FA: The most HIDEOUS homebrew linear I have ever seen! Fun to see
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever
seen - at it runs 2KV and half an amp!! LOTS of photos and
description at the above link.

I bought it in '96 for the parts, but have kept it in my own shack
all this time just because it is SO UGLY in a very fun way - it's
like every possible example of how NOT to build something,
and come close to dying in the process. Unbelievable. This
is the definition of a 'widow maker'

I'm hoping someone will buy it to keep it together for the fun
of it, instead of gutting the parts. I am liquidating my shack
(and most of my other clutter too) and don't want it anymore,
but ya GOTTA see this thing! It really is a sight to behold.
And for GOD'S SAKE don't plug it in! I don't even want to
be in the room if you did!

Thanks for looking, and please don't take offense at my post.

"GS" wrote in message
news.com...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever
seen - at it runs 2KV and half an amp!!

You're right! That IS the ugliest, most crudely constructed thing I have
ever seen. I built better looking AM transmitters than that when I was 19!
(FM, too). You're also right about not plugging it in.. (let alone turning
it on). That fan reminds me of a stirrer in a microwave oven.. kicking the
RF around inside the case.. ROFL..

All in all, good for entertainment purposes....

Behold, Brenda Ann signalled from keyed 4-1000A filament:


"GS" wrote in message
news.com...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever seen
- at it runs 2KV and half an amp!!

You're right! That IS the ugliest, most crudely constructed thing I
have ever seen. I built better looking AM transmitters than that when I
was 19! (FM, too). You're also right about not plugging it in.. (let
alone turning it on). That fan reminds me of a stirrer in a microwave
oven.. kicking the RF around inside the case.. ROFL..

All in all, good for entertainment purposes....

I have seen home-brew CB linears from rank novices look better.

--
Gregg
*It's probably useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

"GS" wrote in message
news.com...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever
seen - at it runs 2KV and half an amp!! LOTS of photos and
description at the above link.

I bought it in '96 for the parts, but have kept it in my own shack
all this time just because it is SO UGLY in a very fun way - it's
like every possible example of how NOT to build something,
and come close to dying in the process. Unbelievable. This
is the definition of a 'widow maker'

I'm hoping someone will buy it to keep it together for the fun
of it, instead of gutting the parts. I am liquidating my shack
(and most of my other clutter too) and don't want it anymore,
but ya GOTTA see this thing! It really is a sight to behold.
And for GOD'S SAKE don't plug it in! I don't even want to
be in the room if you did!

Thanks for looking, and please don't take offense at my post.




Yeah, it IS crude looking.

I love the little details, like the big holes created by a chain of little
drill holes. And the fan delivers on two levels; first, the blade is
home-made, from a piece of sheet metal, and second, when the blade radius
wouldn't clear the chassis, a triangular hunk was whacked away for blade
clearance. Nice touch.

Front-panel artwork by flow-pen is also very classy.

But the funny thing is that it just might be darned reliable. True, before I
put it on the air, I would do a good smoke test, and I would check it for
spurious and microphonics. But remember, aside from that one unfortunate
mistake, Igor was a good lab assistant.

Ed
WB6WSN

Well, frankly I got a bigger kick out of reading your description text than
from the photos! What a riot! I never knew a liability disclaimer could be so
funny!

Now, you gotta give credit to the guy for his homebrew plate connectors. And
the plate choke is very nice, if homebrew.

Too bad he had to relocate the TUNE varicap. And a few other mind-changes.
Is the rectifier tube (only ONE?) really between the finals like that? So the
fan gets three at one blow :-)

Other thing to bear in mind -- having built this mess, and proven it on the
air, the builder could now build a really nice, neat, pretty version, re-using
the parts from the er, prototype. At least he'd get the TUNE cap right the
first time :-)

Thanks for sharing. Reminds me of the regen VLF set I built back in high
school. And other things I've built with a nibbling tool. 73, Mike K. AA1UK

Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 22:19:16 GMT, "GS"
wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever
seen - at it runs 2KV and half an amp!! LOTS of photos and
description at the above link.

Wellll... Technically you are correct, but had it been a transmitter I
might have been able to have given you a run for the money.

