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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 20th Aug 2019, 6:51 pm   #1
MrBungle
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Default Vintage British amateur radio stations

Now I've had my license for 18 months and know roughly which end of a straight key to hold, I'm going to embark on putting together a vintage amateur station over the next year or so for home use. Currently in the research phase for this project as I'm stuck bouncing up and down the UK for a few weeks.

I am after suggestions for typical British made, modified or homebrew equipment used in the late 1950s-mid1970s by the typical amateur. Valve or transistor is fine but must be fully discrete. Must be relatively usable on the CW front.

I'm envisioning something like an Eddystone EC10 receiver (or anything better!) and separate valve CW transmitter setup at the moment, the latter likely homebrew. Any suggestions or old articles welcome!

Edit: to note I am very aware of the limitations of older receivers on the sensitivity and selectivity fronts.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 7:08 pm   #2
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

A Codar AT5 transmitter and CR70A receiver would be OK for 160/80M. The CR70A isn't too hot as a receiver on the upper HF-bands though [not that the current sunspot-count is helping with any operations on 14/21/28MHz!]

Also, KW gear - a KW2000A for example (but watch out for crumbly foam in the Kokusai mechanical-filter).

If you're happy with crystal-controlled, Pye did a series of "PMR"-style HF radios [SSB200/210] in the 1970s, which put out a sensible amount of RF in the 2-10MHz range.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 7:34 pm   #3
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Thanks for the tips - much appreciated. I actually walked past a Codar AT5 several times at Newbury Radio Rally but I'd already got a car load of test gear so skipped it. Bad idea and am regretting that now I've promised to buy radios at radio rallies from now on instead of test gear!

I'm stuck with 80/40/30/20. Don't have the space for a usable 160 antenna and everything above 20 is a perpetual write off! Had some good luck on 20m but I don't expect to use anything ancient on anything other than 80/40 really.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 8:12 pm   #4
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

If you want a 70's vintage set with decent performance then the classic FT101 is worth trying. This what I did, but moved on to the later FT101Z (actually a completely different set).
For CW you need to install the optional crystal filter. This makes a massive difference with modern QRM. I was lucky to find a 250Hz filter for the 101Z.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 8:42 pm   #5
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Another option for a TX could be one of the Heathkit "DX" series - something like a DX60B:

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/heath_...60b_dx60b.html

or DX100:

https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/DX100.htm

Xtal-controlled, but with a VFO-input socket [Heath sold a VFO or you built your own].

Whatever you choose, look at the cost of PA valves: stick with something that uses easily-available bottles designed for RF service [e.g. the 6146] rather than TV line-output valves which were never intended for RF service and where different manufacturers' valves can have significantly-different interelectrode capacitances meaning certain brands won't neutralise properly.

[I scored a couple of brand-new-in-box genuine General Electric 6146 for £5 each at a recent rally.]
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 8:59 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Thanks again - lots of great info. Heathkit is definitely an option. I was also looking at the HW-16 transceiver as well but I may murder someone after a couple of hours of that awful sidetone (more likely they will murder me!)
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 9:00 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Why not take a look in a 1960's RSGB hand book for inspiration ?

Or even Practical Wireless of the same era ?

I landed up building a composite design best described as an AT5 on steroids as it uses a pair of KT88's to modulate a pair of 6146's covering 160, 80 and 60 mtrs.

Had a lot (and I do mean a lot) of help from forum members without whose help I doubt I could have built it.

Very satisfying to build something from bare metal up - that said for the cost to build I probably could have bought a nice Heathkit DX100 (used bits of that design in build as well).
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 9:29 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

The transmit side is probably easier to sort than the receive.... but by the mid '70s you're into RA1772 and the like territory for receivers so RX performance is just down to depth of pocket rather than technology limitations. Though you could say the RA1772 isn't very discrete in the LO department. The RA17, though not as wonderful, is, and all bottles to boot.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 9:31 pm   #9
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Receivers - BC348 or HRO-M, MX / R106 or something early Eddystone (640 / 750 / 680).

Transmitter - VFO from a BC221 frequency meter with homebrew multiplier / PA - follow the instructions at http://www.k4che.com/BC221/BC221pg2.htm

- Peter G3PIJ
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 9:54 pm   #10
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

In the 60's a lot of people were still using WW2 surplus receivers - HRO, AR88 etc.

To add to the sets listed earlier, there are the KW77 and Eddystone 888A. Both of these cover amateur bands only, but they don't include the WARC bands which were not available in those days.

Transmitters are easy to build, but a VFO stable enough for modern CW use requires very careful construction.

Classic AM rigs include the KW Vanguard and Heathkit DX100, both VFO controlled. They were usually built from kits, so beware of possible poor quality construction. And don't expect the VFO's to be stable from switch-on - you will spend the first half hour re-netting between overs, especially on CW...

As previously mentioned, avoid anything that uses TV line output valves, now hard to find and expensive. Also anything that uses KT88 or KT66 for the same reason.

