The Heathkit AT-1 Amateur Radio Transmitter. Post #319.

It's time for a little nostalgia, thanks to the Heathkit AT-1 Amateur Radio Transmitter. Jeff Tranter does an excellent job of explaining how the AT-1 works and demonstrates some of its capabilities. This 3-tube transmitter, coupled with a simple dipole or vertical antenna, gave newly licensed novice operators many hours of enjoyable contacts. The rig was well-shielded and offered fairly good TVI suppression. Once a novice passed the General License Exam, he/she could plug in a VFO and an AM modulator. I've only used an AT-1 once in my 37-year amateur radio "career"-a rig belonging to a fellow amateur operator on Hawaii Island back in 1977. Even in that year, the AT-1 was well out of production, having been originally introduced around 1953. As Jeff warns all would-be restorers, special care must be taken around this rig, since high voltage may be present on the chassis. Tranter recommends removing the old 2-prong cord and replacing it with the 3-prong plug now used in most modern electrical equipment. You can find modification ideas on the internet. I'm still intrigued by just how well the AT-1 works, given its age. If you see one of these classic Heathkit rigs for sale, buy it and restore it to operating condition. For the latest Amateur Radio news and events, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated daily. Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM). If you have difficulty bringing up the video, you can load it directly by visiting: http://youtu.be/9UM1e8HSieA.