I built my first "homebrew" transmitter using the parts from a TV
chassis. Not the chassis of today, but back when TVs were all tubes
and used a chassis about 2 foot square and 3 to 4 inches deep.
The power transformer was quite a bit bigger than the ones used in
any of today's 100 watt output rigs.
I built the old standard 6AG7 Oscillator with a pair of 6L6s in the
final. I've forgotten if it used a separate driver. At any rate it
was built in one corner of a stripped chassis. Looked kinda lonesome
in there.

It worked, easily ran the 75 watts permitted to a Novice back then and
it was *big* albeit with a center of gravity a bit off center.

Later on after moving up to a Viking Ranger, I stripped all the parts
out and used a 12AT7 as an electronic TR switch. Just one little tube
and that big transformer in one corner of that big steel chassis. I
was able to set the transmitter on the TR switch with lots of room to
spare.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair?)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Return address modified due to dumb virus checkers

I bought it in '96 for the parts, but have kept it in my own shack
all this time just because it is SO UGLY in a very fun way - it's
like every possible example of how NOT to build something,
and come close to dying in the process. Unbelievable. This
is the definition of a 'widow maker'




I'm hoping someone will buy it to keep it together for the fun
of it, instead of gutting the parts. I am liquidating my shack
(and most of my other clutter too) and don't want it anymore,
but ya GOTTA see this thing! It really is a sight to behold.
And for GOD'S SAKE don't plug it in! I don't even want to
be in the room if you did!

Thanks for looking, and please don't take offense at my post.

Ed Price wrote:

Yeah, it IS crude looking.

I love the little details, like the big holes created by a chain of little
drill holes. And the fan delivers on two levels; first, the blade is
home-made, from a piece of sheet metal, and second, when the blade radius
wouldn't clear the chassis, a triangular hunk was whacked away for blade
clearance. Nice touch.

The fan is kind of scary.

But I have to admit that it's no worse than some of the equipment I built
in high school, and some of the construction techniques are very similar.
Including drilling lots of little holes when I had no Greenlee punch, and
using expanded metal from old oil filters for shielding. Admittedly, the
biggest thing I ever built at the time used a pair of 6L6es as finals, but
it was hot chassis which is even more alarming today.

But I am here and I _almost_ got a WAS with that rig, in spite of solder
joints that a plumber wouldn't have accepted.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Roger Halstead wrote:

I built my first "homebrew" transmitter using the parts from a TV
chassis. Not the chassis of today, but back when TVs were all tubes
and used a chassis about 2 foot square and 3 to 4 inches deep.
The power transformer was quite a bit bigger than the ones used in
any of today's 100 watt output rigs.

I built the old standard 6AG7 Oscillator with a pair of 6L6s in the
final. I've forgotten if it used a separate driver. At any rate it
was built in one corner of a stripped chassis. Looked kinda lonesome
in there.

Did you keep the high voltage cage box and built as much as possible
inside it? I really miss those things... very handy for homebrew
construction and well-shielded.

It worked, easily ran the 75 watts permitted to a Novice back then and
it was *big* albeit with a center of gravity a bit off center.

Later on after moving up to a Viking Ranger, I stripped all the parts
out and used a 12AT7 as an electronic TR switch. Just one little tube
and that big transformer in one corner of that big steel chassis. I
was able to set the transmitter on the TR switch with lots of room to
spare.

The hacksaw is your friend!

What I liked were those aluminum BUD chassis boxes. Much easier to work
with than a steel TV set chassis, but by the time I got them at hamfests,
they usually had quite a few holes in them already.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Hey, what's the problem? The thing looks great! Why, the controls are even
*labelled*!!


"GS" wrote in message
news.com...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!

It's the most horridly constructed piece of gear I think I've ever
seen - at it runs 2KV and half an amp!! LOTS of photos and
description at the above link.

I bought it in '96 for the parts, but have kept it in my own shack
all this time just because it is SO UGLY in a very fun way - it's
like every possible example of how NOT to build something,
and come close to dying in the process. Unbelievable. This
is the definition of a 'widow maker'

I'm hoping someone will buy it to keep it together for the fun
of it, instead of gutting the parts. I am liquidating my shack
(and most of my other clutter too) and don't want it anymore,
but ya GOTTA see this thing! It really is a sight to behold.
And for GOD'S SAKE don't plug it in! I don't even want to
be in the room if you did!

Thanks for looking, and please don't take offense at my post.

Peter Gottlieb wrote:
Hey, what's the problem? The thing looks great! Why, the controls are even
*labelled*!!

