The definition of a project is BC-610. She is so huge transmitter (in amateur-eyes) so it is impossible to get her on air
without phases - a) feasibility-study and financial risk-calculation, b) planning, c) design, d) purchase and
transportation, e) installation, f) commisioning and g) operation.
A rice-box can be bought with the nearest rice-agent and it will be on air in one two three. Your first BC-610 not. Just see what is waiting in the bucket when you want it inhouse before winter. Click here and see. The photo don't belong to me but it was a good idea!
Well, honestly amateurradio projects are run by the heart and not by the mind, so the feasibility study was soon over. But a ham-project being more an emotional isuue, a lot of expectations had to be built up - call it pre-planning or motivation. My own philosophy is that I enjoy the walk, to be somewhere along the process, and to be at the end-target is no point. I put up a shedule of building up expectations before the real gear was inhouse.
The first step was to visit the farm-house and have a look bringing a lot of bucks in my rear pocket. I did - without a camera - and the reportage will come on my next visit when I return to pick up these 600lbs of boatanchors. See my photo-reportage below. On my first visit I picked up everything loose which belonged to the set, 5 boxes totally, such as tuning units, coils, microphone, key, spare tubes etc.
The next step was to see one BC-610 in action in my friend LA5CL's shack. He has a two floor shack from 1917 up mountain, his assembly of the BC-610 unit is now (a successful) history. These are the photos of his BC-610. My own BC-610 will hopefully be something similar. I will see end of August (what year?).
I borrowed all my friends LA5CL's documentation, and Hallicrafters didn't know in 1943 how easy it would be to scan in a page or two into the Personal Computer by a weird ham operator far north in Europe 55 years after it was made. First the shack on wheels. Click here and see.
Well an empty shack without wheels was sold on auction not far from here two days ago. Click here and see. But my townhouse didn't have enough garden space.
It could be worth it because the installation was quite compact and efficient, click here and see the transmitter.
The diagram isn't that complicated, but I didn't know I would get two 807 - as drivers! click here.
And click here and see the receivers.
My friends BC-610 looked like this - up mountain, click here and see.
The antennatuner was made for a whip or longwire-antenna, click here.
She looks solid, eah? click here.
Inside is room for 3 tuning units - click here.
And the PA coils can be changed - click here.
This was the part called "building up of expectations". The next step will be to pick up the real things, and photos will follow.
I went to the farm today Thursday 26th at 11AM. My schedule was to return at 1PM and visit the photo-shop to get my pictures developed in an hour, then pick them up at 3PM, scan them in at home at 4 PM, edit the html-files and download the photos to my web-page at 6 PM. By the way, did I tell you that Microsoft Photo Editor reduces the scanned TIF-file from 650 kilobytes to 23 kilobytes in JPG-format?
My 5 cylinder Volvo 850 is ready to pick up
Quick jog to room 4.
The disassembled BC-610 is here to the right, but to my surprise it missed all fat RF tubes from the HF module, that were the driver tubes which were
two 807 in parallel and the PA which was a 250TH. I remember I had a TX before with one 807 as PA. Two parallel 807 as drivers is new to me.
Don't tell me - without these tubes - my newly acquired BC-610 is literally the perfect 600lbs boatanchor. For sure to get my BC-610 on air will more of be a challenge with no RF tubes, but I have
a feeling that this challenge will connect me with some other eager boatanchor fans - just as I have turned to be. Anyway, it is far better
to have the possibility to turn a literal boatanchor into a literal operating rig - than the opposite - to sink an operating rig into water. I was maybe looking
for a crib with my BC-610 sleeping inside, but look - ain't she sweet?
Room 3
The RF deck - without no RF tubes. She's my baby - and is american with a firm punch.
Room 3
BC-610 sideplates. She's hot - and glowing, heavy - and wide, rugged - stands my kick behind, need my care
- and maintenance - and some paint. She will be mine - forever.
BC-610 front.
I picked up the BC-610 front today. The front was good, no scratches.
Frequency Shift Exciter
The Frequency Shift Exciter was actually a 'coup' - since it is the VFO. THE ORIGINAL VFO. When I brought it out of the barn today, I had to jump down the stair and to the grass. I was deep down with that Frequency Shift Exciter in my arms, and it almost touched the ground. When I came home - the weight was the first I checked. 126lbs.
BC-610 RF module
The BC-610 RF module, having a nice time on the veranda.
Well - this was a trip into the barn for the cityslick (LA5KI). It was a special experience, was I the Raider of the lost Ark? I certainly felt as an archeologist excavating a hidden temple. The interesting thing is that this barn is neither the only one in the world nor the biggest one.
