Cat's Eye Tuner
 

I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Dick, AA5VU wrote:
I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.

Doesn't an S-meter perform the same function?
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

"Dick, AA5VU" wrote in message
...
I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.



I remember my grandparents having such a device on their big
living room radio set. I also remember opening the back of a small table
model radio when I was older (in my teens) and being surprised
to find that one of the tubes used in it had a catseye on it. Guess they
were using an old stock of tubes in the new radios and the catseye tuner was
just an unneeded function of the tube they used.

Harold
KD5SAK

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Cecil Moore wrote:
Dick, AA5VU wrote:

I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.
Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.


Doesn't an S-meter perform the same function?


Yah, but it's not as sexy...


Dave N

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

My recollection is that it was called Magic Eye tuning. Maybe
different manufacturers used different names.

I recall listening to the hiss of CW in a BFO-less wooden box radio
with the magic eye winking in time to the Morse.

Looking back, it seemed like a kind of expensive gimmick in a day when
squeezing maximum performance out of the minimum number of tubes was
the norm.

73--Nick, WA5BDU

Dick, AA5VU wrote:
I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Cecil Moore wrote:
Dick, AA5VU wrote:

I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.
Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.


Doesn't an S-meter perform the same function?

It depends on how you define function!

To tune a dial and watch that green eye close up is ... well ... nostalgic.

Takes me back to 'Gooney Boxes' [the early models].

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Dave wrote:
Cecil Moore wrote:
Doesn't an S-meter perform the same function?

It depends on how you define function!
To tune a dial and watch that green eye close up is ... well ... nostalgic.

So paint the S-meter needle and 60 dB over S9 a
phosphorescent green color? I'm sure the display
on my IC-756pro could have been programmed to
simulate a "Cat's Eye Tuner". Maybe someone should
notify ICOM that it should be a feature? :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

"Dick, AA5VU" wrote:

I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.

It was a 6E5 vacuum tube. Great indicators and they were driven
by the AGC voltage.
--
--------------------------------------
Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html
Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm
Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Been there, done that, I think I remember the tube type was a 6E5.

I don't miss it at all!

My idea of cool is the Ten Tec Jupiter on my desk beside my computer.
It has a panel and a computer display, instant warm up no drift, more
filters than I will ever need. The spectrum display is just short of
magic. I don't want to go back.

de W8CCW John

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:50:00 GMT, "Dick, AA5VU"
wrote:

I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall the console radios
with a very cool tuning indicator called a Cat's Eye.

Some things are gone forever and are missed. Too bad there is not a
software version of the old cat's eye.
John Ferrell W8CCW

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Cecil Moore wrote:

Dave wrote:

Cecil Moore wrote:

Doesn't an S-meter perform the same function?


It depends on how you define function!
To tune a dial and watch that green eye close up is ... well ...
nostalgic.


So paint the S-meter needle and 60 dB over S9 a
phosphorescent green color? I'm sure the display
on my IC-756pro could have been programmed to
simulate a "Cat's Eye Tuner". Maybe someone should
notify ICOM that it should be a feature? :-)

Cecil, did you ever own or use an original GOONEY Box?

Turn the dials ... watch the green eye ... !

I don't have any meaningful tuning dials or functions on my IC-706MK IIg, IC-746
or IC-756 Pro III.

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Dave wrote:
Cecil, did you ever own or use an original GOONEY Box?

A GOONEY box was probably beyond the means of anyone in
my home town. However, I remember a Philco AM/SW radio
with a 6E5 tuning indicator. I never understood the
difference between tuning while looking at the "cat's
eye" and just tuning until it sounded the best.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

Cecil Moore wrote:
Dave wrote:

Cecil, did you ever own or use an original GOONEY Box?


A GOONEY box was probably beyond the means of anyone in
my home town. However, I remember a Philco AM/SW radio
with a 6E5 tuning indicator. I never understood the
difference between tuning while looking at the "cat's
eye" and just tuning until it sounded the best.

:-)

Don't we do the same thingee when we touch up our modern rigs for either max S
meter or best sound?

But, you are correct in your observation.

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

In thirty years perhaps we will be reading:

"I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall Ten Tec Jupiter on
my desk beside my computer. It has a panel and a computer display,
instant warm up no drift, more filters than I will ever need. The
spectrum display was just short of
magic Too bad there is not a implant version of these old rig. ...
;)"

73's

Miguel Ghezzi (LU 7ETJ)

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

In thirty years perhaps we will be reading:

"I am probably showing my age but as a kid I recall Ten Tec Jupiter on
my desk beside my computer. It has a panel and a computer display,
instant warm up no drift, more filters than I will ever need. The
spectrum display was just short of
magic Too bad there is not a implant version of these old rig. ...
;)"

73's

Miguel Ghezzi (LU 6ETJ)

Cat's Eye Tuner
 

A GOONEY box was probably beyond the means of anyone in
my home town. However, I remember a Philco AM/SW radio
with a 6E5 tuning indicator.

In the Gooney box the cat eye appearance was given by a properly shaped metal screen hidding the upper half of a magic eye tube (e.g. 6E5).

Well, the 6E5 is nice (I have several radios using it) but not as much as the European EM4. Similar in appearance, it has two opposite triangular dark areas (instead of just one). When tuning a station, just when one of the two triangles has got fully lit, the second triangle begins to narrow down. In a way, it is similar to a bandspread tuning system. The synchronization between the two triangles is remarkable. But I am sure there also are US-made tubes doing the same thing.

73

Tony I0JX