[ARC5] Radios and the Canal

Sun May 12 09:45:41 EDT 2013

Thanks, Mike. That is interesting information.

                   Joe Connor

>________________________________
> From: Mike Everette <radiocompass at yahoo.com>
>To: Jim Haynes <jhhaynes at earthlink.net>; Roy Morgan <k1lky at earthlink.net>; Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> 
>Cc: arc5 at mailman.qth.net; Robert Eleazer <releazer at earthlink.net> 
>Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2013 9:17 AM
>Subject: Re: [ARC5] Radios and the Canal
> 
>
>The "additional military model" was the RBK.
>
>All the S-27/36 versions were designated RBK-1 through RBK-16 depending upon date of manufacture; and there were circuit differences among most.  Some RBKs had outputs for panadapters, some did not.  The early versions (probably S-27s) had binding posts for the antenna; later ones had coax connectors of one type or another, either SO-239, BNC, or the "Navy" connector used on many other shipboard receivers.  Some had different antenna connectors for each band; some had only one.  There is a chart on line some place, maybe BAMA, which compares all the models.
>
>Last of the line was the RBK-16, manufactured on a 1952 (!!) contract.  This one, I am pretty sure, had the "radiation suppressor" -- aka 'signal suppressor"-- stage.  Best thing to do there, is bypass it.  The RBK-16 is not plentiful; if you see one, and want a "Halli UHF receiver," don't pass it up because the RBK-16 is VERY well made.  It has many mechanical improvements over the early models.  I had one years ago (wish I'd kept it) and the audio really is excellent.
>
>Sensitivity in all models isn't stellar, but for their day it was probably not bad.  In mil service they were used for monitoring mainly radar transmissions which tend to be rather strong.
>
>The S-37 is rather a different receiver from the S-27/36/RBK.  It covers 130-210 MHz in one band only, 15 MHz IF, no BFO.
>
>The various S-27 models (A,B,C) have somewhat different ranges.  The 36-165 MHz version was originally aimed at the FM Broadcast Relay market, when program links were established among stations in early networks such as William Howard Armstrong's "Yankee Network" in the Northeast, anchored by W2XMN (yes, that's a broadcast station call, an "experimental") in New Jersey.  The Yankee Network cranked up in 1939-40, using the old prewar FM broadcast band of 42-50 MHz.  Ever wonder why many early 2-way radio systems, such as Link, had a 30-42 MHz range?  That's the reason... avoiding the broadcast band.  And, I think that when there wTV Channel 1 (never actually licensed though), that 42-50 was the frequency range therefor.
>
>The band was moved after the war to 88-108, for protection against DX interference.  Many also suspected, probably rightly, that RCA was behind the move as well because RCA wanted to protect its investment in AM.  They didn't own the necessary patents for the superior FM technology.  The move caused a lot of FM station owners to lose a lot of money because new antennas and transmitters were required.  It stunted the growth of FM for almost 30 years, until the late 60s-early 70s when car radios began to appear with FM coverage.  That, and "rock album" formats, made FM really take off!  Today, as we all know, AM is all dead but stinkin' -- and much of it is beginning to smell real bad.
>
>During the 1970s especially, communications for the NC SHP were often "covered up" by long-skip TV signals from West Germany which blanketed our 42 MHz frequencies.
>
>73
>
>Mike
>W4DSE
>
>--- On Sat, 5/11/13, Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>> From: Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>
>> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Radios and the Canal
>> To: "Jim Haynes" <jhhaynes at earthlink.net>, "Roy Morgan" <k1lky at earthlink.net>
>> Cc: arc5 at mailman.qth.net, "Robert Eleazer" <releazer at earthlink.net>
>> Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013, 11:23 PM
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Haynes" <jhhaynes at earthlink.net>
>> To: "Roy Morgan" <k1lky at earthlink.net>
>> Cc: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>;
>> "Robert Eleazer" <releazer at earthlink.net>
>> Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2013 7:06 PM
>> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Radios and the Canal
>> 
>> 
>> > On Sat, 11 May 2013, Roy Morgan wrote:
>> > 
>> >> I "collected" an October, 1944 copy of QST*. 
>> It has two articles that show or tell of the SX-28 in use,
>> in one case by the (early version of ) the FCC
>> > 
>> > There was another Hallicrafters set, the S-27 "UHF"
>> receiver, that was
>> > apparently built for monitoring frequencies above where
>> the SX-28 would
>> > go.  I was given one and passed it on to a friend
>> who restores stuff
>> > like that.
>> > 
>>    I recently saw a photo of a console at the
>> FCC monitoring station at Grand Island Neb.  It
>> featured several S-27 or possibly S-36 receivers along with
>> a couple of Super-Pros. I can't find it and am not sure if
>> it was on the web or in an ancient QST I was reading in the
>> can.  While searching around the web for it I found:
>> 
>> http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/photos/S27/s27.html
>> 
>> Hallicrafters sold a commercial receiver about like this
>> following the war as the S-37 covering 130 to 210 Mhz. I
>> also discovered that there were two versions of the S-27,
>> the S-27A covering 27.8 to 143 Mhz and the S-27B from 36 to
>> 165 Mhz.  The S-27C shown in the web site above looks
>> more like the S-37.
>>    BTW, I have an S-36, former U.S.Navy,
>> which I am in the processes of repairing at the moment. In
>> addition to the standard model the military also had a
>> modified version with an additional RF stage to prevent
>> radiation of the LO.  I don't remember the model number
>> but I think there is a handbook for it at BAMA.
>>     Hallicrafters sure was a funny company, in
>> some ways they were right at the cutting edge and in other
>> ways didn't quite make it.
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Richard Knoppow
>> Los Angeles
>> WB6KBL
>> dickburk at ix.netcom.com
>> 
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