Meissner Signal Shifter Coils and Advice

[Bob, W5UQ]

I had a Meissner Signal Shifter when I was 14 years old.  When I got my 
novice license, I used it, coupled into  80 or 40 meter folded dipoles.  
Didn't understand 50 ohm to 300 ohm then.  
I surmised that I had all of 6 watts... maybe...   I worked stations all 
over the place and actually got WH6's in Hawaii with it on 40 meters. 
Then I got a Heathkit AT1 kit and sold the Meissner. 

Fond memories... :-)
Bob Hardie-W5UQ
was WN5EUQ then W5EUQ for a total of 53 years...

Life is like a bowl of chocolates.
Or is it a box of Cherrios?  
uh... cherries?  Yeah... bowl of cherries...
now I've forgotten my point. 
Darn CRS!!! Or is it CDR?


 



Wilson Lamb wrote:
> Well, I'm well into my "new" Signal Shifter.  There was nothing 
> "wrong" with it, except for filter caps, which smoked nicely.
> BUT, as usual, there are many questions about old stuff:
>
> COILS- I need ham band coils.  I have a source of forms and a great 
> turns count (Thanks, Jim!), but would not be ashamed to buy some 
> coils, if they show up.  Life is short and getting shorter!
>
> COMPONENT VALUES-I have the book, but the tuning and neutralizing cap 
> values are not called out.  My output tank cap may be falling apart, 
> so I'd like to prepare to replace it.
>
> OPERATIONAL CONCERNS-I got 160m going fine, with neutralizing and 
> tuning, but, when I tried 40m, the only other full set of coils I have 
> (Thanks, Mac!), I have strange results.  When I wasn't able to get a 
> good SWR with my MFJ tuner, I looked for reasons.  When I looked at 
> the output waveform (Thanks, Terry), I saw quite a lot of 3.5MHz 
> energy, maybe only 3-4dB down from the 7 MHz signal.  The 6L6 is 
> doubling on this band, but I'm surprised the output tank does not 
> reject more of the 3.5 MHz energy.  Tuning the output cap does not 
> effect the output amplitude or waveshape, as it does very nicely on 
> 160m, leading me to think it may be defective/wrong value.  I have 
> scope pictures of the waveform at the 6L6 plate and the link output 
> when feeding a dummy load.  Anyone interested can have them via email.
>
> It's odd that the design seems to rely on the same output cap, set to 
> the same value, for all bands.  One might guess there were fixed caps 
> in the coils, but they are not shown on the schematic.  All the 
> original coils I have have paper labels pasted on top and I don't want 
> to disturb them.
>
> QUESTIONS-So, has anyone checked Signal Shifter output 
> levels/waveforms on any ham bands?
>
> Has anyone changed the 6L6 stage to fixed bias or made any other 
> changes to make the doubling operation more efficient.  The original 
> circuit uses a combination of grid leak and cathode bias and may not 
> be going into true class C operation.
>
> Does anyone have documentation other than the original ops manual?  I 
> haven't come across a Photofact on the SS, but will keep checking for 
> one.
>
> Why am I doing all this?  BA fever, of course!
> It's a nicer unit than I thought and easily stable enough for normal 
> operation.  It keys very nicely and is mechanically robust, with good 
> components.  The power transformer is big enough to run the Shifter 
> AND a 40W final!  It's going to make a fine BA VFO and CX rig, but 
> really needs its waveform cleaned up for use into an antenna.
>
> I'd pay a few bucks for a true junker worthy of furnishing a tuning 
> cap or for original 80/40/20m coils.  Otherwise, I'll be doing some 
> winding before long.
> Most of all, I'd like to find an original 1938 model Shifter, the one 
> in an all black wrinkle case.
>
> OK, OTs, let's have some of that priceless info you are holding onto, 
> thanks,
> Wilson
> W4BOH
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> This list is a public service of the City of Tempe, Arizona
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subscription control - 
> http://www.tempe.gov/lists/control.aspx?list=BOATANCHORS
> To post - BOATANCHORS at LISTS.TEMPE.GOV
> Archives - http://lists.tempe.gov/archives/BOATANCHORS.html
>
> __________ NOD32 4940 (20100312) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>

-----------------------------------------------------------
This list is a public service of the City of Tempe, Arizona
-----------------------------------------------------------

Subscription control - http://www.tempe.gov/lists/control.aspx?list=BOATANCHORS
To post - BOATANCHORS at LISTS.TEMPE.GOV
Archives - http://lists.tempe.gov/archives/BOATANCHORS.html