[HBR] Homebrew Receiver on eBay -- Item #3030735948

[hbr@mailman.qth.net]

It's not a Ted Crosby HBR but it's definitely a unique item.

//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3030735948

The builder marked it 'TBX receiver' and that's precisely what it 
seems to be. The TBX is a transceiver, designed by GE mid 1930's 
or so for the USMC.  It was made in a bunch of versions TBX, TBX-2, 
up to TBX-8. Watertight case -- this radio was intended to go ashore 
in LCM's with the first wave and used for shore forces (beachmaster, 
medical, shore fire control parties) to communicate (mainly) with 
supporting ships.  Basically battery operated via vibrator supply or 
from a hand cranked generator, although I seem to remember an AC 
operated supply.   There was a blinding assortment of power supplies 
for the thing, I'm clear on that.

There's a picture of a TBX set in operation, somewhere in the Victory 
at Sea series.

It's my strong impression from the pictures that the builder of this set 
replanted the parts from a complete TBX receiver onto a normal 
chassis.  The dial is new -- I draw a complete blank on what kind of a 
dial was on the original set.   He probably used the original battery 
operated tubes (1H4, 1N5 ...) but can't be sure about that as all had 
6 volt equivalents.

Most likely this receiver was used with a more conventional ham 
transmitter, for portable operation.  The early TBX transmitters 
wouldn't have been appealing for ham use as they put out about 2 
watts on AM (8w CW maybe?) and R/T switching is accomplished in 
the TX tube filament; you must wait several seconds for the TX to 
come to life.    

Neat idea, probably built ca. 1950 from a 1943-4 TBX-8, and an 
absolutely unique piece of ham history.   It had only a minimum bid 
($9.95) when I looked a little while ago.  

Walt Hutchens
KJ4KV