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Author Topic: Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter  (Read 3433 times)

Offline Traveling Wave

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Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter
« on: April 22, 2019, 1544 UTC »
If anyone is interested, found this ad at QTH classified this morning...https://swap.qth.com/send-to-friend.php?counter=1435057
Location: Western New York ( Niagara Frontier)
Radio :TS480 with RTL-SDR pan-adapter, HDSDR software, Omni-Rig Control, Zenith T/O R600,T600
Antenna: 40m dipole, 20-17-15 meter fan dipole. One of N. Tesla's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.
Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules. The fate of all mankind I see is in the hands of fools - from Epitaph by King Crimson
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Offline redhat

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Re: Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2019, 2030 UTC »
I maintained a 816R4 (20KW) for several years.  In all fairness, the rig was in the  middle of a gravel quarry and had a somewhat checkered past, but I lost more sleep over that rig in the 8 years I cared for it than any other transmitter in our fleet.  People seem to love continental stuff.  I always thought it had neat features, but not so great execution.  The power control gating cards would get flaky, tube life was sub par, and the driver tubes were a bastard to change.  I understand the later version with the solid state IPA were much better, but continental never made the move to solid state like everyone else.  I believe that is the reason they are no longer a market player in AM or FM.  Most of their clients now are high power shortwave customers (WBCQ) and governments where money doesn't matter.

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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2019, 2312 UTC »
That could get a person in world of trouble if they knew what they were doing and cause them a lot of pain if they didn't. Nothing is really "free".

Offline redhat

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Re: Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2019, 2331 UTC »
Fortunately, the average idiot does not have access to 3 phase power :)

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Somewhere under the stars...
Airspy HF+, MLA-30/Mini-whip/Chi-Town Loop
Please send QSL's and reception reports to xfmshortwave [at] proton [d0t] me

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Free Continental 25 KW FM Transmitter
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2019, 1118 UTC »
Don't underestimate morons and electricity

"Hey Bob! Climb up that power tower with these battery cables I strung together and we'll fire this thing up! Where do you put the ground? Clamp it to the tower when you get up there, you idiot!"

I go by a hill with high tension towers nearly every day where two young guys in the 70's took a CB, a box kite and reel of wire. They told people they found a place where they thought they could really "get out". They did, right out of this world.

I think the oldest one was 17? They used to smoke homegrown pot they treated with formaldehyde. God was obviously using those adventurous lads as an example for us all.

It happened above the local "Dead Man's Curve". I guess the pasture on the hill is "Fried Teen Hill"?