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Reviews For: Multi Elmac AF68 transciter

Category: Transmitters: Amateur radio

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Review Summary For : Multi Elmac AF68 transciter
Reviews: 1MSRP: n/a
Description:
160-10 meter Mobile transmitter
Product is not in production
More Info: http://n/a
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0013
WA2MZE Rating: 2019-02-01
My first Novice Transmitter Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This old war horse from the 50's was designed as an AM mobile transmitter, although it was also used as an exciter in fixed stations. It required a separate power supply. After just getting my Novice license I was looking for a transmitter. I already had a used HQ-110 receiver. It was 1970, and I went to Harrison Electronics in lower Manhattan for their Washington's birthday sale. I was one of the first customers waiting in line for the doors to open early that morning. They had a huge pile of Multi-Elmac AF67's set up in the isle, and a bunch of us picked through them looking for a unit that was as 'cherry' as possible. My friend Gary, WA2IYH and I both selected units for ourselves. I don't remember what the exact price was, but I think they were about $20 each (or less). Perhaps I should have bought two of them. Upon getting our boat anchors home and going through them we both discovered that the modulation transformers in our units were burnt out. I suspect that all of the 50 odd units stacked up in the store all had bad modulation transformers. No matter, we both only wanted to use them on CW. I built a suitable power supply for mine using a power transformer and some filter caps salvaged from old TV sets I'd found curbside on garbage collection days. I got a bunch of 1N4007 diodes from Barry Electronics on lower Broadway, along with a Jones connector to fit the power socket on the back of the AF67.

The rig worked fine on the novice bands, I have no idea how much power it put out, but the 6146 final loaded up to the correct plate current. I pulled out the 6L6W modulator tubes as they were not needed. All of the slug tuned coils in my unit were adjustable, but Gary's had a few that were rusted solid. As a result I was able to get the VFO working (when I got my advanced ticket), but IYH's unit only worked on crystals.

I could imagine what a PITA this transmitter would have been mobile, but it worked perfectly as a cheap CW rig. I usually got 599 reports with no complaints of key clicks or chirp. I later donated the transmitter to my High School's radio club for their Novice station.