[Boatanchors] A WW II Boatanchor question or two.

[Philip Atchley]

Howdy all,
First, let me say that there seems to be a strong "conspiracy" out there to
keep me from fully retiring from the BA scene to pursue my music hobby 8^)

The SX-71 "came back home to papa" this week.  Then I also received word
that there is a very strong possibility that a WW II Farnsworth BC-342 is
going to come stumbling into "Phil's Boatanchor Hospital" in hopes of
rejuvenation.  This 58-60 year old veteran from the Army will probably need
some work to get up and running to spec as we already know that the fuse
caps are missing and one fuse holder damaged (maybe I'll be lucky and
that'll do it ?).  Reading some info from various web sites I can probably
plan on doing more than that.  But this looks like a really neat old radio,
tuning 1500-18000KC in 6 bands.

This is apparently the "early" model as it has the "Noise antenna" input.
Reading up on it, the Army manual tells how to remove that circuit as even
way back then the replacement coils weren't available.  It uses 3 coils with
variable coupling/phasing to null out noise picked up on the noise antenna
(kind of like the AEA ANC-4 noise canceller).

Question:  Assuming that I could get the noise canceling circuit to work,
couldn't this feature be used to steer or null stations on the same
frequency but coming from different directions?  It seems that if two
antennas were a modest difference (> 1/4 wavelength) apart you could null
different directions.   (it's done on LF with multiple beverages and the MFJ
Noise canceller).

Final question (for now 8^).  Has anyone on this list used a BC-342 and if
so how did you like it?

73 from the "Beaconeers Lair".
Phil, KO6BB

DX begins at the noise floor!
Merced, Central California
37.18N  120.29W  CM97sh