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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 6th Jun 2020, 6:53 pm   #1
warspoils
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Default Vintage military style transceiver help

Hi I acquired this set, but have had no Luck in identifying it, it is powered by a rotary transformer and has both British and American ww2 and later components,
leads and plugs look to be from 40/50s, any help would great
Jeff
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 7:14 pm   #2
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Might be home brew?
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 7:24 pm   #3
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

The construction is strange for military gear, with valves from different eras. I suppose it could have been built by a small company in the 50s, using government surplus parts.
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 7:35 pm   #4
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

The internal wiring, and also the odd mix of connectors, would make me also think that it was a home-brew. It's the sort of thing that I might have made in the '60s. Nicely put together. I guess you'll have to trace out the circuit, unless it's based on something out of the ARRL or RSGB handbooks. I'm assuming that its American? Probably not, I just spotted the Air Ministry mark on the meter!

Dave.

Last edited by Vintage Engr; 6th Jun 2020 at 7:37 pm. Reason: Later observation, comment added.
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 7:57 pm   #5
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

I'm sure that is a home-constructed mobile amateur radio AM transceiver, probably for 160 metres (the most popular band for mobile work in the 1950's/60's).

It looks very well made, presumably by somebody with professional engineering experience.

The modulation transformer is from an SCR522 WW2 aircraft radio, and was used in a number of projects described in various magazines and Handbooks of the period.

What's the date on the electrolytic capacitor can?

The veroboard circuit looks like a later addition/modification.
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 9:04 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Many thanks for your thoughts, the date on the cap can is Sept 55
Regards Jeff
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 9:30 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

The transmitter looks to be a VFO type with the VFO in the compartment behind the speaker (variable cap below decks.)

Wonder what the PA device is? THe TX valves look 1590s types

The modulator is dead centre. Looks like a push pull pair. 6AQ5/EL91 or 6BW6 I'd guess. The speaker drive transformer is a long way from the modulator. I wonder if it has a separate audio output stage rather than messy switching? That bigger metal bottle at bottom left could be a 6V6 or 6K6.

So, I think the transmitter and receiver are quite separate, and they are from different era. The valves in the TX/modulator being post WWII into 1960s types, while the receiver uses lare thirties into WWII types.

If you go hunting through likely magazines to find either it or its inspirations, the TX and RX may well be separate.

Lots of WWII surplus bits, and very very well built for the period. Someone knew what they were doing. Someone who also had a sheet metal folder unless the chassis is a group of off the shelf chassis which may be more likely.... build a receiver, then later add on chassis to complete a modulator and transmitter?

David
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Old 6th Jun 2020, 9:49 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

PA valve looks like a QV04/7, I had a Top Band rig that used one and I think the WS 62 uses one?

A lot of ex-military parts but I doubt it was commercially-made. Some of the homebrew rigs from the 40s and 50s were beautifully constructed, I have a mobile 160/80m mobile TX made in the 50s by a local ham, the metalwork is superb. That uses a 6AQ5 modulated by a pair of them and uses the SCR522 mod and mic transformers.

73

Roger

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Old 7th Jun 2020, 6:48 am   #9
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Is there any writing on the small 'valve' in the meter compartment?

Could it be a crystal in a valve envelope?
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 10:26 am   #10
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Hi Silicon the valve is a QS 150/15 the other two are EF91 & CV138, the valves grouped in the other 3 sections Are
CV309
12AX7 x2, 12AX7
12H6, 12SK7 x 3, 12C8, 12A6, 12K8GT
The transceiver also came with two other units, not sure how they connect together, the AVC connects into the main unit with small Jones plugs, and has an aerial socket on the top, the other unit is an ATU with sockets for RX and TX, there are two coaxial leads, one of the leads has a male plug that could use one of two sockets on the front of the main unit, the three other male plugs will fit the sockets on the ATU and the one on the AVC, any idea how I interconnect these
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 10:49 am   #11
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Some guesswork:

1) Is the cable link on the front panel above the Pi tank tuning controls a loop-out where the ATU would go if in use?

The meter box is for monitoring and diagnostics. The SO239 on top is likely to have a little rod antenna so the unit can be uses as a field strength check (a more popular thing to monitor back in those days, still useful now but few people know or bother)

MOD may well be a measurement of the demodulated audio from the field strength antenna, and the mod pot may be used to calibrate it. Alternatively it could be for audio on a line form the transmitter. There could be all sorts of test voltage inputs going in that 6-way Jones.


With a radio like this one of the important things it to be able to net your transmitter onto your receiver. Have a look to see how he must have done it.

With a VFO running at actual TX frequency, any leakage of the TX signal back into the VFO can make it a bit squirrely and cause frequency shifts on transmit, so all the screening around the VFO is very sensible.

David
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 11:08 am   #12
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Being 12v supply, I wonder if it was for field day or "portable" use. Seems wrong shape (and size) for mobile installation. Too many knobs and switches as well . Nicely made though.
Rob
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 7:18 pm   #13
warspoils
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

Thanks again for all the help, on the back of the ATU there are two SO239 sockets marked ANT, TX, is it just the TX socket the connects to the radio
Regards Jeff
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 7:43 pm   #14
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Default Re: Vintage military style transceiver help

It strikes me that it might be ‘homebrew son of ZC1’ with the compartmental layout.

Jim
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