Hey Dave and all,
Here's one lead on SS vibrators which may be adapted to our mil
radio needs...
I have had success using a small PC-board-based sold-state vibrator
made by this outfit: PeKo
Radio (pekorf.com) My applications for them were restoring
auto radios for customers and they worked well. Study his website as
he provides some discussion on military radio applications for his
SS vibrators, too.
Once I someday get to bringing into operation my PP-122/GRC (p/o of
my complete GRC-3 set, a true boatanchor for sure), I plan to use
them in its restoration. I absolutely do not expect the two or three
vibrators used in that unit to function well, if at all, based on my
years of dealing with '30s-to-'50s automobile radio restorations.
I was given the PP-112 and an RT-66 back when I was 17 or 18 which
started this whole mil radio collection thing (I'm 71 now and
finally retired from electrical engineering at a certain major
diesel engine manufacturer back in March of this year.)
In 1982, for my 29th birthday I made a pilgrimage to the truly
fantastic Fair Radio Sales (and now closed, doggone it!) and bought
myself the MT-297 vehicle mount, a NOS RT-70B, NOS R-108 and almost
all the other components to complete a GRC-3 (plus a bunch
of other goodies to nearly fill my small '77 Toyota Celica :-) ).
Dang! That setup is heavy! The car was certainly riding low. And
there are two PP-282s found in the R-108 and AM-65 units, each of
which has its own vibrator.
Typically, when I install a SS vibrator like this Peko product or a
different, physically smaller product from Aurora Design, I
disconnect the current vibrator at its socket and hardwire the small
SS vibrator PC board on very stiff wire(s) to appropriate attachment
points and I'm off and running. This leaves the original vibrator in
place for correct cosmetics yet provides a reliably functional
radio.
For example, attached is an under-chassis picture of a 1941 Ford
radio, 6-volt positive ground, during restoration back in 2020 which
helps show how I placed the PeKo SS vib underneath the chassis. Of
course, it's the modern, out-of-place-looking thing in green. I
mounted it using a short length of solid #14 AWG wire securely
soldered to an isolated post (out of view) and used a polypropylene
foam pad slipped between it and the chassis to absorb vibration.
(Don't use urethane foam! ;-) ) Thought I had other, more specific
pics of the PeKo installation somewhere, but this should help convey
what I intended. Hope this helps.
I've got years-worth of restorations, etc. of my own
considerable military, ham and household radio and TV collection,
vintage test equipment, and early computer collection in the queue
now that I'm retired. 15-to-25 years ago I was a member of several
of the qth.net email lists (ARC5, R390, GreenKeys, Milsurplus, etc.)
until my career and family things got squarely in the way of my
hobby. You'll likely hear from me occasionally on relevant matters
for sure going forward. Just trying to reorganize my vastly
cluttered shop, basement, garage and attic right now. I'll
lurk and/or partake on those other lists, too. I have learned a huge
amount of info in the past from just reading the traffic on them.
The fun is just beginning (again)! =-)
Best regards, Chris F.
On 9/23/2024 8:10 AM, daverain via MRCA
wrote:
Hello everyone,
We went to the meet after many years, since a last
visit. Apparently the building I went thru closest to the
parking lot was NOT the Howell building with all the radios. I
guess after walking the outdoor swap area, we missed it.
Anyway, was looking for a couple of items, solid
state power supply for bc 611f.
A lead or purchase of a solid state vibrator for
any of my bc 1335. All of my vibrators are dead, even after alot
of effort to restore the contacts.
I guess there is next year!
Great show
73s
Dave KE2AYO
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--
================================================================
Christian R Fandt
Jamestown, NY 14701
> Electrical/Electronic Collector & Historian: Radios, Early Computers, Test Equipment
> 48-year member of Antique Wireless Association https://www.antiquewireless.org/
> Radio restorations: Pre-1970s Automotive & Home radios
> Retired engineer/consultant on electrical/electronic contact physics
