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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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28th Apr 2015, 4:24 pm | #21 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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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 |
28th Apr 2015, 4:37 pm | #22 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,701
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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 |
29th Apr 2015, 4:06 pm | #23 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
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 |
29th Apr 2015, 7:12 pm | #24 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southeast Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 772
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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 |
3rd May 2015, 5:55 pm | #25 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
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 |
4th May 2015, 6:27 am | #26 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southeast Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 772
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Re: Beme
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 |
11th May 2015, 7:57 pm | #27 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
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 |
11th May 2015, 8:06 pm | #28 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
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 |
14th May 2015, 12:18 pm | #29 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Egham, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 219
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Re: Beme
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. |
26th May 2015, 10:17 pm | #30 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
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 |
10th Jan 2016, 2:52 pm | #31 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Fenwick, Glasgow, UK.
Posts: 127
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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. |
21st Mar 2016, 4:33 pm | #32 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Beme
Old thread I know but there's a BEME rod loop wotsit up for auction at the time of writing this.
Lawrence. |
21st Mar 2016, 5:50 pm | #33 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
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Re: Beme
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.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S |
21st Mar 2016, 10:30 pm | #34 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: Beme
Hi Lawrence, where is the Loop Rx being auctioned, please ?
Regards, David |
22nd Mar 2016, 4:59 pm | #35 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Beme
Apologies for the delay David, been out since early AM, PM now sent.
Lawrence. |
1st Jul 2017, 7:52 pm | #36 |
Triode
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 12
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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 Last edited by Jonathan-ZGB; 1st Jul 2017 at 8:19 pm. |
1st Jul 2017, 8:35 pm | #37 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeen, UK.
Posts: 2,838
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Re: BEME Loop RDF
Many thanks Jonathan for posting the pictures. Both the BEME & the Redifon look in really good nick.
Regards, David |