807's are still cheap and available!

If you fancy something later (1980's) the FT101ZD (NOT the FT101, a completely different set) is a nice radio and the later versions cover the WARC bands. Easy to service, and the only valves are a 12BY7 and two 6146's. CW and SSB, but some of them have AM as a fitted option. But they are of course Japanese, not British.

Last edited by m0cemdave; 20th Aug 2019 at 10:07 pm.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 10:01 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herald1360 View Post
The transmit side is probably easier to sort than the receive.... but by the mid '70s you're into RA1772 and the like territory for receivers so RX performance is just down to depth of pocket rather than technology limitations. Though you could say the RA1772 isn't very discrete in the LO department. The RA17, though not as wonderful, is, and all bottles to boot.
RA1772 is pretty expensive to look after I understand, something I am trying to avoid (so I don't get shot )

Quote:
Originally Posted by G3PIJpeter View Post
Receivers - BC348 or HRO-M, MX / R106 or something early Eddystone (640 / 750 / 680).

Transmitter - VFO from a BC221 frequency meter with homebrew multiplier / PA - follow the instructions at http://www.k4che.com/BC221/BC221pg2.htm

- Peter G3PIJ
now that's a sneaky idea. BC221's are cheap as chips as well. I've always walked past them not really knowing what it did or how it worked. I will look into that for sure.

I'm going to be joining VMARS by the end of the year
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 10:12 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Used this setup on the 80m VMARS net about 15 years ago.
It could easily have passed for a 1970's installation.
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Old 20th Aug 2019, 10:59 pm   #13
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

!950s style classic Brit station would be a Labgear LG300 on transmit (813 valve) and an AR88, HRO or Eddystone on receive.

Into the sixties, maybe a KW vanguard on tx and an eddystone EA12 receiver. Forget the miniature transistorised Eddystones, they were not much more than toys. In the late fifties and into the sixties was the era of the RA17 and RA117. No one in amateur radio could afford one, but it's viable now.

Homebrew... yeah! the G2DAF receiver and transmitter. Huge wow factor. Epic homebrew and a major landmark. Look 'em up.

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Old 21st Aug 2019, 8:28 am   #14
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

You can't go wrong with an AR88 and a KW Vanguard. I know the AR88 was American made but I understand it was for the British military.
A good SSB transmitter is the KW Viceroy as it doesn't have the filter problems.
An ad in the wanted section should produce a few results.
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 8:49 am   #15
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Pye SSB200/210 is too late for your time period IMHO.

You could look for SSB125 (Vanguard era - late 60s) or SSB130 (Westminster era Mid 70s). All the same these were not used by Amateurs until they had done 10yrs commercial service.

FT101 / KW2000 are certainly for the "well heeled" amateurs of the 70s.
Homebrew TXs and WW2 surplus RXs for the rest.
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 10:00 am   #16
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrBungle View Post
Thanks for the tips - much appreciated. I actually walked past a Codar AT5 several times at Newbury Radio Rally but I'd already got a car load of test gear so skipped it. Bad idea and am regretting that now I've promised to buy radios at radio rallies from now on instead of test gear!

I'm stuck with 80/40/30/20. Don't have the space for a usable 160 antenna and everything above 20 is a perpetual write off! Had some good luck on 20m but I don't expect to use anything ancient on anything other than 80/40 really.
You don't mention your licence class but the Advanced level allows 5 MHz operation on spot frequencies. I see you're intending to join VMARS, a good move, and they had a design for a AT-5 clone 5MHz CW & AM transmitter in the latest edition of their house magazine, Signal. There is some AM operation on 5317kHz where the bandlet is wide enough for AM. For receiving on 5MHz you'd need to find a general coverage receiver and the HRO has already been mentioned, a good choice as they are plentiful although creeping up in price.

Good luck with the project and hope to see you on the VMARS forums as well as here.

73

Roger/G3VKM
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 10:23 am   #17
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Full license. Interesting idea with 5MHz. I haven't actually got a transceiver that can use that band at the moment. I will look into it however. An AT-5 clone is an interesting idea, probably more so if it can be tuned up on 80m as well.

Thanks everyone for the replies so far - lots of information to digest. Writing up some extensive notes at the moment!
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 10:45 am   #18
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Of course plenty of stuff can be found on Ebay.Touch wood what I have bought in the past has been fine,as described.
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 11:00 am   #19
MrBungle
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Yes I certainly agree there. More likely to work than radio rallies from experience as well

I intend buying a "restoration project" so will keep an eye out at radio rallies over the next few months. Next one is MKARS rally which netted by a Heathkit V7 and RF1U in excellent condition for virtually nothing last year.
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Old 21st Aug 2019, 1:02 pm   #20
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Default Re: Vintage British amateur radio stations

Keep us all posted how you go on re choice,I have 2 KW 2000 ( A and B) to restore at my end.
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