What Do Your Usernames Mean?

[SaparotRob]

I haven't heard the term "linear" in a long time. They were fabled talismans of power.

 

[bdefen]

I haven't heard the term "linear" in a long time. They were fabled talismans of power.

As I recall, it was about a foot square, six inches deep. He had it under his driver's seat. He traveled a lot summers in college for work, so it kept him entertained. Was "linear" the brand name, or a description?

 

[SaparotRob]

A description. I had never seen one at the time. I was about 14 when I first heard the term. When I was relocated to California for work, I became friends with a bunch of "Desert Rats". My friends routinely souped up our rigs. Didn't need one.

 

[GrauGeist]

Linear is the device's function: " linear amplifier".

Most amplified the output transmission and some even featured amplification on the receive.

I had a linear made by Palomar. It was the "TX 100N", which had 100watt output and 10watt receive.

Neat little unit, honestly - also featured switchable output: 25W, 50W, 75W and 100W.

 

[SaparotRob]

I heard of that. My friends made it sound like the Holy Grail.

 

[GrauGeist]

I heard of that. My friends made it sound like the Holy Grail.

And illegal AF on 11 meters (CB frequencies)...

 

[SaparotRob]

Yup. That it was.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Was "linear" the brand name, or a description?

Linear is the device's function: " linear amplifier".

In the early days of radio, "linear" was the holy grail of amplifier and transmitter design, as primitive early circuits were decidedly non-linear in their amplification characteristics. Most all behaviors in electronics tend to follow exponential, rather than linear patterns, so it took a lot of coaxing to get an amplifier or a transmitter to put out the same level of gain across its full tunable spectrum. One of my uncles was a WWII Navy Radio/Radarman who took up collecting and resurrecting antique radios postwar. He had some doozies from the twenties and thirties that had to have each stage independently tuned and constantly drifted off frequency, making for constant knob twisting. Too frustrating for me, but he had a grand old time with them.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

I worked at a 50,000-watt, clear-channel AM radio station in Spokane, WA, KGA, 1510. It had a detuned 100,000-watt ex-military transmitter. You could walk inside it. The tubes were the size of turkey-frying kettles.

Oh my aching harmonics! Betcha you guys were reverberating up and down the spectrum. My great uncle had a 10K watt ex military transmitter in his ham station that he tried to keep reigned in to 1/100th of its rated power, and it squirted harmonics all over town. His neighbors found it amusing to eavesdrop on his conversations over their radios and TVs. Small town America....
The NDB station for the local airport's ILS outer marker was adapted from an ancient LF four-legged radio range, and had four of those "turkey fryer" tubes dating back to 1936. When one of them finally burned out and there were no replacements in existence, the FAA was at last forced to upgrade the station. The original transmitter is in a museum somewhere.

 

[SaparotRob]

Wow. I kinda' know what Dave and Wes are talking about.

 

[pbehn]

In the early days of radio, "linear" was the holy grail of amplifier and transmitter design, as primitive early circuits were decidedly non-linear in their amplification characteristics. Most all behaviors in electronics tend to follow exponential, rather than linear patterns, so it took a lot of coaxing to get an amplifier or a transmitter to put out the same level of gain across its full tunable spectrum. One of my uncles was a WWII Navy Radio/Radarman who took up collecting and resurrecting antique radios postwar. He had some doozies from the twenties and thirties that had to have each stage independently tuned and constantly drifted off frequency, making for constant knob twisting. Too frustrating for me, but he had a grand old time with them.

We were still doing amplifier and time base linearity checks on ultrasonic sets up until they went digital, but I think it was a throwback to when the tech. first started commercially in the 1950s to 60s. I never saw a set fail and if one did there was no scope to do anything except send it back.

 

[bdefen]

Oh my aching harmonics! Betcha you guys were reverberating up and down the spectrum. My great uncle had a 10K watt ex military transmitter in his ham station that he tried to keep reigned in to 1/100th of its rated power, and it squirted harmonics all over town. His neighbors found it amusing to eavesdrop on his conversations over their radios and TVs. Small town America....
The NDB station for the local airport's ILS outer marker was adapted from an ancient LF four-legged radio range, and had four of those "turkey fryer" tubes dating back to 1936. When one of them finally burned out and there were no replacements in existence, the FAA was at last forced to upgrade the station. The original transmitter is in a museum somewhere.

I do know that the 50kw radio station's surrounding residential neighbors would call or write in complaining that they could hear the radio broadcast coming from a chain link fence, or toaster, whatever. A subsequent broadcasting employer who had a 10,000 watt am transmitter had all kinds of issues with leaking RF all over the building. It would raise hell with the computer system that ran the automated FM sister station in the same building. Good times!!!

 

[XBe02Drvr]

the 50kw radio station's surrounding residential neighbors would call or write in complaining that they could hear the radio broadcast coming from a chain link fence, or toaster, whatever.

My college dorm room was less than 100 yards from a 1200 watt AM station's broadcast antenna. Every time I picked up my record player's tone arm, WJOY would come blasting through the speaker.

 

[StackedWings]

My Username simply shows that I earned and "stacked" my US Army Special Skill Badges while on Active Duty. Airborne 1968 and Air Assault in 1989.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

My Username simply shows that I earned and "stacked" my US Army Special Skill Badges while on Active Duty. Airborne 1968 and Air Assault in 1989.

My Brother was 82nd AB, A Shau Valley, 68/69

 

[ARTESH]

My Username simply shows that I earned and "stacked" my US Army Special Skill Badges while on Active Duty. Airborne 1968 and Air Assault in 1989.

Welcome aboard, Sir.

 

[Army14Bravo]

My ID is one of my call signs while flying in SE Asia back in the 1960's. I was a Army Pilot.

I have been modeling WW2 Aircraft since the 1970's. Mostly 1/48 and 1/32 Allied aircraft. I have over 100 built on shelves in my garage and another 100 built back in their boxes.

I enjoy hearing young people discuss modeling as it seems to be fading out. Anyway, I am new here and finding my way. Must be the very oldest participant.

Cheers

 

[Ralph Haus]

Must be the very oldest participant. ??

That you've gotta prove. There are a lot of really old farts on this board. There is a place to add your birth date. With that comes benifits such as, well, nothing really, but everyone will know how old you are.

And, welcome aboard. ALWAYS good to have newcomers. Post some of your builds so that all may see your handy work.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Up until recently we had WW2 vets on this forum, and some immediate post war vets as well. We had a forum member who flew missions over Germany in B-17s and one who even flew in B-36.

 

[special ed]

Welcome to the site, from an old fart older than you.