"Crystal Plugs"

Crystal Replacement 0 Comments 09/01/2020

DIY version by "RAN Crystals"

Posted By: Robert Nickels (ranickels)

Crystal sockets were popular for pluging in ... crystals, of all things! But they were also used for other purposes, such as the antenna relay connection on some EF Johnson transmitters. If you want to connect a VFO to a transmitter with just a crystal socket, for example, you're going to have to either carve up an old FT-243 type crystal or if you want to outboard a synthesizer to a Drake radio or use that Johnson antenna relay connection, that takes the smaller pin version, like the HC-6/U crystal used.

I got tired of having to cobble up something so I made my own. Brass tubing and wire provides the correct fit and a small PC board hold it all together and provides a way to attach a cable, either soldered or to screw terminals.

My novice crystals came from a place that sold surplus crystals that many remember: JAN crystals. So it was only natural that my crystal plug bear the "RAN Crystals" name.

Click on the image title or on the image itself to open the full-sized image in a separate window.

Large size pins

Small size

Small size pins

Incredible trove of Radio and Electronics Books

Free for downloading - pdf files
Category: Vintage Radio

Not much more to be said - if you can't find it here you probably don't need to know!RADIO BOOKSMany are from non-US sources, some are in languages other than English. Included are 23 volumes of Riders manuals, Beitmans most needed diagrams up til 1967, and much more. Incredible resource!... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 11/02/2020

Ed Marriner, W6BLZ/W6XM (SK)

One of ham radio's most prolific builders and authors
Category: Historic

This tribute to Ed Marriner will be updated over time. Having known his writings since my earlies ham days in the 1960s, I knew about the "SSB Transceiver from a BC453" conversion article/booklet, but until I had the good fortune to acquire two homebrew SSB transceivers made by his good friend Ernie Mason W6IQY did I know that my vintage SSB friend Lynn Fisk K5LYN was a... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 10/25/2020

EF Johnson Transmitter Sales

How many did they sell?
Category: Vintage Ham Radio

EFJ transmitter sales data from former employees.... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 09/16/2020

The Hallicrafters FPM-200

A glimpse of the future from 1957
Category: Vintage Ham Radio

Like most hams, I remembered seeing the FPM-200 at an astronomical price in the 1962 Allied Radio catalog and wondering just how rich would a person have to be to own one? For my 11 year old self, such things may as well have been on another planet, but well...things change.I'd seen only one FPM-200 sold (to a guy ahead of me at a hamfest) and in the pre-eBay era most rare ra... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 09/12/2020

why 50 ohms?

The Forgotten Impedance
Category: Technical

Why do we use 50 ohm cables? If you're like most hams the answer is: "I dunno!"In fact, it's a compromise (like most things in life) - between lowest loss when handling power and voltage breakdown, as Belden engineer Steve Lampen explains hereA pdf copy can be found below as well. And now you know!... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 09/06/2020

A visit to the D J Everett III Radio Room

Honoring the legacy of a small town radio station owner
Category: Historic

Many successful career people are grateful for mentoring they received on the way to the top. But few have honored a memory as passionately as has been done by Beth Mann. She's the owner of Ham Broadcasting which owns five stations in western Kentucky but the story is about her mentor, the late DJ Everett III who started WKDZ in Cadiz Kentucky in 1966. Everett worked as... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 08/14/2020

Multi Products Model CM-1 Conelrad Monitor (Motorola DS9660)

another obscure Elmac returns to the air
Category: Vintage Ham Radio

Bob Heil's favorite radio is the Moseley CM-1 which the developer, John Clemmons, told Carl Moseley stood for Clemens Manufacturing number 1. "No", Mr. Moseley said, "That stands for Carl Moseley number 1!"As that may be, there's yet another CM-1 receiver and it was made by the Multi Products Company of Oak Park, Michigan.As wikipedia states: "CON... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 08/13/2020

All Band Inexpensive 40 Watt Transmitter

a great "first homebrew xmtr" project
Category: Vintage Ham Radio

Jay Miller KK5IM recently wrote an article in Electric Radio magazine about fulfilling his dream of building a homebrew "AM Kilowatt" transmitter (375 watts output by today's standards). His crystal-controlled exciter that drive the 813 was based on his Novice transmitter, which was built by his grand-uncle back in the 1960s when Novice class hams were l... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 07/09/2020

Bias control of Class E amplfiers

Previously undocumented phenomenon
Category: Technical

Micro SDR innovator Guido PE1NNZ has implemented polar modulation using an Arduino MCU and a class E PA. For more informartion on this fascinating project, join the discussion group at https://groups.io/g/ucxInitially, Guido's design implemented the polar or EER modulation scheme using modifications to the QCX CW transceiver hardware in the traditional way as described by Leonard K... READ MORE

- Robert Nickels (ranickels), 06/20/2020