To paraphrase a famous line from the movie Casablanca,
I’m shocked Mark, I
tell you shocked! The GF-11 is an early 1930s low
power command set with a two tube MOPA RF arrangement
, and a pair or type small type 10 triodes. Perhaps
yours has been modified use as a phasing type single
sideband exciter in the early days of amateur SSB in
the late 1940s-early 1950s. In that case I would
expect there would be evidence of considerable
modification, including a phased shift network and a
balanced modulator and a pair of carrier null
potentiometers. Or perhaps it’s just a dummy switch
added as a joke or prank back in the day.
That said, MOPA sets like the GF-11 can in fact
transmit a signal that has one sideband that contains
significantly more energy than the other. These sets
usually generate significant incidental FM along with
AM on voice, and there is a lot a phase cancellation
going on. The BC-375 and 191s are notorious for this
behavior. If you look at the spectral and waterfall
display of one of these transmitters in voice mode you
will likely see that the majority of the modulation is
on one sideband. We once had 4 such sets on in a net
and some were generating mostly upper sideband
modulation energy, and some were mostly lower
sideband, all with full carriers of course. You need
a balanced modulator to null out the carrier and
select the desired sideband you want your SSB to be
on. With careful neutralization and finessing of the
PA plate current dip you can get reasonable sideband
energy balance in AM operation.
Here’s a good link that describes the GF-11 in
detail:
Send us a pix of yours if you can!
73 de Chris AJ1G
Stonington CT
Sent from my iPhone
Open
the Tube compartment cover, and near the
back of the divider between tube compartment
and the rest of the radio you will see the
toggle switch that can turn on either upper
sideband or lower sideband
Mark
D.
WW2RDO
In a message dated 7/18/2023 7:12:20 AM Eastern
Standard Time,
[email protected]
writes: