[Milsurplus] SCR-A*-183 & Type 12 Progress and other notes of amusement

[Kludge]

Thanks to Emil Dular (another A&P and then some), I’ve got a model for
making the VHF comm and VOR/LOC antennas for the Type 12 systems.  Also the
experimental aircraft folks have been making their own baluns and LOC/GS
splitters for a while so they can use the same antennas for both so between
that and having information on homemade GS antennas, I’m in great shape
there.

 

While looking at NavCom antennas, I also found a nice drawing of a sled
runner type marker beacon antenna.  This will go with the FES-1240 but I’d
like to use a wire antenna with the R-20 single light marker receiver and
can’t remember where I saw details on the end supports etc for them.  That
receiver will go with the early Type 15 which will also get an ARC A-13
VOR/LOC antenna once I find one and will be parked next to but not with the
Type 11 (which probably should get the R-20 instead) but with a Type 18
which is a T-11 Tx & P-12 standalone dynamotor mount

 

Other than the A-13 antenna, for the Types 11, 15 and 18, I need one each
C-16 (R-11) & C-18 (L-10 Loop) and two C-13s (Single Tx) control heads.  I
have a C-22 (R-13) coming so that’s not a problem.  Mounting plates are also
needed, M-18 or similar for all except the C-13s but I’m not sure about the
Tx control box mounts.*  I also need one L-10 loop and one of either of the
VHF antennas to finish the Type 11.  

 

* One of the things I need to do is go to one of my storage units and grab
the manuals so I can do some scanning.  *Sigh* 
 It really is on my list!

 

At the moment, the plan is the aforementioned three systems, an R-19 with
one T-11* or T-13* and a T-21 (basically a ten channel T-11A) as controlled
by a C-49 (or C-44 sans R-11 & loop) which I think makes a Type 19, an R-19
plus two TV-10s (CV-431/AR) and an R-11 with a control head designed to fit
the instrument “stalk” in a Bell Model 47 (UH-13?), and the FES-1240.
Anything beyond that is gravy although I would like to continue into the
Cessna years a little plus add a Type 17 (R-15 & T-11) and anything else
that I can assemble.  

 

There are a few items I don’t have for this, a second TV-10; schematics (or,
better, manuals) for the T-21 & F-13; the A-13, L-10 and either ARC VHF
antenna (Fair has the UHF one.); ceramic two-piece antenna feed thrus that
can handle 1-8”-3/16” rod; wire for the R-11’s wire antenna and the wire
marker beacon antenna with the needed tension springs & insulators.  

 

At the moment, I have two of the three Push To Test lamps for the marker
beacon Rx for the FES-1240 but the blue one turned out to be red when I
received it and the company’s out of both at the moment.  I forgot to order
another white one for the R-20 single light MB Rx so I’ll wait on that until
they have the blue ones in again.  The red one will be used as a power on
indicator for the 24v supply.  This reminds me that I have to pick up a
bunch of 327 bulbs (or the long life version thereof) to populate these and
replace a few burned out bulbs on some of the control heads.  These will
also fit the eyebrow lights I want to put over the instruments since they’re
not self-lit.  

 

By the way, I’ll be making the instrument panels etc required for the
civilian setups as what need them although I may use some of the formed
plastic covers to make them look better.  That will require a slice ‘n dice
to fit the eyebrows but such is life.

 

All except two connectors for the SCR-A*-183 are on the inbound, the missing
ones being a PL-61 (Rx) and PL-63 (Tx control box.)  An eBay dealer Robert
Downs pointed out has the rest – including the added PL-62 & PL-104 which I
forgot to order for the Rec Only version I’m adding to the mess.  I’ve got
to go back and order them up plus look for a second PL-61 somewhat less
expensive than those Fair has.  (Would William Perry have these and the
PL-63?)  This cuts the necessities down to one each BC-A*-229 & -230, coil
sets for them, two FT-141 control box mounting plates and an FT-100 Tx
mount. The wire and the armor for the cables have been located (I’m going to
wind up with a surplus of the latter after I’m finished if anyone will be
interested then.) and ferrules for the latter to fit the wooden junction
boxes I’ll be making.  This includes the power cables going to yet another
wooden box, this one a power junction box.  While I have two tuning cables,
I only need one cut down to allow a tuning control head to be added to the
command system with the control boxes.  (The liaison set will be locally
tuned per the XB-15 photo.)  

