And now dear readers, another episode of that fascinating radio serial... "Bruce's Bench 2010" A randomly updated view of what has crossed my workbench in the last few weeks. Burdened with but a smattering of commentary, this is more of a visual tour. Click on each photo to enlarge.

May 8-9, 2010 - Reassembly of the Lafayette PB-46 RF Deck - Finally!
Where has the time gone? Disassembled this transmitter RF deck last September for
cleaning and service, and just now got around to putting it back together. Seems the
workflow on the old workbench has slowed down a bit, a combination of the nice
spring weather, and other projects. So have been a bit slow posting updates.
Thank goodness for digital photos, have learned to take countless digital shots
before the teardown, really helps with lead dress and placement during reassembly. 

Unlike my previous efforts with the W1FPZ and Gross transmitters, I decided to clean and
service this rig, rather than teardown and refinish. Keeps the original "patina", and frankly
was in such excellent shape it really didn't need much. Seems the biggest challenge was with
the cambric insulation sleeves, its pretty fragile after nearly 80 years. If anyone has any of
the old time cambric insulation sleeves available, I sure could use a 6 feet or so.

There are two other decks to this rig, the modulator and the output network, both similar
size panels to this deck, but significantly less complex. Hope to get this up, working and
documented for the AWA Conference this fall. More about this rig can be found at on my
2009 Bruce's Bench page, look around the September timeframe.

March 5-6, 2010 - Building The Pastime Projects 6V6 Rig
On the suggestion of my good friend Larry NE1S, I ordered a neat little transmitter kit
from the good folks at Pastime Projects. Glenn NN8G promptly shipped the kit and it was
soon in my hands and out on the workbench. I was quite impressed with the kit, which is
based on a QST article from December 1946, page 33 to 35. The article is entitled
"The Most Inexpensive Transmitter, A Complete Crystal Oscillator for $3.95,"
and was written by Byron Goodman, W1DX.

As far as the Pastime kit, Glenn's documentation and drawings are excellent, and are written
so even a beginner would have little problem with assembly. A drill press is ideal to drill
and countersink the holes, but with some care, one could manage the woodwork with a hand drill.
The wooden slats and base, onto which the rig is built, are oak wood, and nicely finished.
The wood can be left as is, or as in my  case finished with a wood stain. I'll have more on my
Pastime TX page, and will continue to update with reports when I get it on the air.

I took my time on this one, drilling and staining the wooden chassis with a cherry finish.
All in all it took me about 4 nights to finish, at a very leisurely pace while listening to shortwave
broadcasts on the National HRO-50. I'd highly recommend this kit as fun and enjoyable way to get your
feet wet with building, or if you want to recreate a fun TX to use on the air! The price of the set is quite
reasonable, and Glenn even offers a companion power supply kit which can be used with the rig, or
with many other low power rigs. John Dilks K2TQN has an nice review of the kit on his excellent
website, located at http://www.eht.com/oldradio/arrl/2008-01/classic-xmtr-kit.htm.
 

Pastime Projects kit as unpacked	Kit components sorted and inventoried
Wooden chassis after drilling and assembling	Wooden chassis after finishing with cherry stain
Beginning to assemble the rig, mounting parts on the wood	Under chassis view showing wiring and connections
Ready for cable lacing and final testing	The nearly lost art of cable lacing
Wiring now completed under chassis	W1UJR Workbench during the build

March 20, 2010 - A Visit To W8MNQ - At The "Bottom of Lake Huron"
Nancy and I traveled to "the bottom of Port Huron", MI to meet my friend Bob W8MNQ.
Bob was a most genteel host, giving us the tour of his home, station, the Thomas Edison museum, and
Port Huron proper. We enjoyed lunch at the Thomas Edison Inn, just as a large - 1,004 feet, lake freighter
was making its way up the channel, quite a sight!

It was a most memorable day, and despite the cold and threatened snow, the fellowship
was very warm. Unfortunately, the goat that gave chocolate milk was not sighted during this visit.
We parted close to 5PM, and look forward to another visit with our friend from the bottom of the lake.

