[Milsurplus] looking for BC-223 oerators

[wf2u at ws19ops.com]

Richard,

Thanks for your input.

Now I understand the "old buzzer" function. Since the speech amplifier  
and the pair of modulator tubes didn't light up when I set the switch  
to Tone or Voice (the tubes all check out OK) it's probably the switch  
contact or a wire not making the circuit. No shorts, because the RF  
conmes on and the input current to the vibrator supply stays the same  
as on CW.
The frequency was surprisingly stable (80 M) and the chirp was fairly  
mild, even less than the usual chirp out of the Wireless Set 19 or the  
GRC-9.
Dennis W7QHO said he was getting 20W out of the BC-223.
I was feeding mine from exactly 12 volts which may be sort of  
marginal, will raise it to 13.8V and see whether it draws the proper  
current (it drew 100 ma total maximum, measured 8.5 W out - the manual  
says it should be loaded to 160 ma). I also have spare tubes which I  
compare by substitution. In fact I have another BC-223, the A model  
which I'll fire up also for the first time.  One thing I didn't do  
though is to measure the plate voltage. It may be low out of the  
vibrator supply. 12 V  according to the manual is the low end of the  
input voltage.
It'll go back on the workbench this weekend...

73, Meir WF2U
Landrum, SC


Quoting Richard Brunner <brunneraa1p at comcast.net>:

> Re:
> "interrupter" probably means buzzer
>> tone generator for mcw.  Harks back to dark ages.
>
> Hey guys, don't knock the BC-223.  I used one for several years, with
> pleasure, and finally sold it because it was so rock-reliable it got
> boring. It is indeed MOPA, crystal oscillator or VFO.  I mostly used
> the VFO, with no problems, (no chirp) running off a dynamotor.  The
> buzzer provides a very satisfactory sidetone.
>
> Richard, AA1P ______________________________________________________________
>