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DuMont Telecruiser

Chuck, the Telecruiser looks fantastic. Any plans on taking it on tour? The Telecruiser would be a big hit at Whataburger Cruise Night in Longview!
 
Greg Branch said:
Chuck, the Telecruiser looks fantastic. Any plans on taking it on tour? The Telecruiser would be a big hit at Whataburger Cruise Night in Longview!
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Yeah, it probably would. It is licensed and insured, so it wil probably be seen locally. Since it has a top speed of 50-55 mph, it may be a problem taking it too far, at least without putting it on a flatbed.
 
It is a real labor of love. It's turned out to be a much bigger project than I ever thought. Although I do keep accurate books, I have given up wondering what it has cost. Maybe one of these days, I'll add it up but I'm in no hurry to do that. It would probably scare the crap out of me. The way I look at it, I could have spent it on tennis lessons... :eek:
 
I linked the telecruiser page over on a TV forum (they are most impressed!) and someone is asking :

"a question about the camera, is it using its original image orthicon and circuitry or has it been refitted with a moderner vidicon camera or CCD camera as I see this been done a lot with old cameras".
 
I cheated. The DuMont camera has a modern CCD camera inside. It isn't anything that can't be reversed. I simply removed the Image Orthicon and yoke and put a CCD camera and lens in place. I have saved all the parts and documented how it was connected so somebody could put it back if all the other parts (cables, accessory amplifiers, CCU and power supply) ever materialize. I'm missing all those essential components, so this was about as good as it gets.
 
Thanks for the info.
Is that an AC unit on top in the as found picture?
 
Megapsycle said:
Thanks for the info.
Is that an AC unit on top in the as found picture?
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Yes, it is. It was added back in the 1960's. The bus never had any AC when new. I've restored it to it's original non-a conditioned condition. Although the add on AC unit was incredibly ugly and made the bus top and front heavy, I can understand why it was there. With all the tube type equipment, it must have been like the "Little Debbie Bake Oven" inside.

Amazingly, that air conditioner actually worked after sitting around unused since 1972. It was quite a challenge getting it off. Whoever install it wanted to make sure it wouldn't come loose while traveling down the highway.
 
No, it required external power. Lots of it. There are two breaker panels, one for utility and one for electronics. Each one has a 100 Amp 220 volt service disconnect. You had to plan where you were going very carefully. Of course, this also meant that the air conditioner did not work when the coach was being driven.
 
Chuck said:
No, it required external power. Lots of it. There are two breaker panels, one for utility and one for electronics. Each one has a 100 Amp 220 volt service disconnect. You had to plan where you were going very carefully. Of course, this also meant that the air conditioner did not work when the coach was being driven.
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Chuck
I really love your work on the DuMont Telecruiser and the broadcast equipment museum.
It's great to see there are others out there like me who appreciate the historical value of broadcast electronics and the part they played in our lives.
Thanks again!
Jay Walker
 
I think is important to save some of this stuff so future generations can see where we've come from. Sometimes that knowledge makes it easier to figure out where we are going.
 
Chuck said:
I think is important to save some of this stuff so future generations can see where we've come from. Sometimes that knowledge makes it easier to figure out where we are going.
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As someone who has a broadcast transmitter collection that includes a 1941 Western Electric, Gates BC1T, Gates BC1H, and a RCA BTA250m I certainly appreciate where you are coming from ;D
 
Jay Walker said:
Chuck said:
I think is important to save some of this stuff so future generations can see where we've come from. Sometimes that knowledge makes it easier to figure out where we are going.
Click to expand...

As someone who has a broadcast transmitter collection that includes a 1941 Western Electric, Gates BC1T, Gates BC1H, and a RCA BTA250m I certainly appreciate where you are coming from ;D
Click to expand...

Amen to that!
 
Chuck I have tried to convince you to start collecting transmitters but you just wont!!

By the way Jay I have an RCA BTA-5F, Collins 820-D2, Harris MW-1, Collins 831-D2, Harris FM-20K, RCA BTF-20E, Collins Rockwell 22.5 kw, and a Harris FM-10G. And there is an RCA 250-L that will be here at the end of the year!
 
600kogo said:
Chuck I have tried to convince you to start collecting transmitters but you just wont!!

By the way Jay I have an RCA BTA-5F, Collins 820-D2, Harris MW-1, Collins 831-D2, Harris FM-20K, RCA BTF-20E, Collins Rockwell 22.5 kw, and a Harris FM-10G. And there is an RCA 250-L that will be here at the end of the year!
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You obviously have an understanding life partner like I do ;D
My wife thinks it's normal that the garage has never known what a "car" is as it's always been a transmitter gallery... Now if I could only get three phase...

I'm all about AM heavy metal. I love the way these old rigs sound on 160 and 75m AM phone especially using Audimax/Volumax or Orban 9000 as processing. It does make for a conversation starter on the ham bands when you run something other than the typical Icom/Kenwood/Yaesu solid state radios.

My definition of a "Heavy Metal" transmitter is as follows:

"If the radio falls over and kills you, it is indeed a heavy metal rig"

On my rescue list as time allows are two RCA BTA250M transmitters and another Tin Can from Quincy a BC1H.

Money is temporary, Radios are forever...
 
I agree with your assessment of "Heavy Metal" A friend collects transmitters, and I've helped him move a few. The power transformers are the closest thing I've ever seen that resemble a Black Hole. ;) "Heavy" is an understatement.

My wife is very supportive, but I've found she has little tolerance for me "baking" old picture tubes in her oven to get the cataracs off of aging tubes. It is even worse when I use her turkey roasting pan to contain the mess. I find life is easier if I wait until she is out of town for those escapades. :D She also gets weird if I clean parts in the dishwasher....
 
Chuck
It's always easier to apologize than get permission...
When in doubt play dumb LOL.

My wife always asks why we are out of "409" all the time. (Great cleaner of nicotine)
The upside here at Casa Radio is the ability to put the Old time radio shows on the air. The daughters have been listening to Nero Wolfe, Fibber McGee and Jack Benny shows nightly on my homebrew AM 1000kc part 15 transmitter for over 15 years.. Sounds great with the Optimod AM.

My part 15 AM/FM stations are a service tradition here in my country neighborhood. Even the neighbors tune in for NOAA weather during storms or when I patch the Skywarn scanner audio to the FM on 92.9. 99.9 is also a backup. I use Continental and BE exciters into leaky dummy loads for the FM services... Since we are in no-mans land commercial TV and radio tend to ignore us. Since all of the former McKinney/Sherman stations were poached into Dallas we are left hanging as far as radio goes. The last "Local" was KLAK which is now a Plano wanna be V/T property catering to Plano south.

Too bad there is no chance for a LPFM allocation here in far north Collin County.
We would have a ball. Been looking at the "dream proposal" regarding LPAM. That would be a hoot. I'd fire up the old LPB 5 watt on 790kc and let it rip. Topband LPAM would even be better but again no chance so far....

Congrats to you for living the dream!!! I'd love to do the same myself. You are an inspiration to us all.

73
Jay Walker
 
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