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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 28th Apr 2015, 4:24 pm   #21
David Simpson
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Default Re: Beme

Thanks Guys for the recent messages. Glad to hear that there is another working Beme Loop in the UK.
Kristina Booth at the Greenwich Museum very kindly sent me a copy of the helmsman's instructions, but they have no technical documentation. It seems that a lot of heading adjustments were needed to avoid reciprocal bearings due to the lack of a sense aerial. Beme Rx's were certainly not for deep-sea usage. More at home in the Solent, Bristol Channel, Irish Sea, Moray Firth, etc.
A chap in California has repaired one, and I'm endeavouring to get in touch with him.

Regards, David
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Old 28th Apr 2015, 4:37 pm   #22
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Default Re: Beme

Don't know if I mentioned before but I also have one just like post #2. No details of any kind unfortunately.
Peter
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Old 29th Apr 2015, 4:06 pm   #23
David Simpson
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Yes Peter, I remember you telling me about yours.
Just heard back from the chap in California. Sadly another brick wall regarding technical info - he has nothing.
I'll eventually get round to tracing the chassis circuitry, no big deal. Just haven't had the time yet.

Regards, David
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Old 29th Apr 2015, 7:12 pm   #24
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Default Re: Beme

David,

Sorry to hear you've not found any info on the BEME sets. Another web search here on BEME D/F Receivers turned up this index of publications:-

http://www.dehs.org.uk/PublicDocumen...itle%20A-Z.pdf

If you search the PDF for BEME it lists letters to the editor about the "BEME Loop", which may, or may not, refer to your equipment.

Cheers,

Roger
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Old 3rd May 2015, 5:55 pm   #25
David Simpson
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Many thanks to Roger for the DEHS link. They were very kind and sent me a copy of the letter, which was very interesting.
I've also recently received a copy of the Helmsman's Instructions, kindly sent by Greenwich Museum. Have attached both.

Regards, David
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Old 4th May 2015, 6:27 am   #26
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Hi David,

OK, thanks for putting the documents up, but how annoying that BEME didn't include a circuit diagram!

Anyway, you at least have the operating instructions and some background on the company.

Cheers

Roger
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Old 11th May 2015, 7:57 pm   #27
David Simpson
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Well Folks,
I've bitten the bullet & made an attempt to circuit trace one of the 3 RDF Rx's I now have . A pretty cramped miniture layout. Easy enough to draw a block diagram, but I'm struggling to draw up the RF & Mixer stages. IF & Audio wern't too bad, plenty of TipEx was used. When I've done a decent copy, I'll post it.
Does anyone recognise the valve layout ? The only nearish Radio circuitry I can find is the Rees-Mace Gnome L, featured on Radiomuseum. But cant find a full-sized circuit diagram.

Regards, David
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Old 11th May 2015, 8:06 pm   #28
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Another two Pictures attached. Regarding the 3 Rx's :- The L/H one is the MN60, the middle is a BL55A, and the R/H one is the BL50A, in reverse cronological order.

Regards, David
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Old 14th May 2015, 12:18 pm   #29
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I remember the days (1970s) when RDF was an essential part of yacht navigation and modified a Hitachi radio that had a DF ferrite rod aerial on the top. I designed a separate hand held unit with a hand bearing compass attached for direct reading of the beacon's bearing.

I then set up a mini-business selling the modified Hitachi radios and adding the mod for existing owners. That Hitachi radio was very popular with the yachting community having DF, AM and VHF/FM bands. With my mod it out performed B&G, SeaFarer and other "brands" in those days.
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Old 26th May 2015, 10:17 pm   #30
David Simpson
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Folks,
An interesting link(thanks to VMARS) has arisen - a US Navy wartime looped R/T pack-set called the DAV/2. Initial comparison of the Beme's circuitry & the circuit diagram in the DAV/2's Manual's c/d looks promising. As does a link to a wartime combination of a Western Electric 227B R/T & a Bell Laboratories 50A RDF Loop attachment used by the US Army, which I found on a US site.

Regards, David
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Old 10th Jan 2016, 2:52 pm   #31
D Cassidy
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Default Re: Beme

Hello.
As a recent member I have been studying the many topics and perhaps I may be able to help.
There was an engineer in Anstruther in Fife that for many years repaired wireless equipment for the fishermen.
His name is Joseph Urban, if still alive will be 90 or there about.
I do believe his son would be able to help as he did have connections with the business.
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Old 21st Mar 2016, 4:33 pm   #32
ms660
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Old thread I know but there's a BEME rod loop wotsit up for auction at the time of writing this.

Lawrence.
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Old 21st Mar 2016, 5:50 pm   #33
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Sadly I dont think Joseph Urban is still alive.Do remember a few years ago seeing his collection at the shop in Anstruther.

Somewhere I have a letter head given to me on that visit.
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Old 21st Mar 2016, 10:30 pm   #34
David Simpson
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Hi Lawrence, where is the Loop Rx being auctioned, please ?

Regards, David
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Old 22nd Mar 2016, 4:59 pm   #35
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Apologies for the delay David, been out since early AM, PM now sent.

Lawrence.
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Old 1st Jul 2017, 7:52 pm   #36
Jonathan-ZGB
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Default BEME Loop RDF

I have just acquired a BL50, which after a good clean looks to be in reasonable original condition. Mine differs from Dave's in having a black compass ring. The dial looks slightly different too.

There is no separate on/off switch, with the power and volume being combined in the left hand rotary switch. There are 2 jack sockets (headphones & external speaker?) and a right hand 2 position rotary knob presumably for band switching.

I have fabricated a base plate for mine as it didn't come with one and I wonder if sometimes they were discarded to allow mounting to a shelf etc on the boat.

A couple of pictures are posted below. The second shows the BEME sat on top of my Redifon GR161B Trawler set acquired from the Newbury Rally a couple of weeks ago.
I will take a few internal ones and post those too.

73
Jonathan M0ZGB
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Old 1st Jul 2017, 8:35 pm   #37
David Simpson
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Many thanks Jonathan for posting the pictures. Both the BEME & the Redifon look in really good nick.

Regards, David
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