[Milsurplus] Electric Radio - February 2006

[WF2U]

The transmitter in question is a WW2 Victory ship MF/HF radio console. The
transmitter is the McKay 167-BY (at least the BY was correct...). It's a CW
only transmitter, covering 2 to 18.5 MHz. The output is a pair of 803's,
rated output is 125W. The middle part where the owner put a modulator, is
where originally the receiver went. According to the manual the receiver is
either the RMCA AR-8506 or the Scott SLR-F.
My 167-BY has the AR-8506 installed.
The unit in ER was modified in that there is an operating desktop/shelf
along the whole width of the console, under the receiver. That's where the
key is installed in the cubbyhole under the receiver.

I'm a proud owner of a 1944 McKay 167-BY in original condition, with a
perfectly functional AR-8506 receiver and the original key, with the
original Master Oscillator calibration charts. The MO is still right on the
nose according to the chart!

There is a photo of an original McKay installation on Red Oak Victory. The
167-BY is on the left, with a Scott SLR-F receiver, the right hand console
is the LF transmitter and receiver, the middle section is the power switch,
antenna switch, power supply controls and the emergency receiver.

73, Meir WF2U / NNN0AAF
Landrum, SC

> -----Original Message-----
> From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Mike Morrow
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 6:51 PM
> To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Milsurplus] Electric Radio - February 2006
>
>
> The most recent issue of Electric Radio has some interesting things in it.
>
> (1)  There's a historical article about a WWII rush order filled (in two
> days) by Motorola/Galvin for 500 BC-611 units set on 7050 kc.  No specific
> dates are given, yet the time of day of an aircraft departure is
> given (I'd
> have preferred to know dates instead).  What interests me is that
> 7050 kc is
> not a standard BC-611 frequency, and the BC-611 frequency range
> was 3500 to
> 6000 kc.  So...is this a mistake, or were these very special BC-611s?  If
> the latter, what would be the point of requiring these units to operate on
> 7050 kc, well outside the normal upper limit for a BC-611 (as well as that
> of the SCR-284 radios with which it might need to communicate)?
>
> (2)  Text on page 44 and a picture of a six foot tall HF
> transmitter on page
> 45 is labeled as a US Navy "TBY."  I would have expected Electric Radio
> folks to know that couldn't possibly be correct.
>
> ER hasn't been covering the old military gear the past few years nearly as
> well or as often as they were doing ten years ago.
>
> Mike / KK5F