A REAL HAM would have used a Dymo labeler.

-Bill

- - Bill - - exray@coquidotnet wrote:
Peter Gottlieb wrote:
Hey, what's the problem? The thing looks great! Why, the controls are even
*labelled*!!

A REAL HAM would have used a Dymo labeler.

A real ham would have known not to use series wound TV transformers when
you can get 1 KV magnetron transformers for free from dead microwave ovens.
And they have filament windings, even!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article , - - Bill - -
exray@coquidotnet writes:

A REAL HAM would have used a Dymo labeler.

And after a few years, Dymo labels dry out and fall off.
Makes it that much more fun trying to restore the unit and get it running :-)

FWIW, the modern electronic Dyma labelers can make black-on-transparent tape,
which, when applied to an aluminum chassis or white panel, looks printed. I've
applied this to some alignment points in some sets (the next purist owner can
scrape 'em off, or wait fro them to dry out and fall off :-) --Mike K.

Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.

BTW, let's not forget the supposedly true story of the the first prototype of
the much-admired Racal RA-17 receiver.

It seems that less than a day before the British Navy was to come and try out
the prototype, the Racal engineers could not eliminate a few nasty birdies.
(Wadley Loop sets make more birdies than Tiger Woods and Annika put together,
and are very intolerant of imperfect shielding).

Finally someone figured out it was a ground-loop problem, with different
frequencies using the sold cast aluminum chassis as a ground return.

So the ran the whole radio thru a big band saw, cutting one section of the
chassis loose, and then running ground return wires for the offending signals.

I checked my own RA-17, and sure enough, the chassis has the "cut" designed in.

Anyway, quibbling over nibbling tools is for amateurs. It takes a PRO to shove
the whole set thru the bandsaw! 73, Mike K. AA1UK

Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.

Uncle Peter wrote:

Depends on when it was built. It is ugly, BUT no one has yet proved
it was unreliable, or even that it failed to work. The cabinet is fully
enclosed as well...

Pete

For all we know, it was built by a kid (pre-teen). In that case we would
be calling it brilliant.


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GS wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3064839871

Even if you HATE Ebay posts - just look at this thing!


I would have gone for it, but there didn't appear to be
any simple way to add the WARC bands! Is there a kit available? :-)

Irv VE6BP
--------------------
Visit my very special website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/
--------------------
Irv Finkleman,
Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

In article , Irv Finkleman writes:

I would have gone for it, but there didn't appear to be
any simple way to add the WARC bands! Is there a kit available? :-)

If each band tunes wide or broad enough, you won't need to.

And anyone with a hacksaw and blowtorch could get it onto 11m soon enough
(throw a mica cap across the 10m coil). Power it from a BIG inverter, slip it
on the floor next to the gas pedal in your Peterbilt or Mac cab. If you're
making any deliveries up here in Maine, you'll appreciate the warmth :-)
--Mike K.

Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.

Well, it may be a little rough, but it's metered, cooled, shielded, labeled,
and inexpensive. It may have even worked, after a fashion. And it's lasted
for several decades too.

I'd rather have it than some of the sleek-looking but useless stuff made
nowdays....

I think MFJ should take notice, they may produce better looking amps but not
necessarily better performing. If this thing lasted a couple of years it
was way better engineered and yes, better constructed than their Mirage
crap...


"George R. Gonzalez" wrote in message
...
Well, it may be a little rough, but it's metered, cooled, shielded,
labeled,
and inexpensive. It may have even worked, after a fashion. And it's
lasted
for several decades too.

I'd rather have it than some of the sleek-looking but useless stuff made
nowdays....

"Mike Knudsen" wrote in message
...
In article , Irv Finkleman
writes:

I would have gone for it, but there didn't appear to be
any simple way to add the WARC bands! Is there a kit available? :-)

If each band tunes wide or broad enough, you won't need to.

And anyone with a hacksaw and blowtorch could get it onto 11m soon enough
(throw a mica cap across the 10m coil). Power it from a BIG inverter,
slip it
on the floor next to the gas pedal in your Peterbilt or Mac cab. If
you're
making any deliveries up here in Maine, you'll appreciate the warmth :-)
--Mike K.

Oscar loves trash, but hates Spam! Delete him to reply to me.

My SB220 works fine on all the WARC bands.

Pete