[Boatanchors] Which Handbook?

[Philip Atchley]

Hi Todd.
Thank you for the info.  I'll look into it, though it looks like Duane is
going to send me a '55 HB.  Mostly what I want to do is "relearn" much of
what I forgot over the last 45+ years <grin>.

I think Solid State must rot the brain or something as I can remember quite
a bit of what I knew about "toobes", but not some of the finer points.  As a
kid I built a BUNCH of stuff including many receivers of varying complexity.
There was a time I knew the base pinout as well as common biasing points of
all the common ones like 6C4,s, 6BA6's, 6V6's etc by heart.  Now about all I
remember without going to the RCA manual is the filament pins.  The skin on
the ends of my fingers was also rather tough from pulling those tubes out
while still operating as I spent a lot of time at the local Radio/TV shop
getting "apprenticed", in other words bugging the technician! Usually got
paid in the form of many junk and not so junk sets that kept me well stocked
in parts.  Of course in those days customers weren't so quick to junk
something either.

Come to think of it, times haven't changed much.  I still hang out at what
is now the only local TV shop as a part time technician doing primarily
audio repairs.  And fewer and fewer stereos are getting repaired every year
as the prices of new stuff has plummeted!  Only difference is now I see (a
little) cash for my efforts instead of junk sets.  I rarely bring home any
of the abandoned stuff customers decide to trash anymore as most of it isn't
worth fooling with.

73 from the "Beaconeers Lair".
Phil, KO6BB

----- Original Message -----

> Philip Atchley wrote:
>
> > I have "always" had
> >an ARRL handbook around since I was a pre-teen (early 50's).  When I
bought
> >my new one in '93 I "gave away" the old ones I had to some people
"learning
> >radio".   Unfortunately the "new" one just covers AM in a general fashion
> >and does NOT cover the finer points of "Ancient Modulation" etc.   (You
> >know, things like modulation monitoring, etc).
> >
> >The next time I have a little extra "jingle" in my jeans I plan on taking
> >care of that.  About what approximate "year" should I look for (I know
they
> >only made minor changes year to year back then).
> >
>
> Phil -
>
> I'd suggest you get a copy of the 'West Coast' Handbook, known also as
> Bill Orr's Radio Handbook. Don't get me wrong, the ARRL handbooks are
> okay and have nice catalog sections, but the 1950s Radio Handbook is the
> way to go. Can't remember what year, maybe '54, but it's red. Really any
> of the early-mid 50s would be excellent. Especially if you like AM. I
> have a bunch of duplicate ARRL handbooks and a very few Radio handbooks
> to trade, if I can ever sit down and make a list of years and conditions.
>
> de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ
>
>
>