A short history of radio communication receivers in functional diagrams: GFGF series on Radio History

By Kurt Bergmann, Joachim Rockschies and Heinrich Spanknebel

This book gives an insight into the long technical development of radio message receivers for commercial radio services and the amateur radio service over the period from 1929 to 1983, i.e. from the age of electron tube technology to the first proven phase of semiconductor technology.
The authors have conducted worldwide radio communications within the framework of amateur radio over three decades, thereby becoming acquainted with the often extreme demands that message receivers should be able to cope with, and analysing over 70 radio message receivers or receiver parts of transceivers in the process.
For anyone who collects such equipment or wants to learn how it works, the functional diagrams compiled here will provide the best possible help. The extensive bibliography and list of sources open up numerous avenues for more in-depth study or the procurement of documents.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Miller E-Books
• Release date: Dec 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9783956009549

Kurt Bergmann

Jahrgang 1934, betreute bereits während des Oberschulbesuches in Weimar/Thüringen eine Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Rundfunktechnik; Abitur 1952. Danach 1953-1956 Ausbildung als Elektromechaniker in Düsseldorf und 1956-1961 Studium der Allgemeinen Elektrotechnik in Aachen. 1961 Aufnahme einer Tätigkeit als Entwicklungsingenieur für Meßelektronik in Düsseldorf. 1962 Erwerb der Amateurfunk-Lizenz DL9WW; von da an in der Freizeit über mehr als drei Jahrzehnte hinweg weltweite Funkverbindungstätigkeit. 1963-1972 Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, zuletzt Oberingenieur, am Institut für Technische Elektronik der RWTH Aachen. Während dieser Zeit Verfasser mehrerer institutsinterner Lehrbücher. Promotion zum Dr.-lng. 1968. 1973 Professor an der Fachhochschule Aachen. Internes Lehrbuch "Elektronische Schaltungen und Netzwerke". 1981 im Vieweg-Verlag das Lehrbuch "Elektrische Meßtechnik" mit bisher 6 Auflagen. Im Rahmen der begleitenden Amateurfunktätigkeit Erstellung einer kleinen Sammlung typischer Funknachrichtengeräte, kritische Analyse dieser und weiterer Geräte mit dem Ziel der Erstellung übersichtlicher Funktionspläne in Zusammenarbeit mit den beiden weiteren genannten Autoren.

