inexpensive ham radios for 11 meter conversion ???

[2RT307]

I have a 101E too, and it is a lot of fun to play on. There are a lot of them out there, but many of them that have just been ragged out and ruined. Unless you know what/who you are buying from, I'd say it can be a roll of the dice for what you might get. If you can find a good one with the AM filter, it will do the things you are wanting. Put a D104 or Turner Plus 3 on it, keep the carrier down to about 20 watts, and your AM will sound excellent. SSB is awesome anyway, even with a stock mic. There's a guy on epay that sells them regularly in nice shape, but you're not going to get one from him for cheap. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

The 718 is a nice rig, and you can get good AM audio out of them if you keep the carrier down, and don't get nutso with your modulation. You really have to set these right to keep from swinging backwards. It still probably won't impress your CB friends, though.

I know a lot of fellas that keep a CB AM base (or mobile with PS) around just for ragchewing with the local guys, and have an HF rig strictly for sideband. Really not a bad way to go.

Good luck in your search!

73,
RT307

 

[wavrider]

I know a lot of fellas that keep a CB AM base (or mobile with PS) around just for ragchewing with the local guys, and have an HF rig strictly for sideband. Really not a bad way to go.

Good luck in your search!

73,
RT307

Best advice I have read on this thread yet. If you want the 100% modulation and the LOUD audio keep an 11 meter CB around for the AM side and use the ham rig for the SSB. don't get any better, although the FT101 series are audio monsters on AM if you can afford the final tubes.

 

[Mr.5150cbrn]

yes the final outputs are expensive , can be modded to the 6146b's , but thats more $$$
or keep them low on the carrier, as mine i keep 2.5 -8 watts carrier
mod 3-4 and let it do its thing as they have AUDIO from hell on AM
and fantastic ssb
remember to tune as per recommended life will be long on PA tubes
abuse them they wont last , and neither will the transformer

these old ft101's were made to talk , and they do a fine job of that
Imo well worth the $$ in comparison to sinking 500 -700 into a rci / galaxy black box base thats less forgiving to having a poorly matched antenna system
but to each their own

 

[AudioShockwav]

I have used 6LB6`s with good results in the 101 radios , and as long as you limit the carrier to about 20 or so watts and do not tie a rubber band around the key they do not eat tubes.
Ft 101`s are great radios.

73
Jeff

 

[wavrider]

6LB6's for the 101? Would that require a tube socket change?

I have been converting the 8950's for Swans and Siltronics over to 6LB6's, along with some of the Maco amps using the 8950's or 2057, the 6LB6 is a stout sweep tube, but like mentioned before keep the carrier down or it will eat them up.

Thanks for the heads up on the 6LB6 swap on the FT101 I will have to look into that one.

 

[AudioShockwav]

No need to change the socket, both 12 pin. Neutralization is same procedure as in manual for 6JS6C ( remember the Cap swap if it has original Japan manufacture Green Stripe tubes)
I ran them in My 101E before I traded it off, worked just fine.

It is crazy what sweep tubes go for now days....I still remember the Console sized tube tester that they had in the local Thrifty Drug store...you could get 6js6 tubes for about $11.00 new....... man if I had known back then....I would have bought every tube I could have afforded...wish I had about a few dozen or so in storage today.

That M2057 was made by GE just for Maco if I remember right... THAT is a stout tube...and priced like gold!



73
Jeff

 

[wavrider]

Thanks for the info on the 12 pin sockets, I remember going to the Pic N Save store and testing tubes on their tester, then to the warehouse district to get tubes from the distributor. I agree if I had known I would have bought cases of sweep tubes back in the 80's.