[Hallicrafters] BFO - BFD?

[Robert M. Bratcher Jr.]

At 12:24 PM 2/12/2004, Glen Zook wrote:
>First turn off the AVC.  Next turn the r.f. gain all
>the way down.  Then turn the audio gain (volume
>control) all the way up.  Turn on the BFO.  Use the
>r.f. gain as the volume control and tune in an SSB
>station.  Turn the BFO to one side and then the other
>until the signal becomes readable.  You may have to
>tune the bandspread slightly to one side or the other
>to get the receiver to receive the SSB signal
>properly.
>
>This is the way to tune in an SSB signal with a
>receiver that doesn't have a product detector.
>
>Glen, K9STH

I loved that "shoved fingers up satans nose" description of how SSB sounded 
to the fellow.

Tuning SSB (on a vacuum tube boatanchor receiver) takes a little practice 
but once you get the hang of it then it becomes fairly easy.

This is how I do it on mine...
First kill (turn off) the receivers AVC! You don't need it with sideband & 
an SSB signal will sounds lots better without it.

I ride (turn up or down as needed)  RF gain & usually leave volume where it 
was before tuning sideband. Sometimes I'll turn volume up if needed but 
often I don't have to.

BFO turned on then I tune frequency with main tuning. Usually that clears 
up the speech where it sounds normal. If not I'll adjust the BFO until it's 
clear. That works for me....

Of course I've never done it on an S-120 but rather bigger sets like the 
SX-99, SX-73, R390a & some others I own.