[Hallicrafters] Unexpected Testing Events and Cool Stuff

[Bill Gerhold]

This is cool.  While aligning one of my S-38E's, I used my 756pro to make
sure my old URM-25D generator was right on frequency.  So, here I am
punching in the 456khz frequency on the 756pro and then dial the URM-25D for
that frequency looking for a large blip on the 756pro TFT screen.  This is
how I do all my alignments, using the URM-25D and the 756pro combination for
right on the money accuracy.

I found the BFO was not working on this particular unit and decided to go to
another S-38E and leave this one alone but then decided to see if I could
find the BFO signal using the 756pro screen.  While the 756 was still tuned
to 456khz, I took a lead directly from the pro antenna input and using a
blocking cap, connected it to the 2nd IF can of the S-38E receiver.  Well,
all of a sudden, I'm listening to the S-38 455khz signal on the pro and it
was completely tunable.

So what do I do, I tune in a 75 meter SSB signal which on the S-38E just
sounds like the classical monkey chatter since the BFO was not working, put
the pro in SSB mode and listen to the signal, clear as a bell.  While I knew
somewhere in the back of my mind this would work, it was nice to suddenly
witness this event and enjoy it and let it go for a while.

I then realized (after about 1/2 hour of tuning around on the pro using the
S-38E as a front end, to disconnect the lead and connect the 756pro to a
dummy load.  I then dialed in a 75 meter frequency on the 756pro, put it in
AM mode and turned the wattage down to about 5 watts.  Transmitted a carrier
and was now using the 756pro as an outboard BFO!  It works great that way
too.

Oh well, back to reality.  I don't think using a $3k rig as an outboard BFO
or a SSB detector is the way to go, so I guess I will fix the onboard BFO.
Just cool events and happenings at the K2WH household.

K2WH