Cool new toy

[bubba]

Not soda related, but a guy at work just brought me a really awesome military tube tester from WWII. This thing is cool as hell. I did a quick search on it and found a site for restoring it. He bought a house that is full of old radios and test equipment. He is going to start loading his truck and bringing to me. I can't wait to see what else he has...

[BrianB]

Tube Testers are really neat. I have an older, 40's vintage, Simpson Model 555 Tube Tester that I use for my Jukebox and Antique Radio tube testing needs. Here's a pic of the faceplate while I had it apart for cleaning and alignment.

[bubba]

Thats cool.. I have a few more of these coming to me still from a few different pieces. Next week I am picking up an old console radio and a few desktop radios.. not sure of models at this point, all I know is they are very old tube radios all in pretty decent condition. Just what I need... another collecting hobby

[GreginNM]

Careful...it's worse than soda machines!!  They are cheaper, lighter, and smaller to collect!    

Nice looking tester!  I have a Hickock 539B? tester that I picked up.  Can't remember which model for sure right now, and it's in New Mexico with my family while I sit here in Southern California for another month!

Can't wait to see more pictures, bubba!

[bubba]

All info I find points to a military version, but I can't find anything to say its military. I pulled the chassis out this afternoon, and its just a metal box with a wiring label on the inside. I'm excited to see what the guy brings me on Monday. He said he has 2 old oscilloscopes and a bunch of other stuff. It sounded like more than one pickup truck load of stuff.

The guy that lived in the house he bought made it to 103yrs old. The rest of the family lived in France and didn't want anything to do with the contents of the house. My buddy got the house for cheap since he had to clean it out. Among the junk, he found a pure silver bar.. He hasn't weighed it, but he said its big and heavy. Unfortunately he has thrown out some stuff before I met him. He was planning on taking this tester out of the box and using the box for tools and junking the tester.. I can only imagine what he has thrown away already. I haven't mentioned this new batch of toys yet to the boss either.. they will just start appearing little by little..

[bubba]

My guy has been bringing me in loads of stuff daily. Once I get some of it cleaned up and figured out what they are, I'll post some pictures.. The original owner of this stuff must have been an old time electrical engineer or an above average tinkerer... I've got a really old decade box, and old Q Comparator with a really cool green CRT screen.. looks like something from an old submarine..., box of old tubes, some other resistance boxes, and a few items I'm not really sure what they are yet. I just love looking at these things. I've got another buddy thats an old timer Ham Radio guy and he may have some input of these.. I'll probably see him next week.

[Vendo_110]

Careful...it's worse than soda machines!!  They are cheaper, lighter, and smaller to collect!    

Nice looking tester!  I have a Hickock 539B? tester that I picked up.  Can't remember which model for sure right now, and it's in New Mexico with my family while I sit here in Southern California for another month!

Can't wait to see more pictures, bubba!

Where you live in New Mexico Greg?

[Creighton]

Pictures please!!
Creighton

[bubba]

OK.. Here are a few pictures of Mondays delivery...

Q Comparator


Decade Box





Radio station receiver? I haven't looked into this one yet. Not quite sure what it is at this point.. There is no mic attachment, but there is a 2 prong plug on the back with nothing yet to plug into it.

[bubba]

I got a big load of stuff Tues, but haven't had time to take any pics yet or really dig through it. There is another tube tester, some old resistance boxes, and old oscilloscope, a Heathkit SW band radio and some other small pieces of test equipment. There is also a handheld UHF/VHF receiver that looks really cool. I'll try to get pics tomorrow of this latest stuff. He said there is still 2 - 6' racks of equipment and a bunch of other stuff. My workshop at work is starting to fill up and he said there is still lots more. The worst part is that he has thrown away some of it already. I can only imagine what he has gotten rid of. If anyone has any info on this stuff, I'm interested. So far the info I've found has been limited and not in language I can understand.

