[Milsurplus] Electric Radio - February 2006

[WF2U]

The transmitter in question is a WW2 Victory ship Federal Radio and
Telegraph (later became ITT) model FT-102 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 24 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 was mounted. 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 shown in ER magazine 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 FT-102 console, with the McKay 167-BY
transmitter 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.
http://www.radiomarine.org/KYVM/ROV-02.jpg  . The 167-BY is on the left,
with a Scott SLR-F receiver, the right hand console contains the power
transfer switch, antenna switch, power supply controls, McKay 128-AX
superregenerative LF receiver and the emergency crystal receiver. The middle
section is the McKay 150-AY LF transmitter.

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