Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
Thanks for the info Mike, I was wondering if there were kits available. I see a two tube regenerative kit for $36, not including the 1T4 tubes (which are less than $3 each). Sounds cool. 73, Dave in Indy -- Message: 9 Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:12:32 -0700 From: Mike Stonebridge stonb...@abnorth.com Subject: Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America irca@hard-core-dx.com Message-ID: df8ba5785d894f81b01c51583822d...@mikes Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=response For those out there that can't make a regenerative receiver, there are always several available on eBay. Some are quite expensive, some are not. Not as much fun as making your own I agree, but as Deane points out, gathering all the required parts is the hardest part. Antique Electronic Supply of Tempe, AZ stocks all the necessary parts and complete kits. Go to http://tubesandmore.com/ and click on kits for more info. Mike in St Isidore, AB ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
On 29-Dec-08, at 9:39 PM, Deane McIntyre wrote: Some of you may recall the books by Alfred Morgan such as The Boy Electrician and The Boys First Book of Radio and Electronics that had instructions on how to build, among other things, crystal radios and a one tube regenerative radio. In the case of the regenerative radio, a 1H4H triode tube was used with the filament operated off a 1.5 volt D cell and a 45 volt battery for the plate voltage. Later editions used a 6BF6 tube instead as the 1936 vintage 1H4G tube became difficult to find. The circuit was close to that used in the early radios of the 1921 - 1925 time period, when AM broadcasting was getting started. Having read that in those days of few stations these one tube regen radios were capable of DX, I built one, using a 1H4G tube, and am having fun DXing with it. I finished it last night and soon had logged CKRM-620 Regina, KIRO-710 Seattle among many other stations. Best DX tonight so far was WGN-720 Chicago, also had KNRS-570 Salt Lake City, KNBC-680 San Francisco among many other stations. Best daytime DX was CBK-540. Am having a lot of fun with this - with seven local 50 kW stations here in Calgary, was wondering if I would get much DX at all but with careful adjustment of the regeneration the selectvity is not too bad - was even able to log with good signals KBOI-670 next to local 50 kW CFFR-660. As 45 volt B batteries are just about a thing of the past, I am using four somewhat elderly 9 volt batteries in series that gives 32 volts. Total cuurent draw is only 0.9 mA (and 50 mA from the D cell for the filament) so the batteries should last a long time. Antenna is a 50 foot wire outside run from the house to the garage. A few people have asked for further information on my one tube radio I wrote about last night. http://www.bignick.net/Morgan_Radio/images/Morgan.pdf is a scan of the article of the 6BF6 version. The version I built used a 1H4G tube, taken from a older book by Morgan, but is otherwise almost identical to the one in the article linked to. Finding the parts might be somewhat of a problem, I had all the parts on hand except for the coil. The parts needed are: Vacuum tube - 1H4G. 1E4G, 1G4GT, 30, 1LE3 or 1LF4 are all almost identical to the 1H4G if you want a battery powered (1 D cell) version. Or use a 6BF6 or just about any low gain triode tube if you build the circuit in the article above. Socket for tube (1H4G, 1E4G and 1G4GT use a standard octal (8 pin) socket, 30 needs a four pin socket, 1LE3 and 1LF3 a loctal socket which might be hard to find. Two variable capacitors - one about 365 pf for tuning, one about 100 pf for antenna coupling. Coil (which I wound myself on a 3 inch dia cardboard tube using 26 gauge enamel insulated copper wire, 54 turns for antenna coil, 20 turns for regen coil spacked 1/4 inch from each other) resistor, 2.2 or 2.7 meg ohms 100 pF mica capacitor 0.003 uF or so capacitor, any type, for audio coupling to headphone headphone jack 100 k ohm volume/regen control headphones, 2,000 ohm resistance or better D battery with holder (to heat tube filament) 3-5 series connected 9V batteries Antenna and ground connection Something to build the circuit in/on Most of these items are available from Antique Electronic Supply if you don't have a large pile of electronic junk http://www.tubesandmore.com Photos of my radio: http://deane.bio.ucalgary.ca/1H4regen1.jpg http://deane.bio.ucalgary.ca/1H4regen2.jpg ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
For those out there that can't make a regenerative receiver, there are always several available on eBay. Some are quite expensive, some are not. Not as much fun as making your own I agree, but as Deane points out, gathering all the required parts is the hardest part. Antique Electronic Supply of Tempe, AZ stocks all the necessary parts and complete kits. Go to http://tubesandmore.com/ and click on kits for more info. Mike in St Isidore, AB ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio - what is the present KNRO format?
