A ham friend who also grew up in Western PA shared his recent BC-348 video with me. He too dabbles in Boat Anchors... he has had more pass through his shack than me. I am in awe. He also reads the blog.
But three pieces of information for other blog readers and the 1st is the power supply. Many WWII vintage radios on eBay lack power supplies as the source of power especially those used in airplanes was a dynamotor.
For those with a question mark on their face, a dynamotor was a small motor generator set running usually off of 24VDC that supplied all the operating voltages. Read noisy.
The small ARC-5 receivers had a space on the back where the dynamotor attached. Often the filament string (transistors weren't invented as yet) was series/paralleled to operate from 24VDC.
The BC-348 had an internal space to install the dynamotor. The 1st important point the video shows how a $30 switching power supply from BOZOS can power the BC-348 and fits in the space where the dynamotor would attach. This power supply could be used for many other WWII surplus receivers.
The second point is the radio itself as it was as much electronic as mechanical assemblies (to switch bands). Keep in mind these radios were designed in the late 1930'w... No Internet, No Computers, No Nano VNA's and no Transistors or IC's. I marveled that the VFO had set points for various bands. In other words, you can calibrate the VFO at 5 MHz WWV and then a separate set point for 10MHz WWV.
The third point and that is radio tuned from 1.5 to 18.5 MHz, operated AM and CW and no band spread. Dial markings could be as much as a 100KHz apart. It struck me that the BC348 could be the principal receiver on a B-17 traveling across the Pacific and was the sole piece of long-distance communication receiving equipment. Good Luck!
Them that know, now don't care if you know.
Here is what Mr. Carlson did with a BC-348.
73's
Pete N6QW
