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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

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Old 1st Oct 2017, 1:04 pm   #1
Yeti2017
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Default New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I have

Hi guys, first post so go easy! I've recently cleared a house out and have a huge amount of Racal and some other manufacturers radio equipment etc. I know nothing about any of it and thought I'd see if you guys would like to see any of it before I either dump it or sell it. Not come here to try and sell, just to let you guys know what I have as it's so old and maybe some of you might find it rare and maybe in need of it in which case I may give some away for free to anyone who will use it and not sell it. This stuff almost went into the skip but it would break my heart if it did and some of you collectors/enthusiasts would like it instead. So here goes, this list isn't exhaustive;

Racal vhf/uhf RA1795
Racal receiver RA17L
Collins model Tcs-12
Bendix radio type ta-12
Redifon A.T.U Type a 6288/r
Advance signal generator type 62
Bird Thruline model 43 wattmeter

I have loads more but thought I'd give you an idea...
I have some items which have "navy department" on and also aircraft transmitter.

If any one would like any further info or to see the items or if your really lucky let me know if you want anything (bar the Racal vhf/uhf as I'd like to sell this privately) and il see if I can give this to you for free! I'm very much for helping others and putting collectors with stuff that they will use/look after/cherish. I have a Chinese World War Two radio thingy I'd love to find out more about as well. Honestly I have so much stuff I just don't know where to start. I'm based in north Kent if any one would like to come to my house and look at my stuff!
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 1:21 pm   #2
paulsherwin
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

It would help if you could take some pictures and upload them. You don't need to photograph each item individually.
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 3:53 pm   #3
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Hi and welcome to the forum, and thanks for going to the effort of joining and posting about all that stuff- it's a sad fact that when vintage technology enthusiasts pass on or collections otherwise have to go, slightly bewildered and pressed-for-time relatives often resort to skipping historic stuff, so it's good that some can be saved like this.

There are quite a few Racal enthusiasts here, and the RA17 is something of a classic- early in the war, Britain showed considerable ingenuity in radio technology but was inevitably sidelined by massive American production capability which looked to dominate post-war and the RA17 appeared as an early 'fifties "wow" to prove that Britain wasn't out of the game. I won't need to tell you that it's a big, heavy complex radio, though, and needs a diligent enthusiast who knows their stuff to get the best from it.

The Collins TCS12 is a straightforward and utilitarian piece of kit with a somewhat restricted frequency range- but it's beautifully made by folk who knew what they were at and came as a hint to how Collins would be a major player in the communications field in the next few decades. A good one will be of interest to collectors. Unfortunately, like much WW2 kit, vast numbers, sometimes shiny factory-fresh, were dumped on the surplus market post-war and very many were abused, butchered and messed-around with by the less than skilled or appreciative, stripped, cannabalised, left in damp garages and sheds etc. so good ones can be few and far between but relatively desirable.

Pssst!- the Bird Thrulines have become almost cultish and can fetch quite a bit in the right place, but obviously you're free to do as you please with it.

Keep it coming- and I hope that folk would at least give you a few bob for items of interest in return for your trouble rather than just "free", we're pretty benign and honest here.
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 3:56 pm   #4
Yeti2017
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

What a lovely response. Thanks for the time you've put in your post, a very enjoyable read. Can anyone advise how to post photographs now that photbucket doesn't work? Cheers!
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 4:05 pm   #5
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=77650
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 4:11 pm   #6
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

The Bird 43 thruline wattmeter uses cylindrical plug-in units (usually called 'slugs') and these come in a wide range of frequency ranges and power scales. If you've found a Bird wattmeter, look to see what slug is in it and look for others nearby. Ones covering popular frequency ranges can be quite valuable if you're auctioning things.

There will probably be one plugged in the meter. It's the round thing with the arrow on it, under the meter scale. They rotate in the housing and the awwow points in the direction the power is being measured.

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Old 1st Oct 2017, 4:14 pm   #7
Yeti2017
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Default 282676322094

I have two bird lines, one new old stock in a cowhide case with instructions and one used both with various "slugs".

I have 50w, 250w and 500w "slugs" on the birdline...
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 4:29 pm   #8
Yeti2017
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Photos..
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Old 1st Oct 2017, 4:32 pm   #9
Yeti2017
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

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Old 2nd Oct 2017, 5:17 pm   #10
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Hi,

The TCS12 transmitter in your collection looks to be in good condition, apart from the power connector which isn't original and the missing control upper left. There were a range of TCS sets, receivers, transmitters and ancillary units, so it's worth checking for other items in the collection. If you want to put the transmitter back to original spec, there is a chap in Houston who supplies the plugs and sockets, needless to say they're not cheap! He also has spares and might be able to help with the other missing parts. P/M me if you want contact info.

I run a Yahoo group for the TCS, it's a good place to get info and parts but not as big as this forum of course!

Oh, by the way the TCS gear was made by a variety of companies but Collins are the most sought-after. Most of my TCS station is Collins and still in use.

Cheers

Roger

Last edited by G3VKM_Roger; 2nd Oct 2017 at 5:38 pm. Reason: add
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Old 3rd Oct 2017, 10:20 pm   #11
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..photos
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Old 3rd Oct 2017, 10:22 pm   #12
Yeti2017
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Old 3rd Oct 2017, 11:52 pm   #13
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Hi Yeti-great photos! I sent you a pm yesterday re trying to get round and take a look [simply to avoid putting off anyone who is in a better position to assist more immediately]. It's possible that, as a new member you are not cleared for personal messages but Im not quite sure how that works.
I don't seem to have had a reply either way

Cheers,
Dave
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 12:29 am   #14
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

The OP can receive and send PMs.
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 7:27 am   #15
G3VKM_Roger
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeti2017 View Post
..photos
The set with the meter hanging off (?) is a Japanese Type 94 transmitter, normally used in conjunction with Receiver Type 32 and a hand generator. I think that will be a very desirable item to collectors.

Source: "Wireless For The Warrior" Compendium 5.

Cheers

Roger
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 8:53 am   #16
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

The Redifon antenna tuner is a really rather nice piece of engineering: a roller-coaster, a switched-tapped coil, and a good high-voltage variable capacitor.

I've got one here which loads-up pretty much anything on the HF bands, and has no trouble at all handling 100 Watts.

[Only problem with them is that the mechanical detents for the ceramic switches that select the taps on the coil and the parallel fixed-capacitance are made of 'monkey-metal' which crumbles and the balls/springs escape. I have yet to find a suitable solution to this!]
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 9:50 am   #17
Yeti2017
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 9:53 am   #18
Yeti2017
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Hi guys, any unanswered pm's il be coming back to this afternoon when I have some free time. I have a very kind and knowledgable member coming over on Sunday to help go through the stuff but will of course let others come and have a look if they want to. Even though I'm not a collector of these items, I know that it's quite exciting to find such a haul and I hope I can help people find something that they have either been looking for or hoped to purchase one day etc.
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 11:16 am   #19
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Default Re: New member with a huge collection of Racal items looking to learn about what I ha

Please look out also for any connectors for this kind of radio equipment: even if they don't fit the specific equipments in the collection they will be of value to other enthusiasts
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Old 4th Oct 2017, 11:37 am   #20
Yeti2017
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I've got boxes full

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