[AMRadio] Fwd: Re: Ebs Test failure

[Robert Nickels]

On 11/9/2011 11:18 PM, Dennis Gilliam wrote:
> I can tell you, it was not easy to comply...shifting frequency to 
> either 640 or 1240, whichever was closer to your assigned freq...it 
> was tough getting 100 watts into the antenna when your 1kw station was 
> designed for 1400 Kc.  No VFO's in a radio station..

DG -  Thanks for your "been there done that" perspective.   I remember 
seeing a small transmtter in the back room of one station that was 
described as their "old Conelrad transmitter" from back in that era.  I 
remember it having some kind of matching coil on top, presumably to help 
match the non-resonant antenna.   Rather than fight the issues you 
describe, they'd  just switch over to this transmitter, which I was told 
was tuned to 640 or 1240 and ran low power.  (Wish now I'd said "Gee 
I'll haul that old thing out of here for you!)

How common was this approach?   I started working as "the part-time kid" 
at a daytime station in the late 60s and well remember how the Conelrad 
receiver in the control room rack would false trip on lightning 
storms.   More usefully, it would also trip when the key station we 
monitored switched patterns at sundown, which was a reminder that it was 
time to sign off if I'd nodded off during a particularly thrilling 
Mantovanni selection ;-)

73, Bob W9RAN