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Electric Radio

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Donald Snodgrass
Donald Snodgrass

This document summarizes a presentation about restoring and operating vintage ham radios. It provides an overview of ham radio history, defines "boatanchors" as big, heavy, old tube-based radios, and discusses the rewards of restoring vintage radios such as nostalgia and experimentation. It also outlines the steps to restore a radio, including disassembly, repair, reassembly, additional modifications, and operating the restored radio.

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Electric Radio - Alive and Well Finding, restoring, updating and operating vintage Ham Radio Presented to the Murray State University Amateur Radio Club by Don Snodgrass, K4QKY and Bill Call, KJ4W
Introduction An appreciation of our past may help us better understand the foundation and future of our great hobby. Real Radio glows in the dark
Overview Understanding vintage ham radio Historical perspective Meaning of boatanchors Whats AM? Rewards Getting involved Finding Restoring Operating Conclusions Questions
Background This presentation is based on: Considerable Internet research Guidance from various hams Recent experience gained while restoring three vintage ham radios
Vintage AM transmitter and receiver For more pictures and restoration notes visit http://campus.murraystate.edu/org/msuarc/boatanchor.htm
Vintage SSB transmitter (ongoing)
Historical perspective Early 1900s Ham Radio is born spark and long wires rule 1940s Technology grows with the war! 1960s The Golden Years homebrew, tubes, ssb comes of age Today- Miniaturization, Digital, disposable components! Is this the end of experimenting?
What are Boatanchors? Big....Heavy....Old....Fun ! "Boatanchor" is a fond term for vintage tube-type ham radio gear. Manufacturers like Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, National, Johnson, RME, Heath, Collins, etc. made this gear through the 1960's. Emphasis mostly on the AM mode
What is AM? Amplitude Modulation (AM) is the method of superimposing intelligence on a carrier wave by means of varying the amplitude with the wave shape.
Rewards of collecting, restoring and operating classic radios Nostalgia radios with Heart and Soul Learning and experimentation made to be worked on, modified, and tinkered with escape from Plug-N-Play Ham Radio Good investment collectors compete for them NEAT to own and operate! enjoy sharing with others with the same interests. reaffirms that our wonderful Ham Radio hobby offers far more than simply the ability to communicate.
Establish your restoration objectives Two extremes: The purist approach only clean it up and replace faulty components with New Old Stock (NOS). The better than original approach Repaint and modify for greater reliability and improved performance. The purist approach is perhaps best for pre-1940s equipment
Finding Vintage Equipment - EBay - Newsgroups rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors rec.radio.swap - Websites The Boatanchor Classifieds The AM Forum Swap Nets Hamfests, etc.
Restoring Vintage Equipment Steps: Disassemble, inspect, repair and clean Reassemble, test and align Perform additional repairs and modifications
Step 1 Disassemble, inspect, repair and clean Do your Internet home work first to find hints, pitfalls, etc. get a manual (search the web) carefully document so you can correctly reassemble look for and repair physical defects, e.g. broken connections, corrosion, evidence of arcing, etc. free-up switches use safe cleaning techniques consider replacing electrolytic capacitors test all tubes carbon track on 866 high voltage rectifier tube socket may provide a heads up to a possible bad tube
Step 2 Reassemble, test and align Insure everything goes back together in the right place and order Check and recheck your work Test operate Bring up AC slowly preferably with a Variac Follow the operating instructions (especially transmitters) Align (especially receivers) Remember Danger HIGH VOLTAGES ! A tube tester comes in very handy consider borrowing one from an old timer
Step 3 Perform additional repairs, modifications Repairs Various sources for parts Antique Electronics Supply, Hosfelt, Mouser, Digikey, etc. Modification (if any) Search the web for ideas solid state replacements to reduce heat and increase reliability other modifications to improve performance replacing less reliable 866 mercury vapor rectifier tubes with 3B28s may make sense.
Operating Vintage Equipment Assembling the vintage station location, microphone, coax relay, impedance transformers, etc. Getting on the air AM frequencies Signal purity & frequency accuracy Operating protocol By gentleman's agreement, certain portions of each band are set aside for the AM mode: 160 meters 1.880 - 1.900 75 meters 3.880 - 3.885 40 meters 7.290 10 meters29.000 - 29.100 Note: all modern HF rigs have AM mode and are welcome to join in the fun!
Conclusion Consider restoring and operating your own vintage station. You will have fun doing it, learn a lot in the process and be doing your part in helping preserve our heritage .
Don Snodgrass. K4QKY Bill Call, KJ4W Murray State University Amateur Radio Club http://campus.murraystate.edu/org/msuarc Questions Discussion Show & Tell

