John, That is the one I sold. Its fine, but I like the v2 better, as you don't have to open the lid to change the loading switch. If you have to open the lid, you cant pile other rigs, meters, freq counters, etc on top of the transmitter. You also cant rack mount it. (I have both the 32v3's in a rack) The 32v2 and 32v3 also have a tune switch to reduce the high voltage during tune up that the 32v1 does not have.
Great rig though, the driver transformer is bigger than some mod transformers, the 32v3 has an oil filed HV cap, the audio section is easy to play with in its little box on the side, very reliable rig if kept dry, as I said, I have used 2 for about 15 years now without a single problem, not even a tube problem. I got both 32v3's for $90.00,($90.00 for two), the best buy I ever got, although the 30k-1 for $250.00 was good also. I have had fun playing with them, trying different setups in the modulators, negative feedback, regulated screen voltage, dc on the mike preamp filaments, KT90 tubes in ab1 as modulators in one rig, etc. Its a shame they are so expensive these days, as they really are great rigs to operate. Brett N2DTS > > > Brett, > > I noticed you omitted the 32V1 from your hit parade > of AM rigs. Any reason in particular? > > --... ...-- > John, WAØSTX > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Brett Gazdzinski" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <amradio@mailman.qth.net> > Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 12:27 PM > Subject: RE: [AMRadio] B&W 5100 Possibly the best built ham > transmitter? > (imho) > > > > Steve, N2DXM had one of these about 20 years ago when > > we both got into AM. > > A nice transmitter, well made, but poor choice of modulator > > tubes, 6146's I think they were. > > I never got a pair of 6146 tubes to sound good as > > modulators, but I suspect some people have. > > A prime candidate to switch to KT88 or KT90 tubes in > > AB1. > > > > > > My top pick for a 100 watt transmitter is the 32v2 or 32v3. > > Robust iron, good stock sound, very stable pto, reliable > > operation. > > I have had 2 for 15 years now (sold the third for $200.00) > > and never had a single problem with any of them, despite > > using them a lot. > > I am using them for exciters now, to drive the homebrew rigs. > > > > I run mine on high voltage with solid state diodes in the low > > and high voltage power supplies, no problems at all. > > > > No grid tuning or drive levels to fool with, tune the vfo > > to frequency, dip and load the final, and yak.... > > > > There is not much that HAS to be done to the stock rig > > to make it sound very good, just a resistor change > > to match a d104 better... > > > > Ask anyone who has had a number of 100 watt rigs including > > the 32v3, and most likely they will tell you they like the 32v > > best. > > I have got rid of all the others, but kept the 32v's. > > > > The only Collins stuff I really like is the 30k-1, the 32v series, > > and maybe the kw1 (never had one of those). > > Did not like the kws1, kwm2a, 75a4, r388, etc. > > > > > > Brett > > N2DTS > > > > > > > > > > I just finished cleaning up the B&W 5100 I picked up > > > at the Butler meet last Summer. > > > > > > I don't know what prompted me to buy it , but now I am > > > sure glad I did. Maybe it was all the great food ( > > > including Russ's fabulous baked beans of mass > > > destruction HI!) > > > > > > What strikes me the most about this radio is how well > > > it is designed and constructed. My only complaint > > > about the design is that the mode switch intereferes > > > with access to one of the audio input shield screws - > > > boo hoo. > > > > > > Other than that, this is by far the best built radio I > > > own in terms of construction, ease of servicing and > > > overall engineering. Better than my Collins, > > > Halicrafters, WRL, Drake, Eldico etc. The only thing > > > that comes close is my TMC gear or the T-368 - but > > > these were obviously not for the amateur market. > > > > > > Modular construction allowed for easy replacement of a > > > few parts in the modulator. I essentially replaced > > > several .001 with some .02 and two out of spec > > > resistors. > > > > > > The use of an oil filled cap in the filter was a nice > > > change. Typically one has to take a small loan for > > > direct replacements or cobble up a string of > > > electrolytics with eq. resistors. In fact I only had > > > to replace three electrolytics - the double 20 @ 450v > > > and a 20 @150v. > > > > > > A wire brush was very useful cleaning up the milled > > > edges on the knobs. > > > > > > I plugged all the interconnects and applied power > > > through a variac. No problems at all in ramping up to > > > 120v. Soon I had 150w CW and 100 phone output. > > > > > > I am really impressed how well the B&W 5100 is built > > > and how easy it is to work on and put back on the > > > air. > > > > > > I'll lug it upstairs and put it on the air for the > > > DX-60 net tomorrow. > > > > > > So I ask you fellow buzzard ops, what is your favorite > > > "best built ham transmitter?" > > > > > > 73 DE KA4JVY > > > Mark > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > Yahoo! Mail Plus Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > > > http://mailplus.yahoo.com > > > _______________________________________________ > > > AMRadio mailing list > > > AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > AMRadio mailing list > > AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > > > _______________________________________________ > AMRadio mailing list > AMRadio@mailman.qth.net > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio >
