Funny it should come up on here about certain members of the Collins crowd and the horrible, sacriligious view they may take of making unintrusive mods that improve the enjoyment of a piece of equipment.
Most of those who would criticise changes in the audio of later serial number KW-1s fail to realize the changes actually may correct the transmitter back to an earlier set of factory values that sounded better than the value of components installed in later production examples. It's also very true that a broadcast transmitter of any significant age is likely to have been 'changed' by the station's engineering staff to an extent ranging from functional modifications to repairs. These changes typically involve some interpetation with available components and how they're mounted. We, as the Providers of Good Homes when these transmitters reach private hands then have to decide whether to "restore" an already modified transmitter back to original, or functionally bring it up to the application where it can best be used. The useful life of a broadcast transmitter can be extended many many more years by making it useful on the ham bands. Interpretation must take place among us, too. Even the re-tuning from the broadcast bands could be judged "too much" of a change, as we saw here with the proposal to move an 11 meter rig up to 10 meters. It's probably the most helpful to all of us to make way for someone's enthusiasm for working on and operating with a "new" rig, even if it's a 60 year old, 250 watt Collins that spent most of its life in wetlands at the top of Annapolis Harbor, as mine had done. The airwaves from this transmitter near Annapolis now include a signal in the 160, 75 or 40 meter band. I feel the modifications help showcase a successful transmitter rescue, and provide food for thought for others hearing this rig who may find themselves in a position to someday save one for themselves. When they do acquire a classic transmitter they may apply their own judgements as to how they will approach repairs, restoration, and re-tuning to the ham bands. The alternative fate is not nearly so happy when these rigs are torn down and tossed out. Now there's a severe modification. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
