[Boatanchors] Discone

[Mike Hanz]

On 10/11/2012 12:22 AM, Drew P. wrote:
> Mike Hanz wrote:
>
> "I have a friend who told me that he has a 25-1300MHz discone with
> stainless elements for $45."
> ...could be used with a multiplicity of boatanchors including the APR-4 which most definitely is a boatanchor.  Has anyone here tried to use the APR-4?

Yup.  It's probably most effective with the TN-16 (38-95MHz) tuning 
unit, which has more or less a conventional receiver front end with a 
tuned preselector and can be padded down to ten meters without too much 
trouble. _Way_ too much IF gain, so it helps to bypass around two or 
three of the five 6AC7 IF tubes unless you just enjoy the sound of 
broadband noise.  The 30MHz IF is also deliberately quite broad (3MHz) 
to facilitate scanning with a panadapter, and that's sorta fun to do.  
The tuning units above 95MHz are exceedingly deaf, being based on a 
thermionic diode mixer for the lower freqs and a crystal for the higher 
frequencies.  Fine for receiving high power radar signals, but not much 
else unless the signal is quite strong.  They do make a nice 
experimental platform for homebrew front end receiver experiments if you 
are so inclined. There is a postwar four band integrated tuning unit 
called the CV-253/ALR that is probably a better choice for scanning 
around, since it uses miniature tubes through about a gigahertz from 
what I recall.

73,
Mike  KC4TOS