[The last renewal of this page: November. 1, 2010]

I made a couple of junk radio equipments since I started again homebrew all tube radios. Everytime I completed one radio, my plan and dream grew larger and larger, and came to eager to make new things more and more. Finally, I myself can't see what I really want to make. After a long consideration, I recognized that what is strong in my heart is my longing and desire to the start line of amateur radio, and I decided to make orthodox radios in 1960's, the era of old and good sarting point of amateur radio, throwing away and forgetting today's technology level.

The image being printed in my old memory is a receiver of RF1+IF2 together with an external crystal convertor, and a transmitter of three stages using 6146 for the final tube with a modulator using 6BQ5 push-pull together with an external VFO. The dial should be a vernier with a large scale plate, like MITSUMI MD-5, and the cabinets should be LEAD AS-1 and AS-3 which have handles on both side of the front panel.


I started from drawing images, which I have in my mind, actually in a picture.



Making good use of the Microsoft Power Point, I drew as in detail as in possible.




Moreover, I drew an image of all the systems being placced in line on the desk. If this comes true, there is no doubt that it'll be a great and impressive existance.


Right after I finished the drawings, I was in Akihabara to buy LEAD's best seller cabinet, AS-1 and AS-3, two set for each. This cabinet is exactlly the same one which I used for 50MHz transmitter and receiver when I was senior high student! Without any hesitations, I selected and bought them. It's just unbelievable that they have been pruducting the same model of cabinet for more than 50 years!
Now, no way to get back! Just go ahead!!

This time, I took very unusual manner to build them. I started to work for all of them together in the same time. Despite that the schematic diagrams have not being prepared yet, the first work was to complete the front panels.
What I did was put out the image being inflated in my mind, started to run just as my emotion desires.

I stayed at home even during the summer vacation for a week to shut myself up in the factory room, and fought agaist super hard steel panels with a drilling machine, hand drill, and hand grinders, just aiming for relaization of a dream in a shape!




Look at this! All comleted?? (Shelf in the lower)
Oh Yeah! That's true! but only for their outlooks without inner work! Their schematic diagrams have not been completed yet, anyway...
I'm sure that there's no one else who took the procedure like this when he tries to build radio in this world back in the history.�@Hi hi.

Thus, the project started with the idea "Appearance First".




This is a receiver. I was lucky to have an 50 years old MITSUMI's vernier dial with the scale board, which I got in an auction before. I rewrite the scale using PC softwares.
The S meter is also a very old 300 micro amperes meter, and has more than 50 years of age, which I recetly got in an auction. I made an original scale board synthesizing with a captured image of the S-meter for YAESU FRDX-400.
I could not skimp at all for the part that I keep watching at all the time, as this is the "Appearance First" project.




This is a transmitter. I redrew the scale board of the meter for IG/RF with PC software as well. I installed two micro lamps in each meters.




This is a VFO. A very unique antique dial is one that I took away from a 50 years old�@MATSUSHITA's junk measuring instrument. I also re drew its scale board with PC software. I also installed two micro lamps in it.





This is a crystal convertor. As I intended to used a coil pack which I took away from TRIO's Preamp/Convertor SM-5, the panel design is strictly limited.


All the equipments shown above are only completed their appearance, and their inside is almost vacant.
A real production is from now. Please refer to each page to see their actual works where I'm going to upload the newest status step by step.

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Two months later...




This is a view of the all the stuff tow months later, when I completed everything. (Oct. 27, 2010)
It's been three months since I decided to build and started drawing their outlook.
In the process of work, some amendment were added to the front panels. Basic adjustments have been done, and they have started to work properly in all bands.


I firstly achieved several QSOs in AM on 80m(3.757MHz)! 10W and a rotary dipole work just great!
I felt so happy and thanksfull to know that there were peoples who are interested in the same world.

Well, I had been dreaming that it would be nice if I could make DX QSOs in AM with these equipments while I was building thme. To my surprising, the chance came up to me much earlier than I expected.
The below is a copy of the message that I wrote in the messageboard(in Japanese) of this forum on Oct. 31, during the CQ Worldwide Contest.

: I MADE IT!! 1st DX on 14MHz 10W AM !! User: JR1MAF Date: 2010/10/31(Sun) 00:35 [168.99.145.122.ap.yournet.ne.jp] Delete I made it just a while ago !! Today is a contest, and I foud it a good chance to try AM for DX. I found W0UA was calling CQ Contest on 14.182MHz with a great signal, 59+20dB. I tuned the frecuency of the VFO to get zero-beat on the SSB receiver, and tried to shout! "Japan Radio One Mexico America Foxtrot!" Then, I was surprised to hear "QRZ JR1?" with my 1st try. He picked up my call OK, and I shouted: "I'm running 10W AM ! You're 5925 !!" He came back with happy laughing voice: "Oh----I'm detecting a carrier! JR1MAF running 10W AM, 10W ahaha...10W AM...ahaha...5903 Okay??" He was still laughing in calling CQ Contest after our contact, and I understood I certainly made him surprised and happy (hi hi). Fantastic! It's great! So happy! I can say that I have been doing a lot of effort inspite of many troubles just for this pleasure!!

==> Please see the page for each equipment for detailed actual reports in each process.




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