Book preview

Table of Content

Prologue

1. The primeval - Tuned Radio Frequency Receiver

Knapsack receiver (Tornister-Empfänger) Torn.E.b. „Berta", 1938

Lorenz Lo6K39, 1939

2. Classical period - superheterodyne receiver with frequency-variable first oscillator

Telefunken Spez. 281 Gr, 1929

Telefunken DF receiver E383N=EP2, 1933

Telefunken Horchempfänger Fu.H.E. 1, 1933

National HRO „Senior", 1934

Hammarlund „Super Pro" BC794, 1938

Board receiver Lorenz E10aK, 1939

Telefunken Fu.H.E.c, 1939

Medium wave receiver Mw.E.c „Cäsar", 1939

Telefunken Kw.E.a „Anton", 1940

Hallicrafters „Super Skyrider" SX-28, 1941

Lorenz Ln21021 „Schwabenland", 1942

Telefunken E52 „Köln", 1943

Hammarlund „Super Pro" SP600, 1948

National HRO-60, 1952

Lorenz 6P203.A9, 1953

Telefunken E103Aw/4, 1953

Telefunken E127Kw/2, 1953

Siemens E303/305/306, 1953

Telefunken E127Kw/4, 1954

Siemens E309a, 1955

Hallicrafters SX100, 1955

Siemens E566/E310, 1957

Hammarlund HQ170, 1958

Hallicrafters SX122, 1964

Final remarks on Group 2

3. The Collins phenomenon - superheterodyne receiver with crystal-stabilised first oscillator

3.1 Tunable first IF

Collins 75A-1, 1946

Collins 75A-2, 1950

Telefunken E104 Kw/4, 1953

Collins 75A-4, 1955

Collins R390A, 1956

Collins 51J-4, 1957

Collins 51S-1, 1961

Drake 2-B, 1961

Sommerkamp FR100B, 1965

Yaesu FR-101, 1974

3.2 Wide band first IF

Collins 75S-1, 1958

Collins 75S-3B, 1963

Squires-Sanders SS-1R, 1963

Receiving path National NCX-5, 1965

Receiving path Heath SB-101, 1967

Receiving path Sommerkamp FT277, 1971

3.3 Contemporary criticism

4. Two problems are pending - The frequency processing with continuous VFO and the single-range super

Racal RA17, 1957

Siemens E311a, 1959

Rohde & Schwarz EK07, 1960

ITT Mackay Marine 3010-B, 1966

Rohde & Schwarz EK56, 1968

Racal RA-6217, 1968

Racal RA-1217, 1972

Telefunken E 863 KW/2, 1969

Receiving path Yaesu FT-901DM, 1978

Receiving path Yaesu FT-902DM, 1981

Receiving path Kenwood TS-830S, 1981

5. There should be an easier solution - The Premixer concept with a fixed first intermediate frequency

Receiving path Drake TR-3, 1963

Receiving path Drake TR-4, 1965

Receiving path Drake TR-4C, 1972

Drake R-4, 1965

Hallicrafters SX-146, 1966

Receiving path National NCX-500, 1968

Drake R-4C, released 1973, modified 1976

Receiving path Yaesu FT-101ZD, 1979

Receiving path Ten-Tec Omni B, 1979

Receiving path Ten-Tec 560 Corsair, 1982

6. DIGITALANALOG – Single-range super with frequency processing and continuous VFO

Receiving path Drake TR7, 1978

Drake R7, 1979

7. DIGITALDIGITAL – Single-range super with full synthesis for digital or quasi-continuous setting

ITT Mackay Marine 3021A, 1973

RFT EKD 315, 1974

Rohde & Schwarz EK 049, 1975

Receiving path Collins KWM-380, 1979

Measuring receiver Rohde & Schwarz ESH2, 1979

Rohde & Schwarz EK 070, 1980

Cubic HF-1030, 1981

Receiving path Kenwood TS-930S, 1982

Receiving path Icom IC-745, 1983

References and Sources

About the authors

Kurt Bergmann, DL9WW

Joachim Rockschies, DL6CX

Heinrich Spanknebel, DC6IB

About the association

The Gesellschaft der Freunde der Geschichte des Funkwesens (GFGF) e.V.

Historical radio technology has many aspects

GFGF Membership

What GFGF is providing

About the publishing house

Imprint

Bergmann – Rockschies – Spanknebel

A short history of

communication receivers in functional diagrams

1929-1983

GFGF Series on Radio History Volume 10

Prologue

This book gives an insight into the long technical development path of wireless receivers for commercial radio services as well as the amateur radio service over the period from 1929 to 1983, i.e. from the age of electron tube technology to the first assured phase of proof of semiconductor technology, by means of clear, partly simplified circuit and function diagrams.

The authors have handled worldwide radio communications in the amateur radio service over three decades, thereby getting to know the often extreme requirements that those receivers should be able to cope with, and in parallel analysing more than 70 radio message receivers or receiver parts of transceivers.

For those who collect such devices or would like to learn about their functioning, the functional diagrams compiled here provide the best possible assistance. The extensive bibliography and list of sources open numerous avenues for more in-depth study or for obtaining documentation.

The GFGF has already published two editions of this reference book in 2001 and 2002, which have long been completely out of print. I have therefore now reissued it as an e-book in 2022 and translated it to English, so that it is now available indefinitely to both preservationists of old technology and new radio enthusiasts.

Wolf-Dieter Roth, GFGF, DL2MCD, Fall 2022

1. The primeval - Tuned Radio Frequency Receiver

A radio receiver normally has to fulfil the following basic tasks:

1) Selection and amplification