KNRO simulcasts KPIG http://www.kpig.com/affiliates/redding.shtml Paul Walker www.onairdj.com On 12/31/08, Deane McIntyre dmcin...@ucalgary.ca wrote: Does anyone know the current format for KNRO-1670 Redding CA? They were sports (ESPN) for a few years but some web sources say that they had recently changed. Had a sports talk station on 1670 on the one tube 1H4 radio tonight, mixing with a SS station. 73, Deane McIntyre VE6BPO Calgary CA _ ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
Deane, On Tuesday 30 December 2008 04:39:59 am Deane McIntyre wrote: Alfred Morgan Oh, I cannot tell you how many times I checked those books out of the library when I was a kid. Those were books that dreams were made of. Now you've got me fired up and I'll probably have to build one also. Thanks, Steve -- Stephen Hawkins 73 49 111 01001001 n...@arrl.net ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
Now, this is the kind of thing I would love to try, and have contests with. On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 8:39 PM, Deane McIntyre dmcin...@ucalgary.ca wrote: Some of you may recall the books by Alfred Morgan such as The Boy Electrician and The Boys First Book of Radio and Electronics that had instructions on how to build, among other things, crystal radios and a one tube regenerative radio. In the case of the regenerative radio, a 1H4H triode tube was used with the filament operated off a 1.5 volt D cell and a 45 volt battery for the plate voltage. Later editions used a 6BF6 tube instead as the 1936 vintage 1H4G tube became difficult to find. The circuit was close to that used in the early radios of the 1921 - 1925 time period, when AM broadcasting was getting started. Having read that in those days of few stations these one tube regen radios were capable of DX, I built one, using a 1H4G tube, and am having fun DXing with it. I finished it last night and soon had logged CKRM-620 Regina, KIRO-710 Seattle among many other stations. Best DX tonight so far was WGN-720 Chicago, also had KNRS-570 Salt Lake City, KNBC-680 San Francisco among many other stations. Best daytime DX was CBK-540. Am having a lot of fun with this - with seven local 50 kW stations here in Calgary, was wondering if I would get much DX at all but with careful adjustment of the regeneration the selectvity is not too bad - was even able to log with good signals KBOI-670 next to local 50 kW CFFR-660. As 45 volt B batteries are just about a thing of the past, I am using four somewhat elderly 9 volt batteries in series that gives 32 volts. Total cuurent draw is only 0.9 mA (and 50 mA from the D cell for the filament) so the batteries should last a long time. Antenna is a 50 foot wire outside run from the house to the garage. 73, Deane McIntyre VE6BPO Calgary AB ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com -- Leonard Hyde Weed, CA Realistic DX-440 6 foot shielded loop ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com
Re: [IRCA] DXing with a One Tube Radio
At 04:39 12/30/2008, you wrote: Having read that in those days of few stations these one tube regen radios were capable of DX, I built one, using a 1H4G tube, and am having fun DXing with it. I finished it last night and soon had logged CKRM-620 Regina, KIRO-710 Seattle among many other stations. Best DX tonight so far was WGN-720 You'll have to compare notes with John Bryant on this, Deane, as he too has DXed with a one tube set. Believe that he's heard Japan with it, here on the coast of course. Good luck with it...maybe you can be the first to get a TA with such a set. best wishes, Nick * Nick Hall-Patch Victoria, BC Canada ___ IRCA mailing list IRCA@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: irca@hard-core-dx.com