[ARC5] Fun with a 80 & 40 meter converter for the BC-453

[Tom Bridgers]

Today I listened in on 75 and 40 meters using a BC-453 as a Q-5'er, =
which
was front ended by a 12BE6 converter.  I gotta tell you it brought back =
the
excitement of my novice days in 1954.  I was never able to get
my ARC-5's working back then, so this success today was a special treat.

There really isn't much to this 12BE6 converter. An RF coil, a 50 pf
variable cap, two RFC's, a few resistors and capacitors, and two =
crystals.
For 75 meters I used a 3640 crystal (which is what I had in the junk =
box),
and for 40 I used a 6800 kHz crystal (ditto).  The converter takes its =
power
from the BC-453.

The converter is sensitive ... and versatile.  To change bands, I just =
changed crystals and adjusted the capacitor for best reception.  And the =
signals just popped right out at me.

To be fair there were a few images, but what the heck.  For no more
circuitry than is represented here, this converter is amazing.

And the BC-453 was very stable.  I sat there tonight listening to the
Traders Net on 3898 kHz ( which was at 258 kHz on the BC-453 ) without
having to adjust for receiver drift.

All in all in this opens up a new dimension for me on using ARC-5's -- =
and
particularly the BC-453.  Why do I say that?  Well try listening to 80 =
or 40
with the BC-454 or BC-455.   I find that those radios have such poor
selectivity that after a while it's not fun.  Not so with the BC-453 and =
the
converter.  You don't get single signal selectivity, but pretty close to =
it.
And the selectivity is about a thousand times better than using the 454 =
or
455's barefoot.

Originally I wanted to build a converter that allowed me to listen to =
the
IF's of the BC-454 and BC-455.  But at this point,  would there be an
improvement in sensitivity or selectivity over using the converter?
However, I guess there would be an improvement in image rejection.  A =
negative to me is that tuning in signals via the IF frequency is =
cumbersome.  I've been unable to go more than 20 kHz either side of an =
IF without the signals dropping off significantly.  So then I have to =
retune the BC-455 or
BC-454...and then adjust the radio to which I'm listening to the IF.   =
With the
converter and a BC-453, dialing in a frequency is easy and =
straight-forward.

I'd be interested  in what the experiences of other listmembers have =
been
(front ending BC-453's with a converter or using a converter and a =
BC-453 to
listen in to the IF's of the BC-454 or BC-455), and hope you'll post =
them to
the list.  Also if you know of references or articles about these
techniques, I hope you'll share that information with the list.  I'd =
sure
like to know more about this subject.
Thanks and 73's,
-tom  KE4RHH





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