RCA BTA-250L Transmitter Rescue, May 2008

This is the second BTA-250L I have obtained. The 1947 transmitter was not working and had to be removed. It already lasted 50 years before developing some kind of short-circuit in the high voltage wiring, an attestation to the high quality of American-made products. Something this classic should not be scrapped! It will be great for amateur radio use once moved to the 160-meter band. That would be 1750 to 2000 on your AM dial, if your AM dial went that far. The power output on this unit is 250 watts carrier, 1000 watts peak.

A road trip from Dallas TX to Wichita KS was made. The transmitter, after I removed the back doors and heavy iron (transformers), was tilted over into a pickup truck bed and taken to storage in Forth Worth, TX where it could be worked on a bit.

Update - Summer 2011 - I decided to sell it, running a little short of space, the electricity in the building had code issues and ultimately could not be turned back on so it was not possible to work on it there and I never was able to try to troubleshoot it. KB7OCY bought it and has completely restored it and put it on the ham bands. For those interested, the short circuit was caused by carbon tracking from filament to mounting bolts under the 8008 rectifier sockets. Mission accomplished, another fine old transmitter back on the air!

Home








			The evening inspirational with some CB radio traffic (a little video of how it is on the road)

I wish to thank KNSS 1330, and Engineers John Price and Craig Maudlin, for their generosity, consideration, and time, in allowing me to save this classic transmitter.

Pictures inside the station's transmitter building
Pictures of other equipment found there.