[Collins] Collins RF Mixer

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

ALL Collins part numbers refer to a drawing, from wire to nuts to radio 
systems. If the family begins with 5 its a drawing of a part or a unit 
bill of material or a manual designed by Collins. All other families 
identify the type of the part by the family, like 745 for carbon 
composition resistors for which there IS a specification drawing. Before 
about 1963 the -00n was usually shown as without the n but the drawing 
included a number 1 to 5 which designated the paper size of the drawing, 
1 being 8-1/2 x 11, 5 being something like 30 x 36, the size of the 
standard drawing board, a big sheet. A specification drawing for say 1/2 
watt carbon composition resistors would have maybe 100 four digit part 
numbers all ending in -001 on letter size paper. As new parts were added 
it was noticed that there weren't all that many four digit numbers left 
so when I had a new specification written for 1% carbon film precisions 
resistors to include all the 1% values that I needed for metering 
circuits (the existing specification included only every other value) 
that it came with that family number (I don't remember it now, doesn't 
matter), and ONE 4 digit number and used as many suffixes as needed to 
show the individual values.

In the original inquiry and the picture the .00 suffix does not fit the 
rules for numbers as I understood them, should be a -00. Searching for 
the first two groups gets many a phone number, isolating it by adding 
the words Collins Radio Mixer gets two wrong hits in google. Adding the 
-00 gets no hits with the part number in quotes. Most search engines 
treat - as a space and so use the three number groups independently 
unless forced by the quotes to make a phrase.

I can only surmise that the unit was made for production or service 
center testing. It probably allowed testing a vintage radio with an 
octal based tube that needed a mixer to get along with the standard 
frequency range of test equipment by adding the auxiliary mixer with its 
coaxial input. If it was needed for repairs in the field it should have 
been mentioned in the operations/service manual for that unit and so if 
that manual has been scanned and put on line somewhere google would know 
about it. My guess is that the tube is a 6BE6 or 6BA7 and the coax goes 
to the mixer grid while the octal base matches a 6SK7 or 6SA7 but with 
an external oscillator signal on the coax, any amplifier tube will mix 
with the LO signal applied to the signal grid, screen grid (unusual) or 
cathode so my guess can be off by any amplifier tube in the tube manual. 
The case could hold a product detector, indeed could be a product 
detector for some receiver with a 6SQ7 already. Show me the internal 
circuit and I can have an opinion.

73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Adviser to the Collins Radio Association.

On 1/11/2014 7:54 AM, Francesco Ledda wrote:
> My 1982 Rockwell Collins Preferred Standard Part List says:
>
> Family 599
> - Test Equipment Drawings 9000 Series Newport Beach
> - Test Equipment Drawings 4000 and 8999 Series Cedar Rapids R&D
>
> Therefore, the number on the part is not a CPN, but refers to some drawing.
> That drawing will tell you what the part is.
>
> If you can, email me a picture of that part. I may recognize it.....
>
> KF5RXV
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: collins-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:collins-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Chris Kepus
> Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 2:11 AM
> To: geraldj at weather.net; collins at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Collins] Collins RF Mixer
>
> Jerry and David,
> Before I send out an email blast on this, I thought I should give two
> Collins experts first crack at helping me identify a component I bought that
> showed up on eBay. Please see the pictures attached.
>
> My thinking was to use this "package" and repurpose it as a plug in product
> detector in one of my old boat anchors.
>
> But before I modify this I want to see if I can find out what it was
> originally designed to do.  I was unable to locate any info on the internet
> (much to my surprise) using the Collins PN of 599-2554.00.  Any ideas??
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
> W7JPG
>
>