[Milsurplus] BC-348Q Mod(s)

[Michael D. Harmon]

I have a couple of BC-348Q receivers, both in need of TLC.  I've decided 
to fix up the cleaner of the two, mostly just for nostalgia purposes, 
since a BC-348 and a Heath DX-40 comprised my novice station back in the 
mid-Sixties.  Neither receiver is restorable to "display condition", so 
I plan to add a few of the popular mods as I go.  I have already built 
an AC power supply to fit the dynamotor hole, and I've rewired the 
filaments for 6.3 VAC

I've added an S meter and have separated the AF and RF gain controls and 
modified the MVC/OFF/AVC switch to switch power to the radio via a 12 
volt relay (don't want 117 VAC running around for hum reasons).

I know that some earlier models had a 75 pF trimmer in the antenna 
circuit, and I'm wondering if I should add that also.

Can any of you tell me whether it will help with RF sensitivity? If it 
won't be worth the time, I won't bother.  There must have been some 
reason the manufacturers discontinued it in the J, N, and Q models, 
since I think (?) they were the latest iteration of the BC-348.

What do you guys think?

Thanks for the help!!

Mike, WB0LDJ

mharmon at att dot net