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: