[Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters transceivers

[Charlie]

 Why couldn't you simply wire the 6146 filaments in series to run from 12 V
instead of using the harder-to-find 6883's ?

That way you KNOW you'd be able to find replacements.

73' Charlie k3ICH


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Everette" <radiocompass at yahoo.com>
To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, 07 June 2005 6:51 PM
Subject: [Hallicrafters] Hallicrafters transceivers


> I once owned an SR-150 and found it had a tendency to
> be rough on the 12DQ6 tubes, for some reason, I forget
> what.  Anyway, I converted it to use 6883 tubes, a
> 12-volt-filament version of the 6146.
>
> These tubes are not too uncommon.  They were used in a
> lot of Motorola and RCA land mobile radios.  They tend
> to be cheap at hamfests due to the somewhat
> nonstandard filament voltage; you can often pick up a
> NIB pair for less than $15.  Since the supply in the
> SR-150 was already 12 volts, they were perfect.
>
> The mod is very easy to perform and the results are
> super.  A minor bit of rewiring the sockets; replacing
> the plate caps with a larger size; resetting the bias;
> and you get a much more stable and robust final with a
> little more power output.  I don't even recall having
> a problem with neutralizing the tubes.
>
> The 6146 and 6883 are much cheaper and easier to find
> than sweep tubes of any description.
>
> This would also work in the SR-160.  I don't know
> about any of the other transceivers, but it is worth
> looking into.  You won't be sorry you did it.  Yeah,
> yeah, I know, it's not "original"!  BFD.  It works
> much better.  And the outside, just like a Volkswagen,
> looks the same.
>
> 73
>
> Mike
> WA4DLF