RCA BTA-250L on 160 meters.wmv

Real Heavy Metal! A 1947 AM Broadcast Transmitter gets a full chassis restoration. Paint was left original, just cleaned up a little. Every nut and bolt on the chassis was removed and all parts restored to original factory condition. Several mods were made as well including: Antenna receive / transmit throw over relay, Time delay plate circuit soft start, remote key, outboard digital VFO, steel caster rolling base. Output power is rated at 250 watts and weight is over 1430 pounds including base. Every effort was made to make all mods look "factory " 73's from KB7OCY

[@captlarry-3525]

nice old thing...in lovely shape. I used to engineer 5 kw RCA BTA.

[@henryhurrass9121]

I had forgotten about this feed from several years back and it came up today. Thank you everyone for your kind words, regards Hank

[@scottbailey1560]

Update. I retired from the broadcast industry in 2019, just before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit. Me and my wife shut down the Commercial AM Station, sold the building and property. My Consultant Engineer said I should get my Ham License to stay busy. I also worked for a Electrical Utility, where I had a on the job accident in 2008. One of my doctors knew some about ham radio and he recommended I start to look into getting some kind of beginners ham permit. I would love to have a old tube transmitter that has been converted to the ham bands to put in my new building behind our house. It's 2022, I would love to get into it.

[@markd.nightingale4266]

Beautiful restoration! Its great to see this equipment restored and used!

[@scottbailey1560]

Very nice job! I am an owner of a 1,000 Watt AM Daytimer. Before the solid state transmitters came done in price and more reliable, I had a Gates BC250-GY. It was built around 1948. We used it as a stand by and for Pre-Sunrise & Post Sunset. It was in stand by use until 2001. Heck, it ran better then the Collins 20V-3 I used for the main daytime transmitter! I miss those old rigs and the tubes, but now I have a BE AM-1A, 90pounds and fits into the audio rack. Your RCA looks real nice!

[@audiotesla]

@KB4QAA Thanks! Took a lot of work. Good news is that I made my first contact with K7EWE in Tucson, about a three hour drive from here on 1885khz at about 2100hrs on Dec 2, 2011. So after 60+ years of service and a short three year retirement, she's back on the air with style!. Regards, Hank KB7OCY

[@markhall7646]

Gorgeous rig! You should be very proud!

[@ChickOnTheRadio]

Nice restoration work ! Looks so nice and clean now !

[@jerrypalmer9401]

KEWL! It looks better than brand new. I'll bet it's just idling at 1KW!

[@KB4QAA]

Lotta love in that system, it looks great!

[@adriancressy8363]

I swear that looks like a Raytheon box. Same line up of tubes hmmmmmm

[@adriancressy8363]

The audio driver circuit is different. Slightly stripped down version of what I had in the real Raytheon version. A pair of 2A3's driving a pair of 810's in the mod deck.

[@geckoproductions4128]

Very nice video and interesting. How about more specific detail about chasing your voice from microphone through each of the modules to the antenna. I would love to know what's what in this beautifully restored machine.

[@sparkybluefox]

Wow! Sweet!

[@Chiefbobaloo]

Good job Hank, I hope to QSO with you one day. Bob W4RFM.

[@jaime7451]

Excelente.

[@Greywolf3]

Amazing! w0xs