THE AC-1 (OS) TRANSMITTER
| If you have never seen an Ameco AC-1 transmitter, go back to my main page and follow the link to the page about them. Pictured here is my home brew version of that amazing radio. I have added a few extras. Read the description below. |  |
This is my AC-1 (OS) transmitter (the OS stands for "On Steroids") shown with its top cover removed. The radio was built entirely from salvaged parts resulting in a total production cost of $0.00 (not to mention the deluxe expensive radio look...yea right). The circuit is identical to the well known Ameco AC-1 transmitter... with a few "improvements" added.
The original AC-1 used a 6V6 tube at about 15 watts input power, had plug in band coils, no metering, no indicator lights, used an eight pin tube socket for key and crystal connections, and had no provisions for antenna T/R switching.
I substituted a 6L6GC tube and a heavier power transformer, allowing for input power of nearly 30 watts. The output tank coil is a salvaged 80 - 10 meter type, and when the cover is on the transmitter, there is a band switch to select 80, 40 or 20M bands. The transmitter has "real" key and crystal sockets. To the left of the crystal socket is a large red square button which allows keying the transmitter for tuning without using the key. The meter indicates plate current, which runs 75 ma. with 395V on the plate. Separate toggle switches control filament and plate voltage. The green light is on when the filament voltage is present, and the red light comes on when the plate switch is flipped to the transmit position. Not visable ( but very useful) is an internal relay that closes when the plate switch is turned on, applying B+ to the tube. The relay also provides for antenna switching between transmitter and receiver via SO-239 connectors on the rear of the chassis.
Pictured below is the AC-1(OS) with top cover in place. Slightly safer but still ugly.
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