Re throwing off the dial calibration, yeah that will happen. One can easily create a new calibration chart if necessary. When I ran my “frequency hacked “ BC-654 on a regular basis I did just that with a BC-221 heterodyne frequency meter, or for putting the set on a specific frequency for a sked or net, used the 221 as a frequency standard to set up both the transmitter and receiver, just like it was done in WW2.  Later on, I acquired an HP counter which is still in use at the home station.
Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 18, 2025, at 20:16, Christopher Bowne <[email protected]> wrote:

There is a regular CW signal in the vicinity of 3885 at night that is regularly copied in the northeast US that is confirmed to be a French military sending 5 characters code groups for Morse operator training.  Not very strong on this side of the pond but very loud on European on
line accessible Kiwi SDRs.  The upper frequency limit for amateur operation on 80 meters is 3800
kHz.  Theee are also number of NATO military and what are likely high speed HF stock and commodity trading systems with huge broadband signals from Europe at night above 3800 through the top of the band and also some digital broadcasting. I know of no regular use of CW above 3800 by US amateurs.  

On occasion, portable
and mobile stations, myself included, will check into the Old Military Radio Net on 3885 because they know that they will likely not be copyable on low power with small antennas on AM. Of course it’s perfectly legal to operate on CW on the phone bands, it’s just rarely done.

AJ1G

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On Jan 18, 2025, at 19:02, J Mcvey via MRCA <[email protected]> wrote:


I get the idea of making the radio more practical, but then the dial is all jacked up. So you put a tag on it saying something like "add 200Khz to dial setting"?

On Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 06:11:04 PM EST, MARK DORNEY via MRCA <[email protected]> wrote:


I hear is quite often on 3885 kHz in NY

73
Mark D.  
WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

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On Jan 18, 2025, at 1:49 PM, Mark K3MSB <[email protected]> wrote:


You're not going to find CW above 3800 unless it's pre-arranged. 

Mark K3MSB 

On Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 12:25 PM MARK DORNEY via MRCA <[email protected]> wrote:
So you operate where they originally did. Not a problem. I have. 

73

Mark D. 
WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

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On Jan 18, 2025, at 10:49 AM, Christopher Bowne <[email protected]> wrote:

My name is Chris and I also padded down my BC-654 to operate in the CW band of 80 meters.  IIRC they otherwise didn’t tune below about 3800 kc.

73 de Chris, AJ1G Stonington CT
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On Jan 17, 2025, at 21:50, Ray Fantini via MRCA <[email protected]> wrote:


I am an Idiot! You don’t take apart the front panel; you just slide the chassis over after releasing the bottom and one side screw!

As far as the chart not working the owner of the radio wants  something  that covers the entire eighty meter band so it's not my call, he intends to use the radio on the air, and I am all for that sort of attitude.

Ray F/KA3EKH

From: MARK DORNEY <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2025 8:07 PM
To: J Mcvey <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; Ray Fantini <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [MRCA] [MMRCG] BC-654 project
 

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of Salisbury University. Please exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources.

You do know that if you modify the frequency range, the original tuning charts attached to the lid of the radio will be useless. 

73
Mark D. 
WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 17, 2025, at 5:46 PM, J Mcvey via MRCA <[email protected]> wrote:


If memory serves me, All you have to do is disconnect the the lug harness on the side , take out a couple of screws, and I think there was a hinge.
I don't recall  having to unsolder anything to put it in service mode.

On Friday, January 17, 2025 at 03:40:39 PM EST, Ray Fantini via groups.io <rafantini=[email protected]> wrote:


Have finally gotten down to working on the two BC-654 transmitter – Receivers that are in the shop. Going to go thru and replace all the capacitors and also modify the range with the excellent K4CHE web page as a guide. Couple questions have come up.

 

First,

It appears to me that you have to unsolder the dial light stuff and do a lot of work to remove the receiver chaise in order to have access to the guts? Am I missing something here? Is there an easy method to get to the underside of the receiver?

 

Second,

Assuming that I will be operating the receiver for a while outside the enclosure, without the transmitter attached. The manual shows some four wafer switch thing along with seeing the board that Mr. Smith built up for doing this but I looked at the stuff that’s out there on line, lot of what I am seeing was not to intuitive, so I drew up this design for a box that will allow you to run the receiver outside of the frame. Please study the attached drawing and feel free to comment.

 

The plan is to start building this box maybe as soon as this weekend if I can get this access to the underside thing worked out first.

 

Ray F/KA3EKH

 

 

Manual gain control

Bias

 

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