Bob W8MNQ	Bob and Bruce's YL Nancy
Edison Depot Museum	Thomas Edison Inn
Lake Freighter - Going Past Thomas Alva Edison Inn	Front Of A Lake Freighter - Going Past Thomas Alva Edison Inn
Rear Of A Lake Freighter - Going Past Thomas Alva Edison Inn	Inside the Thomas Edison Museum - Telegrapher Desk
Telegraph Switching Panel	Port Huron, MI - Former Standard Oil Station, Now a Bakery!
Plaque - Huron Lightship Museum	Huron Lightship Museum
Huron Lightship Museum - Note Cage Dipole	Huron Lightship - View From The Stern

February 21, 2010 - Vintage QSL Cards From Westford
Neat set of cards, really got a kick out of the "Chair Warmers Club" card, a group of early handicapped hams,
W8SU has more information on this group at http://hamgallery.com/Tribute/CWC. The W9UA and W9BSP card
is from the famous station of Marshall and Loretta Ensor, for more info see http://www.ensorparkandmuseum.org.
W1CJD is "Gil" Gildersleeve, the famous artist of hundreds of QST cartoons, see http://oldqslcards.com/W1CJD.pdf.

I found the W8CFD card fascinating, appears to the photo show a young ham, along with the caption of
""Believe It or Not" -- That's me over there....". I looked up Wilven Hagerty of Honesdale, PA, not much found using
Google, seems the 81 passing years have largely erased the traces of this fellow. I found the W8ECA and W3HVD cards
quite interesting, I have soft spot for cards which appear to be homemade. The W8ECA card in particular looks like
someone colored it in with crayons!  The other cards for areas near where I grew up - Walton and Norwich, NY
or cities where I once lived, Buffalo, NY.
 

February 19, 2010 - Doerle Regen Set From The Westford Meet
I picked up this set at the radio meet last Sunday in Boston...along with a wicked sinus cold.
Suspect its a reproduction, but looking for info. I know that Doerle was the name given to a
series of sets based on a design by gentlemen of that name from Oakland, CA. and that the
"Two~ER" appears to refer to his design using a pair of type 30 tubes. Clearly this a regen receiver,
but that's about all I know. I did see this very same set at last years radio meet, its been kicking around for a while.

The front panel is metal, appears to be aluminum, and the chassis is a stained and varnished
wooden breadboard. The wooden breadboard is interesting, has labels on the wood, appear
to be painted or decal, listing connection points. The feed through bushings, where the wire go
from the top of the chassis to the bottom are hollow metal material, flared on the ends for retention.
The bus wire is square in cross section, and the insulated wire is of the older type with spaghetti
insulation.

The front of the front panel is labeled as "Doerle TWO~ER".
Below this, about 2/3 of the way down the panel, is a label which read "CHI-RAD".
There is a sticker on the rear of the front panel listing:
Chicago Radio Apparatus Co.
415 S. Dearborn St., Dept. S-43
Chicago, III.

There is another label near of the bottom on the back of the front panel, but can not be read,
appears to have been partially removed, or perhaps the adhesive has come loose.
The set uses, or currently has installed, a pair of Westinghouse 230 tubes, one of which has a test label dated 1931.
The tube sockets are marked "Pacent" and seem to have some sort of adjustment mechanism?

I am thinking that this was some sort of kit offered by Chicago Radio, but don't know the vintage.
Of course, it might be a very well built reproduction unit. I would be most interested in information about the origin of this set.

February 14, 2010 - Westford Radio Meet Photos
Lots and fun and fellowship once again at the annual Westford, MA radio meet. Once again it was on
Valentine's Day. Almost as fun as the radio meet, was a great lunch at Mysore Indian Veggie Restaurant in Lowell, MA.
Excellent food, outstanding service, not a bad way to spend Valentine's Day! Photos of the group below, along with
some of the eye candy at the show. In these days of dwinding radio meets, t was great to see the meet about
the same, or perhaps even larger than last year!

Nancy (W1UJR YL) at her puzzle desk	The haul from Westford
Nancy and Elaine (NE1S XYL)	Larry NE1S, Mike W1JEZ, Nancy, Elaine and ?
Lots of wooden radios and books	Some interesting consoles
Elaine and Nancy	More consoles
Main room	More main room
Wonderful Grebe watercolor ad	Neat sign
Ray Chase at his table	Ray W1RY at his table
Nice Grebe Syncrophase set	More wooden radios

January 15, 2010 - Karas Harmonik Audio Xfomer Found
Thanks to the kindness of a brother ham, I found the perfect
xformer for my regen set kit. It tests good out of circuit, and even
came with the original box! What a pretty vintage radio part, currently
looking for more Karas items.

January 1, 2010 - Happy New Year
Think that those of us in the northeast, especially New England, can relate
to this poor fellow's task! Appropriately titled "A Broadcast Engineer's Christmas".
Why is it that antennas always play better when they are installed in the middle of the deep winter!

        

 

              

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