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Electric Radio

  • 1. Electric Radio - Alive and Well Finding, restoring, updating and operating vintage Ham Radio Presented to the Murray State University Amateur Radio Club by Don Snodgrass, K4QKY and Bill Call, KJ4W
  • 2. Introduction An appreciation of our past may help us better understand the foundation and future of our great hobby. Real Radio glows in the dark
  • 3. Overview Understanding vintage ham radio Historical perspective Meaning of boatanchors Whats AM? Rewards Getting involved Finding Restoring Operating Conclusions Questions
  • 4. Background This presentation is based on: Considerable Internet research Guidance from various hams Recent experience gained while restoring three vintage ham radios
  • 5. Vintage AM transmitter and receiver For more pictures and restoration notes visit http://campus.murraystate.edu/org/msuarc/boatanchor.htm
  • 7. Historical perspective Early 1900s Ham Radio is born spark and long wires rule 1940s Technology grows with the war! 1960s The Golden Years homebrew, tubes, ssb comes of age Today- Miniaturization, Digital, disposable components! Is this the end of experimenting?
  • 8. What are Boatanchors? Big....Heavy....Old....Fun ! "Boatanchor" is a fond term for vintage tube-type ham radio gear. Manufacturers like Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, National, Johnson, RME, Heath, Collins, etc. made this gear through the 1960's. Emphasis mostly on the AM mode
  • 9. What is AM? Amplitude Modulation (AM) is the method of superimposing intelligence on a carrier wave by means of varying the amplitude with the wave shape.
  • 10. Rewards of collecting, restoring and operating classic radios Nostalgia radios with Heart and Soul Learning and experimentation made to be worked on, modified, and tinkered with escape from Plug-N-Play Ham Radio Good investment collectors compete for them NEAT to own and operate! enjoy sharing with others with the same interests. reaffirms that our wonderful Ham Radio hobby offers far more than simply the ability to communicate.
  • 11. Establish your restoration objectives Two extremes: The purist approach only clean it up and replace faulty components with New Old Stock (NOS). The better than original approach Repaint and modify for greater reliability and improved performance. The purist approach is perhaps best for pre-1940s equipment
  • 12. Finding Vintage Equipment - EBay - Newsgroups rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors rec.radio.swap - Websites The Boatanchor Classifieds The AM Forum Swap Nets Hamfests, etc.
  • 13. Restoring Vintage Equipment Steps: Disassemble, inspect, repair and clean Reassemble, test and align Perform additional repairs and modifications
  • 14. Step 1 Disassemble, inspect, repair and clean Do your Internet home work first to find hints, pitfalls, etc. get a manual (search the web) carefully document so you can correctly reassemble look for and repair physical defects, e.g. broken connections, corrosion, evidence of arcing, etc. free-up switches use safe cleaning techniques consider replacing electrolytic capacitors test all tubes carbon track on 866 high voltage rectifier tube socket may provide a heads up to a possible bad tube
  • 15. Step 2 Reassemble, test and align Insure everything goes back together in the right place and order Check and recheck your work Test operate Bring up AC slowly preferably with a Variac Follow the operating instructions (especially transmitters) Align (especially receivers) Remember Danger HIGH VOLTAGES ! A tube tester comes in very handy consider borrowing one from an old timer
  • 16. Step 3 Perform additional repairs, modifications Repairs Various sources for parts Antique Electronics Supply, Hosfelt, Mouser, Digikey, etc. Modification (if any) Search the web for ideas solid state replacements to reduce heat and increase reliability other modifications to improve performance replacing less reliable 866 mercury vapor rectifier tubes with 3B28s may make sense.
  • 17. Operating Vintage Equipment Assembling the vintage station location, microphone, coax relay, impedance transformers, etc. Getting on the air AM frequencies Signal purity & frequency accuracy Operating protocol By gentleman's agreement, certain portions of each band are set aside for the AM mode: 160 meters 1.880 - 1.900 75 meters 3.880 - 3.885 40 meters 7.290 10 meters29.000 - 29.100 Note: all modern HF rigs have AM mode and are welcome to join in the fun!
  • 18. Conclusion Consider restoring and operating your own vintage station. You will have fun doing it, learn a lot in the process and be doing your part in helping preserve our heritage .
  • 19. Don Snodgrass. K4QKY Bill Call, KJ4W Murray State University Amateur Radio Club http://campus.murraystate.edu/org/msuarc Questions Discussion Show & Tell