was an ITA plate modulated, giant piece of junk. I hope they cart it off to the landfill.

73

[WA3VJB]

"You call, we haul, that's all !"

--AM Swap Net slogan

[flintstone mop]

DAM!!!! I USED to have one of those boxes!! A great transmitter and very easy to get on 160M All of the usual problem areas are solid state. Those beautiful 833 PUBES.   
Fred

[N0BST]

The "H" is the last in the line of BC-1 Gates transmitters, with production ending by 1973.

Would have to dig out the old editions of Radio World to find out, but I think they were available as late as 1980.

Scott Todd

[flintstone mop]

YUP the last model to have a viewing window for the Pubes
Fred

[WA3VJB]

Scott, you may have gotten the 1980 reference from the RW article by Buc Fitch, W2IPI, a member of the Dobbins Island AM Expedition in the Chesapeake Bay from a few years ago.

Here's his article.

http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0053/t.416.html

The "G" and "T" variants were only two of the three versions Gates produced in roughly the time frame mentioned, and looks really like he was referring to ALL kilowatt boxes in the era, not just the Gates. He also constrained the discussion to "all tube" boxes, and as Bill points out the "H" is a hybrid.

According to what I remember from some factory literature, the "T" ran from 1957-62 when the "G" came out and it ran until 1969 when the "H" came out. 

Notice the lettering is not chronogical. The literature was a service memo from the early 90s advising stations who owned these models that it had been 20 years since the last one was made, and urging them to consider other options because the factory was, as of that memo, discontinuing support.