[Milsurplus] Boulevard Receiver

[bstewart at ipass.net]

I think the ole R-138 brings up several questions, at least for me. I wonder
what the CG intended to use this rcvr for. It is probably only mediocre in
performance. It does cover down into the mf/lf range and up into the sw bands.
I doubt it is very good as a cw rcvr, even tho it does have a xtal filter.
N0TE, who has one working, said he has used his on am with fair results. I can
think of a few other ac/dc sets, that would work on about any voltage:
R-100/URR and the AN/GRR-5 (is that the right number). I wonder if the R-138
was intended for mainly a 'morale' type rcvr. 
One other note about my rcvr: The name plate was on the rear chassis (mtg holes
and shadow are there). It was moved to the front, covering up a large meter
hole. I wonder if the CG orig. had a S-mtr and Boulevard didn't include
it...maybe sold the meters seperate or maybe Dooley didn't provide. I do have
some info on adding a S-meter.

Please give be a bit on getting the copies out. I am having to rewire my phone
system, plus in process of changing my i-net svc over to dsl which, I think
started the phone problems....anyway, I have WA5CAB, Hue, Elden & Bob (W9RAN,
who may need the info). When I get the copies ready, I'll check with you guys
for your mailing addresses...anyone else, just let me know.
Bill, K4JYS
   
Quoting WA5CAB at cs.com:

> I think a lot of list members, when they learn that a shipboard set is AC-DC,
> 
> suffer from a knee-jerk reaction that equates AC-DC with cheap 50's vintage 
> 5-tube radios.  As it happens, cost (usually) had nothing to do with it.  At
> 
> the beginning of WW-II, virtually the entire merchant fleet and most
> combatants 
> were DC ships.  Most of those ships (those that weren't sunk) remained in 
> service beyond the end of the War.  USS Texas (BB-36) is a good example.  It
> had 
> (has) 230 VDC mains.  Consequently, radio equipment was designed to operate 
> from a wide range of supply voltages, including in the simpler receivers and
> 
> transmitter-receivers 115 VAC/DC built in supplies.  Technically, many of the
> 
> popular (with collectors) WW-II vintage shipboard receivers and I think all 
> transmitters were AC/DC.  Including the TCS, MBF, TBY and TCZ.  And most
> anything 
> built by Mackay would have had to have been or the ships they could have been
> 
> used in would have been severely limited as they mostly supplied gear for the
> 
> merchant fleet.
> 
> USCG, which has always been at the bottom of the funding food chain even 
> below the Navy, simply had to carry the requirement longer than any other
> agency 
> or department.
> 
> In a message dated 5/27/2008 10:40:01 PM Central Daylight Time, 
> kargo_cult at msn.com writes: 
> > I just about bid on this last one. Learning it is an
> > AC-DC, i am real glad i didn't. I think it didn't go higher
> > because of the "missing parts" threat, altho everything under
> 
> > neath the chassis has to be smaller common  parts, there's 
> > plenty of room to work, and the circuit has to be non-complex.
> > 
> > Uh-oh, i just realized that the Mackay receiver i have
> > from around the same era, that i haven't gotten around
> > to yet, must also be AC-DC !
> > 
> > I would certainly like to buy a copy of whatever you have
> > on the R-138.
> > 
> 
> Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
> <http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
> MVPA 9480
> <wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
> <wa5cab at comcast.net> (Backup email)
>    
>