[AMRadio] Heathkit Test Oscillator

[Donald Chester]

     I have a "rare" Heathkit TO-1 test oscillator that was specifically 
designed for troubleshooting AM broadcast radios. Don't even remember 
where I got it, but found it in my junk collection. Despite the 
bottom-feeder who bought up all the rights to Heathkit manuals and got 
them taken off the internet, I managed to find a French language version 
on line and printed it out.

     It has outputs at the popular i.f. frequencies, 455 and 465 kHz, 
plus something like 262 kHz, and at 600 kHz and 1400 kHz, plus two 
sockets for plugging in a random frequency FT-243 crystal. The output is 
switchable, RF output, AF output or modulated RF output. The audio 
oscillator is fixed frequency, about 400 Hz.

I plugged it in and it works great. But I don't have any use for it. I 
noticed one for sale for $99.99 at some vintage radio web site (not 
ePay), but the thing is nothing more than a modulated oscillator for 
God's sake, and wouldn't be good for anything but the most rudimentary 
tests. I have much better equipment in my shop for fixing tube type AM 
broadcast superhets.

     I am making plans to convert it to a side-tone oscillator for CW. 
Mine crapped out, and it would be a lot less work modifying this thing 
than trying to fix my original one or design and build a new one from 
scratch.

     If anyone wants this thing, I am open for sale or trade; make 
offer. Otherwise, I'll start my conversion just as soon as I get my 
workbench cleared off. Just thought I would put the word out before I 
start unsoldering components and then hear someone say they how much 
would really have liked to have had it, after I already made 
irreversible modifications.

Don k4kyv