[scalebowler]

Wow that is some neat stuff! Have you found a flux capacitor in there yet? Radios are some fun things to work on I think. I got a few small tube radios from the 60's. Replaced the capacitor in one and got it working. Not just got to replace the capcitors in the other one.

[GreginNM]

Nice stuff, Bubba!

Vendo_110, I just moved to Clovis, NM last month.  I'm at Cannon AFB.  Looks like I'm exactly 3 hours from Albuquerque, so we'll be heading over there pretty regularly to visit the "big city"!  I'll be back in town the end of October or early November.

[JBVending]

The receiver is a Conelrad alert rx used after WW2 to prevent enemys from homing in on radio signals. Ham stations used them to be alerted to go off the air as did other am broadcast stations.

[bubba]

The receiver is a Conelrad alert rx used after WW2 to prevent enemys from homing in on radio signals. Ham stations used them to be alerted to go off the air as did other am broadcast stations.

Cool info. Thanks. So this is a signal jammer of some sort, or how did it work?

[JBVending]

Its a monitor of AM broadcast and sets off alarm or alert when the stations go off the air. Then other stations such as ham on short wave will go off the air and monitor 640 or 1280 AM BC where the alert was broadcast. Was pretty neat back in the fifties, radio silence except for conelrad stations which broadcast for a few seconds then other stations from different locations would broadcast to keep enemy bombers from homing in on a major city. In the early sixties the emergency broadcast system took its place. If you Google Conelrad radio you will find a lot of info.

JB

[bubba]

Cool.. thanks.. I'll check it out. Thats one of the pieces I haven't researched yet. I have another load to post some pictures probably Thurs..

[bubba]

OK.. here is the next round of pictures.... I haven't had a chance to research any of this stuff other than the SAR handheld. As always, any info on this stuff is appreciated. If anyone has an interest in some of this let me know. There are a few pieces I want to keep, but some other pieces may end up at a HamFest soon.

Cool looking scope..



Decade amplifier and some kind of voltage output box. I like it because it has a "shock" button. Not sure what this does, but sounds cool.





Search and Rescue Radio - UHF (243.0 MHZ) VHF (121.5 MHZ) . A quick search showed this as a radio typically left inside rescue vehicles, life rafts, planes, and often carried by jumpers and infantry. I saw that if I power this unit up and key the mic, I may get a visit from SAR personnel. Supposedly the military stopped monitoring the frequencies by the end of 2009.. Inside is all micro tubes - not electronics. Pretty cool





Power Output meter







Heathkit SW band radio..



Grid Dip Meter?? Has some type of paper wheel on the top that turns. Have no clue what this is for.

[GreginNM]

Hey bubba, some nice goodies there!  The top picture is an oscilloscope I'm pretty sure.  Used for radio alignments. 

I really like that SAR radio...an earlier version of what I'm used to flying with and have trained on MANY times over the last 20 years!  You are right, don't want to key that one on, as you will get some attention.  The signal still sets off alarms on the GUARD frequency, which causes folks to get excited and start looking for downed aircraft if you do it the right way.  If this one isn't a keeper for you, let me know!

Greg

[Creighton]

Nice! That was spendy gear in it's day. I'd be interested in the scope.
Thanks!
Creighton

[bubba]

Thanks guys.. the SAR radio is pretty sharp. I think I'm going to clean that up and put it on a shelf for now.. If plans change Greg, you get first shot at it.

Creighton.. Check your messages.. I was toying with the idea of taking the faceplate off and hanging it on the wall or something. I love the screen on it. The guy still has more stuff to bring in. I want to get through what he has and I've got an old friend that wants to look at this stuff-- just to reminisce a bit.. He is an 85 year old friend that has been into HAM radio and electric/ electronics over 60 years. He has been really enjoying the pics I send him and can't wait to see some of this stuff.  He is also making arrangements for me to pick up an old floor standing radio and a few old table top radios and miscellaneous parts from 2 of his old friends.. Should be getting that stuff next week some time.