[Boatanchors] Prewar Creativity

[Michael Tauson]

On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 11:04 AM, Carl<km1h at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:
> Say WHAT?

Okay, this can't be good.  I think I screwed up.

> The 2A5, 59, 41, 42, 6K6, 6F6, 6L6, 6V6 were all prewar tubes an in just
> about anything that had an audio stage. There are several other less common
> choices.

I did screw up.  I didn't even think about them.  Okay, back to the books!

> A simple rig for at least 160-20M would be a 41 (6K6) xtal oscillator, a 42
> (6F6) buffer multiplier, and pair of 6L6's in the final. You also have 30
> and 17M which are great low power CW bands and a chance to investigate the
> surplus xtal availability.

Well, 160-40 plus the WARC bands.  I never could wrap myself around 20
for some reason.  30 was fun though.

> The audiophools havent hurt the metal version 6F6
> and 6L6 price yet; I just bought 4 NIB metal RCA 6L6's for $20 to retube one
> of the HT-9 modulators sections here.

Oh, good.  I guess the audio isn't pure enough with the metal vs
glass.  Of course, we don't use cryogenically treated wire either.

> A regular 30M rig here is a 1934 FB-7XA that I wound coils for and a 1938
> Meissner Signal Shifter that I found a coil set on Ebay. Runs around 6W out.

Hmmm ... New Hampshire to Hawaii ... that should be fun.  :-)

> There are many junked prewar console radios showing up and the ones that
> used PP audio are good transformer material. Others are often free on
> Craigslist, especially the Postwar ones with phonographs and PP audio. Very
> little collectability.

Not so much on this side of the world.  Hawaii doesn't fit the same
mold as the mainland so what's common there isn't so much here.  On
the other hand we've got lots of taro and wild bamboo.  :-)

Hawaii's history, population distribution and relatively recent
addition to the union play a large part as to why the situation here
is so different.  It's a downside to living in Paradise but not enough
of one to cause me to move back to the mainland.  (The only reason I
would do such a thing is if my daughter wanted me at hand ... but
that's a separate issue.)

> You can get really carried away restuffing paper and electrolytic can caps
> if really going for the authentic look.

That sounds like something I'd do.  But I'm weird like that.  ;-D

Best regards,

Michael, WH7HG
-- 
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NTH/index.aspx
http://wh7hg.blogspot.com/
http://kludges-other-blog.blogspot.com
Hiki Nô!