[Hammarlund] Early super pros

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 28 Feb 2007 at 14:21, Jack wrote:

> At 11:52 AM 2/28/2007, you wrote:
> >HI hammarlund guys. I have a nice BC-779, the low freq version and
> >would like to convert it to the bc  .54 to 1.24 mc
> 
> Jack,

Converting the 200-400 Khz range to cover the BC band MIGHT not be 
all that difficult.

However, I do not think you are going to be able to find a junker version 
((BC-224?) to cannibalize. They are pretty rare.

The BC-779 is an excellent receiver when restored. I used one for 
years and loved it. It is extremely sensitive (two RF stages), exhibits 
very low noise, and that variable IF selectivity is really snazzy! The 
crystal-filter works very well too. Hammarlund receivers of the time were 
very expensive when compared to many others, and were well worth it.

I added a triode product detector to mine and it REALLY "sat up and 
took notice!"

In your case, what I would do is to simply build an external one-tube 
(6EA8 mixer/crystal-controlled oscillator) or a two tube (RF amp, 
mixer/crystal-controlled oscillator) BC band converter with its output on 
one of the higher bands, say the 2.5 to 5 Mhz band, and take the power 
for the converter from the BC-779. To me, this would be much easier, 
and provide you with better results.

AND that way you would have a double-conversion BC rig, and the BC-
779 wouldn't be torn up in case you or your heirs ever decided to sell it.

Just a suggestion.

Oh. Neither the BC-779 and its cousins, nor the SP-600 are TRF 
receivers. They are all superhets.

Ken Gordon W7EKB