Western Electric

Every collectable has a story. My story of how I got this one. Imagine a 17 year building an AM transmitter from a B/W TV chassis. Calling his friends telling them to listen around the high end of the band. Playing on repeat, my one rock record Steppenwolf Monster, over and over for a week. 

Now this kid is walking down the street, passing a neighbour's house four doors down and finding two of these at the end of their driveway. This kid was just about to pick them, when the neighbour comes out of the garage. 

ME: "Oh, Hi Mr Folly, Um,er, you throwing these?" (We knew each other, because I was the paper boy on the street for a number of years) 

MR FOLLY: "Yes Ralph, you can have them."

ME: "Gee Thanks." 

MR FOLLY: "I'm cleaning out the garage. I might have more. Oh, by the way, I hear you on my radios."

ME: "Radios?"

MR FOLLY: "All over different bands, too." 

Short story, I found out he was a HAM! (Amateur Radio Operator). We had a wonderful discussion and I end up with more stuff to sneak into the house. I also ended up with a well worn ARRL Handbook 1965. Still have that book.

Lesson learned that day: Check for HARMONICS! I suppose that over driving the 25DQ6 transmitter was the cause. Only had PI matching a long wire antenna.

What happened to the tubes in this radio? Well, they're happy living in other AM/SW radios. 

What happen to the other one of the radios? Well, I needed most of the parts to build other stuff, in short, "DISASSEMBLED"

Few years later I became a licensed HAM too, VE3XRM. Well, I was tossing about resurrecting the receiver for the new HAM 630 meter band from 472-479 kHz in Canada. I need to add a BFO for CW, all the caps are shot and then find the tubes ... On the other hand, I might just scrounge out some parts and trash the rest. The motor/generator would make a good display piece.

Reference Information: 

National Air and Space Museum BC-453-B Collection
Classic World War II Era Communications Equipment List
BC-453 Schematic