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DIY Shortwave Receiver?

thefragger

thefragger

Certified Crazy.
I was told that it was a transceiver, but I just don't see how that could be.

It's very, VERY heavy; I struggled getting it to the car, had to take a couple breaks during the one-minute walk.

A whole bunch juicy looking iron, tubes are two 0C3-type, a black plate RCA JAN CRC-5R4-GY, a GE 5R4-GYA, and a... 6Y6GTB (iirc). As shown, there are a couple empty sockets, seller didn't know what went there, and there's a couple others in the tin can.

Price was cheap, the seller didn't want to carry it back to his car, and had no idea how to get it back up and running. I paid more for a fistful of Spectrol potentiometers and Grayhill rotary switches from the $1 bins :drool:


I love HAM Fests!







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I bought it to break it down to pieces, but I don't know if I want to do that anymore...


Nudie! :smoke:




IMAG0240_sm.jpg
 
Well, there's a couple (not sure what to call them) 'old' BNC jacks on it, one on the front and one on the back, as well as a 1/4" headphone socket next to the tuning face.

It should be noted that the tuning scale is hand drawn.
 
G'day all, yes I think it is a DIY CW (morse code) transceiver judging by the PA output valve and the HT switching.

The receiver looks to cover the 80, 40 m and 20 m Ham Radio bands. A well made piece of gear. Regards, Felix (vk4fuq) aka catman.
 
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G'day mate, I think you're right. I stand corrected! I have a few Ham Radio friends who would love a piece of gear like that! :yes: Regards, Felix (vk4fuq) aka catman.
 
.. .... --- .--. . -.-- --- ..- --. . - .. - .-- --- .-. -.- .. -. --. .- -. -.. . -. .--- --- -.-- - .... . . -..- .--. . .-. .. . -. -.-. .
 
petehall347 said:
.. .... --- .--. . -.-- --- ..- --. . - .. - .-- --- .-. -.- .. -. --. .- -. -.. . -. .--- --- -.-- - .... . . -..- .--. . .-. .. . -. -.-. .
Click to expand...

Well, that gets me thinking that maybe the headphone jack is a jack for a key... :scratch2:


Interesting.


Also, the one transformer that has a tag (facing the front, the rear left one) is a Hammond 2030, which is in the 1965 catalog as a 30W audio output for 6L6 tube types, clipping attached.

Screenshot2011-11-05at111653PM.png
 
If you WANT a Receiver, you'd be better off just getting one...This transmitter/receiver, IF IT WORKS, could very well get you into SERIOUS Trouble...
 
Sandy G said:
If you WANT a Receiver, you'd be better off just getting one...This transmitter/receiver, IF IT WORKS, could very well get you into SERIOUS Trouble...
Click to expand...

I bought it to strip it down for parts, but it's built rather well. I don't have a radio license, and am aware of the trouble I could get into if I were to power it up.
 
G'day all, perhaps it's an AM transmitter? :scratch2: Regards, Felix (vk4fuq) aka catman.
 
Didn't think of that catman, cheers!

What's the best way to figure out what the missing tubes are? Nothing is written on the chassis... (sadly) this thing will be a pile of parts soon enough.
 
Bump...

As an avid DIYer, I feel really bad about breaking down such a well-done project that someone must've put many many hours into all those years ago!

Decisions decisions...
 
Hello,

This is a most likely a transmitter-receiver combination: the W1AW marking
on the dial is the name of the ARRL station, and one would not want to
deliberately transmit on the frequency used by that station. Cannibalizing
this unit is up to you, and some of the tubes and transformers are definitely
interesting for audio work, but many parts in there (especially the variable
capacitors) are somewhat rare and desirable for ham radio work. I would
try to trade this with a ham radio operator interested in vintage equipment,
and get some audio tubes or other parts in exchange.

This may have been built using ideas presented in an old edition of the
ARRL Handbook, maybe you could post it in the ham radio section of
videokarma.org. Good luck!
 
electroking said:
Hello,

This is a most likely a transmitter-receiver combination: the W1AW marking
on the dial is the name of the ARRL station, and one would not want to
deliberately transmit on the frequency used by that station. Cannibalizing
this unit is up to you, and some of the tubes and transformers are definitely
interesting for audio work, but many parts in there (especially the variable
capacitors) are somewhat rare and desirable for ham radio work. I would
try to trade this with a ham radio operator interested in vintage equipment,
and get some audio tubes or other parts in exchange.

This may have been built using ideas presented in an old edition of the
ARRL Handbook, maybe you could post it in the ham radio section of
videokarma.org. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Great idea!

Done, and done.


I figured that the tuning caps would be useful for someone out there, just not sure how to find those people. The tubes, sockets, traffos, switches, chassis, etc are useful to me, but all those RF bits and piece I have zero use for, but I image would be useful for others (ie, the tuning knob has some planetary gear arrangement, which moves the needle at 1/2 the speed of the knob).
 
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