|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Starting Up My 19-Set Mk III Cdn
Well, 15 years have gone by since this 1944 RCA Canada product was last active, and things turned out very well this afternoon, when the electrons were once again turned loose.
First step was to ensure my CPP-2 Power Supply was set to 12 Volts and properly hooked up to my DC Distribution System. Next was to properly connect the power cable from the 19-Set PSU to the Distribution System. Set the meter to LT to read the PSU output and flicked on the Dynamotor. First bit of pleasure was seeing the red indicator lamp glow. The Dyno gave a brief squeak initially and took perhaps 20 seconds to come up to full speed. The meter initially showed 10 volts output, came up to just over 11 after a couple of minutes and settled in at just under 12 after 5 minutes. I then switched over to the Vibrator. Same red glow from the indicator lamp and a much quieter hum from the PSU. The meter read just over 11 volts initially and settled in at 12.5 volts after 5 minutes. So far so good. HT1 meter reading was spot on spec for both Vibrator and Dynomotor. HT2 was spot on for the Dynamotor. After 5 minutes, I switched the IC on in Vibrator mode. The meter dipped to 10 volts briefly and came up to 12 volts. Then flicked on the B-Set after another 5 minutes. Same response on the meter. Another 5 minutes and on went the A-Set. Same meter readings. I let the set idle in this mode for another 10 minutes and started to get that warm varnish, electrical smell wafting from under the canvas cover. I then switched off the three components on the transceiver and noticed the meter reading for the Vibrator was reading 14 volts under no load. Brought the three components back on line and the meter settled in right at 12 volts. I then installed the Dummy Load, turned off the B-Set and hit the pressel switch. Happy Dance. The mike and earphones were in good working order, and the Dynamotor kicked in just as it should. Switched back to the Dynamotor on the PSU and let it run another 5 minutes. Meter was reading just under 12 volts with all three components in standby. When the three components were switched off, the meter was showing just under 13 volts. So far so good. Now I just have to refresh my memory on use of the Crystal Calibrator, test it and tune in an appropriate frequency for next Saturday. David |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Saturday
Is there a military radio event happening ?
__________________
1940 cab 11 C8 1940 Morris-Commercial PU 1941 Morris-Commercial CS8 1940 Chev. 15cwt GS Van ( Aust.) 1942-45 Jeep salad |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Hello, Mike.
Nothing official at this point. Just got tired of staring at and dusting a perfectly capable 19-Set Mk III for all these years and decided it was time to get it back on the air. I originally restored it in the late 1970’s. Hence the decision to get my Amateur Licence last year and spend a chunk of this year building a 134’ Dipole Aerial for it. A fellow Ham friend also has an original Mk III about 16 Kms West of me, also operating on a slightly smaller dipole. We thought it would be fun to try and connect and this Saturday is the first free day for both of us to see what happens. The fact it is November 11th added to our motivation. Probably the late 1960’s around here when the 19-Sets were phased out of use by the Military. David |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
ok
Quote:
Was Dave Lawrence mixed up with 19 set nets ? I heard him being interviewed on the BBC years ago.
__________________
1940 cab 11 C8 1940 Morris-Commercial PU 1941 Morris-Commercial CS8 1940 Chev. 15cwt GS Van ( Aust.) 1942-45 Jeep salad |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
There used to be a weekly 19 set cw net but I don't know if it still active. It was run by members of the original 19 set group of which Dave was a member.
Reed Park, VE1NU, always ran his set on November 11th. David, with that dipole you should be able to make some contacts. I was able to make a qso between Vancouver and southern Ontario using a barefoot 19 set and issued 34' vertical aerial. Distance was about 2000 miles. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Mike and Bruce.
It has probably been close to 20 years since I so much as monitored the HF Bands here, but in chats with the local Amateurs they would concur that activity has dropped off. Even activity on 2-Meters, which is quite popular, has apparently dropped with checkins running in the mid 30’s on the twice weekly net. Part of that could be the much greater diversity of interest in what can be done on the amateur bands, compared to several decades ago. As you noted as well, Mike, at one point, radio was an effective life essential, but in todays world has been much replaced with cheaper, more convenient options. There is a nightly HF Net here, Bruce, that I was going to tune into with the 19-Set, just to refresh my skill sets and comfort zone with the set controls. It is actually a very simple set to get to know to operate, in spite of the visual presence of all the knobs and fiddley bits. Then I realized the HF rigs working that net are all doing so on the lower sideband signal at 3747 kHz. That, becomes a major challenge to tune to with a 19-Set, let alone try and work it in voice mode. My friend and I are probably going to try 3885 kHz and keep it pure and simple. Hope to meet up at Timmie’s later today and sort that all out. Will let you know the time frame we come up with. David |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
2017 F15A Starting over | sth65pac | The Restoration Forum | 82 | 31-12-17 00:32 |
Trouble starting ’40-42 16H Norton M/C | Chris Preston | The Restoration Forum | 4 | 01-08-17 19:48 |
Crank Starting | Harry Moon | The Softskin Forum | 6 | 23-07-13 22:16 |
Hot engine starting | Barry Read | The Carrier Forum | 17 | 13-05-06 18:25 |
Jeep Starting Point | Campbell Finlay | The Softskin Forum | 5 | 04-01-05 07:47 |