Receiving Converters

[42 to 88 Mc]  [88 Mc to AM band]  [88 Mc to TV]

 

42 Mc Band to 88 Mc Band (retrofit converters)

Hallicrafters Converters

The FM broadcast band was moved immediately after World War II from its original spot just below 50 Mc to the present 88-108 Mc band.  Hallicrafters was one company to offer receiving converters for those who had the old FM radio sets.   The offerings included a one-tube converter that fits inside a console and draws power from the audio output tube socket (using an adapter).  This small converter is discussed in the June 1945 issue of Radio News.  The article includes a schematic of the converter.

hallicrafters_cn3.jpg (70642 bytes)

Click here for a full page advertisement

 

Click here for June 1945 Radio News article

 

Crystal Devices

    This is the simplest possible design.  The local oscillator of the receiver is adjusted slightly so that its second harmonic can be used for mixing.  RF leakage from the local oscillator is sufficient to drive this crystal diode mixer, which has an output at the 4.3 Mc IF frequency of the receiver.  It is remarkably simple and apparently worked well for strong stations.  See the review article:  "Simple FM Converter Will Make You Money" Radio Maintenance, January, 1948.  [View this one-page article (592Kb)]  I have additional typewritten notes from WMOT in Pittsbourgh, PA on building and installing this type of converter.  (Thanks goes to Charles Harper for the written information and Darryl Hock for the photographs).

crystal_devices_fm_conv1.jpg (35728 bytes)

crystal_devices_fm_conv2.jpg (42796 bytes)

crystal_devices_fm_conv3.jpg (41949 bytes)

 

Converters from Magazine Articles

Kees, Harvey: "A Simple FM Converter" Radio News, May, 1946.
    This is a one tube (6J5) plus diode (1N34) circuit that converts any 8 Mc of the new FM band to the old FM band.  It is assembled on a U-shaped piece of aluminum and mounted inside the radio set.  I built one using old parts and carefully followed the article.  It works!

radio_news_converter.jpg (15986 bytes)
click on image for larger picture

 Read the full article:

[Page 1 (572Kb)]   [Page 2 (361Kb)]

 

Modern  Converter 

Here is my design for a modern receiving converter for pre-war FM sets.

Photo of prototype

converter.jpg (61418 bytes)		 Schematic diagram

converter_schematic.jpg (62259 bytes)		 Read an article 
on this design

 

NEW! Simplified Modern Converter

Here is as simplified design of the above converter. This is much easier to build.  

Photo
easy_conv.jpg (54499 bytes)
 Schematic diagram
converter_schematic.jpg (62259 bytes)		 Building instructions

Larry Gagnon built one of these and he reported good results:  Larry's Converter

 

Receiving Converters 88-108 Mc to AM broadcast band

DeWald B612

 

I designed this circuit.  It can be connected to an FM tuner to play FM stations on an AM radio.

Photo of prototype

amxmit3.jpg (23836 bytes)		 Schematic diagram

amxmit.gif (16614 bytes)		 Schematic diagram in
Adobe Acrobat
pdf file of schematic

 

Receiving Converters 88-108 to Television

Regency FM TeleVerter

 

 

 

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Last updated 9 June 2001

Andrew R. Mitz
arm@gnode.org
All text, photographs, and other graphics are copyright (c) 1998-2001 LTJ Designs.