Boat Anchors...
About the small collection of boat anchors (vintage radios) I have here in the shack.
Disclaimer
I don't really know whether the radios here can be classified as "vintage" - don't really mind one way or the other. Let's just call them old...
Kenwood TS520S
After the period of time where I operated under my Limited Licence on 6M using homebrew gear, I was able to afford to buy my first commercial rig. This was a Kenwood TS520S. Although this was an all-band (minus WARC) HF transceiver, I still could only operate the rig on 6M via a transverter.
I had disposed of that set-up some time ago (around the time when we were scraping to pay our bills as a young family...).
Now, with an Advanced grade licence, I can use the HF bands and now with fewer bills to pay, I have acquired two examples of this model transceiver which obviously have some sentimental value to me.
The Kenwood TS-520S is designed for SSB and CW modes in the 160 through 10 meter amateur HF bands (but not WARC). It also features receive of WWV at 15 MHz for frequency calibration purposes. There is a reasonably accurate analog display, but the DG-5 digital frequency display is an asset.
Power input is 200W PEP SSB and 160W DC CW. Other features include RIT, VOX, noise blanker and RF attenuator.
It does not have a general coverage receiver and the receiver only covers the same amateur radio frequencies as the transmitter.
Yaesu FRG7
The FRG-7 is an all solid state synthesized communications receiver designed to cover 500 KHz to 29.9 MHz.
It is a triple conversion super heterodyne receiver utilizing the Wadley Loop System which uses a harmonic generator that is based on a 1 MHz crystal oscillator which produces a signal at 1 MHz intervals.
Modes of reception include AM, USB and LSB/CW.
Features include: RF Attenuator, Preselector, Fine Tuning, Tone Control and ANL.
The rear panel has high and low impedance antenna inputs. I have bridged the "SW1" and "BC" contacts with a 10nF capacitor to allow one antenna connection (marked "SW2" on the rear panel) for all bands.
Drifts a bit too much for SSB and CW except after a 30 minute warm-up.
Tuning dial scale is not linear, but if I want to dial up a frequency accurately I use a modern receiver. This is more about the history and feel of radio than top performance.
Nice sound when tuned to one of the remaining analogue AM broadcast stations.
To be continued.
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