Following part 1 at my blog this is not yet the part 2 I wanted to write about. It is just something in between I wanted to share. With the help of others and specially my neighbourstation PA3BCB Gerard who wrote me after I published the dutch PA0DR story in our local magazine Hunsotron and on my blog. He knew Dirk personally and saved some valuable memorabilia after Dirk died in 1991. Some of the items don't fit into part 2 of the stories but are interesting to show I think. Gerard sent me some scanned pictures from the items he has but after some e-mail exchanges decided to give almost the whole package to me for the story and to show others that are interested in the history of this dutch HAM. On top you see a first edition (1959) of Quad antennas by William Orr, Dirk was very interested in quad antennas and had one himself. Just when I'm interested in a quad antenna to replace my HF5B. Is this a coïncidence?A QSL card by a SWL (RA89) from New Zealand was sent to Dirk in 1939 when he witnessed a first with Peru for PA0DR. The card has very nice details from a short wave receive station at that time.
You can click on the pictures to enlarge. Notice the QSL came via dutch radio organisation NVIR (Nederlandsche Vereeniging voor Internationaal Radioamateurisme). After the war NVIR was one of the organisations that united with others to form the VERON which is still the largest radioamateur organisation in my country. Dirk became a member a year after the war.
It is unbelievable I got this piece of evidence in my posession now. I guess this can be called a real museum piece. And I got so much more I want to show you. But you have to wait till I finish my story...
Wait, there is more to tell. If you read my last months article well and followed the link to the picture from the possible "Winchester" transmitter you see a nice picture from a home made replica transmitter. It's the kind that could have been used by the resistance in WW2. I didn't notice that this article was written by PA3BCB's XYL. Gerard has this replica in posession and brought it with him to the radioclub evening to show us. I really don't know what kind of bulb is on there but this transmitter features some nice details like square wire to connect all individual parts.
The transmitter is a one tube (valve in Britain), crystal controlled, oscillator circuit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first found it, there was no tube in it.
It features a 4 pin UX tube socket with the plate (anode) circuit connected to one of the pins, not to a top cap.
So I put in a nice dome-shaped CBY-38110-A tube, a 10 Watt transmitting triode as used in het American GF aircraft transmitter from the 1930's which seemed rather appropriate.
If this tube ultimately does not work, then I have some equivalent VT25's but they have the later ST envelope shape.
These tubes are nowadays much sought after by audio enthousiasts.
I expect a few Watts of RF output at most, so it is a real QRP tx.
Hello Gerard, thanks for the description. It would be nice if you get the transmitter to work. If you need someone that listens for it in you area think about me ;-). But ultimately a contact with England would be the thing. 73, Bas
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