[Elecraft] Technology Change (OT)

[Mike Morrow]

Morgan / NJ8M wrote:

> I made a miss key ... 1625 not 1628.

Yep...in fact there was never a 1628.  The 1625 is a 12.6v 807, with different base.

> ...then there was the magic EYE of the ARK 5 command transmitter.

That's the 1629.  The equipment nomenclature is AN/ARC-5 (or ARA/ATA or SCR-274-N):
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/ARC-5
The transmitters use a 1626 MO, two 1625 PA, and a 1629 cal indicator.

There are many many of these sets, often in near original military configuration except for some capacitor replacement, in use *today* by those who appreciate vintage technology and history.  The users accept that it won't be K3S performance. :-)

> ...it was great, A J38.

The J-38 is a Morse training set key.  The J-37 was used with Morse communications sets.

> I forgot my first real commercial receiver...the trusty BC454, with one touch
> of the top of the case you wire 20 KHz off freq.

The BC-454-B (3.0 to 6.0 MHz, A1/A2/A3) is not a commercial set, but a USAAF version from the command sets mentioned above...the SCR-274-N set.  If your BC-454-B drifted that much, something was very very wrong with it.  It was designed for use in all aircraft types under extreme mechanical vibration stress under gross temperature changes.  It was pilot-tuned via a long flexible shaft.  Its entire range was in seven inches of dial travel, so selectivity was deliberately very poor by post-war standards.

> Then I upgraded to the BC348.

The USAAC/AAF BC-348-* receiver (200 to 500, 1.5 to 18.0 MHz) is basically a 1936 RCA design.  It was the finest aircraft radio receiver in the world during WWII.  A few remained in USAF service into early 1970s.

I like the idea of a KX2 communicating effectively with a 75-year-old BC-696-A (3.0-4.0 MHz) transmitter and associated BC-454-B receiver.  The latest sets like the KX2 and KX3 may be appreciated much more with knowledge of antecedent technology.  The same can be said of new and (likely) transient communications modes.

To borrow from Ecclesiastes 1:4:  "One ham fad passeth away, and another ham fad cometh: but CW abideth for ever."

Mike / KK5F
[With one other old-time quirk that the modern crowd doesn't share:  I just can not purchase a commercial HF ham rig that lacks schematics.  That violates all my ham instincts.  :-) ]