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Reviews For: BC-224B Receiver

Category: Receivers: non-amateur adaptable for ham use

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Review Summary For : BC-224B Receiver
Reviews: 1MSRP: unknown
Description:
WWII Military receiver simular to the BC-348 early models
Product is not in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0014
N8FVJ Rating: 2021-04-03
Better than average Ham Receivers Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I sold my old BC-348 and frankly missed the radio. So, I found a nice condition BC-224B receiver. It is same as early BC-348, but wired with 12 volt filaments. Better deals can be found on BC-224 radios due to some do not know it. They are also more rare vs the BC-348.

Besides the Military bulletproof construction, what makes these radios stand out is it has a dual RF front-end. Many do not know that. The radio is about 1 MV sensitivity on AM, a very respectable figure. And for some reason the Dynamic Range is 87dB or rather high for any vintage tube receiver. (see W1VD receiver tests). It is as good as a Drake R-4A receiver and a Collins R-390A if you can believe it. Blocking @ 20KZ is 106dB or as good as a Hammarlund SP-600 and better than a Collins 75A-4. So, it is determined the BC-224B/BC-348 is no mediocre performer.

The receiver needs the paper capacitors replaced. Also, most have been converted for 120 volts AC. Those old power supplies require new electrolytic filter capacitors.

On the BC-224B the audio transformer is 4000 and 500 ohms output. Most are connected at the 4K output, change to 500 ohm and add a 70.7 volt line to 8 ohm transformer (about $10). You will have close to 1 watt out or plenty of audio.

The radio is made for a 5 ohm antenna. Use a 9 to 1 balun or unun at the antenna to increase sensitivity and have sharp tuning on the antenna tuning capacitor. Most do not know this fact.

The BC-224B or BC-348 will hear about 95% of expensive tube receivers on 75 and 40 meter Ham AM phone. The IF band pass is 7.5KHz wide or about perfect for good quality voice communications. The crystal filter will provide a more narrow passband to help with adjacent channel interference. But, this is no 3.1 KHz mechanical filter.

After the rebuild, you will have a fairly competent receiver and built quality out of this world compared to most Ham radio receivers.

I paid $250 for a nice condition receiver on eBay. I placed the receiver picture in the Category picture at eHam. I seen these radios for $100 in rather poor cosmetic condition and under $150 at larger Ham swaps in fair to good condition. They are not showing up at most local small Ham swaps unlike years ago.

I would have rated a '5', but Collins 51J-4 and similar receivers are a '5". Perhaps a '4.5' would be a good rating.