 

The surplus from the SCR-A*-183 tuning cables will donate their inner cables
to some sheathing I’m picking up from an eBay vendor so I have enough tuning
cable for the SCR-274-N and all the Type 12 systems that will use it.
(Again, I expect to have extra when I’m finished.)  While I can machine the
rest of the pieces fairly easily (as I will the ones for the SCR-A*-183), I
need the female spline couplings for 8-9 receivers (A few aren’t mentioned
above.) and 3-4 more right angle adapters.  The former I can possibly
machine but the latter are a bit outside my capabilities.

 

As previously mentioned, the SCR-274-N still needs a triple Rx mounting
plate and at least the frame for an FT-225 modulator mount.  The equipment
proper will be upgraded to make the system as close to Grade A as I can with
what I have on hand although it will be a blend of bare metal and black
wrinkle units.  

 

Both of the command systems need antenna stuff – feed thrus, masts, springs,
insulators, fish spine beads (which I think I have two sources of) and, of
course, the wire itself.  No decision has been made about the liaison
BC-A*-229’s antenna although if I use it as the CW Rx for the SCR-A*-183 as
I’m thinking of doing, it might also go to the latter’s antenna relay even
though it really should go to something like a very early BC-191.  

 

Unrelated good news follows so anyone not caring about off-topic subjects,
please stop now.  No, really. I mean it.  There’s nothing radio-ish
following.  Go on, scat.  Shoo.  *sigh* 
 Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn
you.

 

Talking with Noelle on the phone has been absent from my life for the past
few months.  Heck, as a rule, she’s not usually even up to talking on the
computer (IM or email) so I spend a lot of time in worry mode sending
messages etc of encouragement but not hearing back.  So talking with her on
the phone for two hours Thursday afternoon and three Friday night/Saturday
morning was an absolute treat.  She sounds better than she has for a long
time, although her new med load has her a bit loopy.  (Okay, so she was on
occasion a little before meds but so was I and the meds I’m on now don’t
help. :-) )  Anyway, that did a lot for my mood as well in a very positive
way which my state case manager noticed right off after the first call when
she stopped by Friday.  

 

Okay, so I wasn’t completely honest.  There is something radio-ish here,
just nothing having to do with surplus or command sets etc.

 

My local tobacconist (who really isn’t so local but rather is in Honolulu)
sells cigar boxes for $1 for paper covered ones, $3 for wooden ones and $10
for the really big ones.  I picked up two wooden ones of interest but I also
got one of the really big ones.  It is made of unfinished Honduran Mahogany
– I mean *really* unfinished! – and, along with the lid on top, has a cool
door at the bottom of the front.  In the meantime, the larger of the two
smaller wooden boxes has a slide up piece at the top of the front while the
smaller one is made of heavier than usual wood.  I originally thought to
finish the rough box but decided against it.  There is a certain rugged
individuality to it that I like.  They had more interesting cigar boxes but
they’re cash only and I didn’t have any more cash in hand.  Since I was in
the neighborhood to order my new glasses, I’ll be sure to have many much
more paper folding cash stuff when I go back.  

 

Something I’ve had in the back of my mind for a while is putting rigs inside
cigar boxes.  While I had though I would have to stack boxes then still have
to remove the tubes to close the boxes, I seem to have lucked out in getting
boxes large enough to do these things plus put away things like the key,
phones, antenna wire etc.  The tubes may have to be horizontal but that’s
not a big deal.  They have a number of sliding top boxes which generally I
don’t favor but I may take another look since they have ample depth for a
rig.  They would have to be assembled side by side to work but, on thinking
about it, there’s nothing really wrong with that and I can knock out sides
if I want to have larger boxes.  The first method could be kind of cool
since each box would have a stage which could be isolated from the next by a
layer of foil or something between them plus I could separate them in case I
wanted to create a different stage or something without disturbing the rest.

 

While I’m thinking about it, last time I was at Goodwill I saw a rather nice
small wooden suitcase that would have held a rig rather nicely.  When I went
back (same day, after I kicked myself for not buying it), it was gone.  Oh,
well.  I don’t want to make one of the parasets that are so popular and “in”
in some circles but rather just a simple suitcase rig with a VFO and uses
subminis where they’d be useful with larger tubes where they’re needed.
They would all be under the panel rather than sticking up where they have to
be removed when the lid’s closed.  If I use a design I’ve used before, the
larger bottom part would be the top and the top would sit on the table as a
desk thingie.  The bottom would move forward as it opens so it sits on the
top (which somehow sounds backwards but is quite clear in my mind) so the
whole thing doesn’t tip over backwards but rather is relatively stable.  

 

Anyway, thought you’d like to know what else is happening 
 

 

Best regards,

 

Michael, WH7HG ex-K3MXO, ex-KN3MXO, WPE3ARS, BL01xh ex-Mensa A&P PP BGI 

I am me.  I’m the only one who’s qualified.

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Hiki Nô!