Help Identifying Browning Golden Eagle Mk II Parts

[Tangotoo]

I am unboxing two Browning Golden Eagle MK II's after forty-two years of storage. The first unit is pretty straight forward with a receiver and transmitter. The second has some modification and parts I don't remember. The Transmitter is modified with an additional tuner on the side of the case and there is a separate Transadapter, I assume goes between the transmitter and SSB-15.

1. What was the modification to the transmitter to allow more channels?
2. Am I correct that the Transadapter allows switching between the two transmitters?
3. What shops are recommended to bring these back to life?


Parts list of the units below.

Unit 1 (1967-1968)
Golden Eagle Mk II R 412165
Golden Eagle Mk II T 512321

Unit 2 (R,T: 1967-1968) (SSB, TA, 180: 1970)
Golden Eagle Mk II R 412514
Golden Eagle Mk II T 512160
Golden Eagle MK II SSB-15 973821
Transadapter Model X-100
One-Eighty 121035

Misc
One-Eighty MK III - was not working when stored

 

[Dmans]

1. What was the modification to the transmitter to allow more channels?
Can you provide a detailed picture of the inside of this unit and the wiring to and from the "additional tuner"?
2. Am I correct that the Transadapter allows switching between the two transmitters?
Yes. You are correct.
3. What shops are recommended to bring these back to life?
I would recommend @NomadRadio(a member here). I would send a PM message and ask.
@tramdr is another very familiar with Brownings. (Also a member here). If I remember correctly he mentioned recently in one of his YouTube videos that he does not work on customer equipment anymore. But a Pm to him via this forum may prove me wrong.

73
David

 

[nomadradio]

Modification for more channels? More like two modifications. The receiver and transmitter are independent. You can listen on one channel, and set the transmitter to a totally different channel.

The receivers are modded by adding a 31.72 MHz crystal for channels above channel 23. The nitty-gritties include a hazard. When removing the original single receiver crystal from where it was to the rear of the front-panel switch one leg of the crystal will routinely break off. Safer to order both the 31.4 MHz stock crystal and the 31.72 MHz 'upper' crystal both at the same time. Lower channels call for a crystal 31.1 MHz. And more rewiring.

A kit with the upper crystal and a new dial showing the new frequencies is sold here: https://stores.goldeneagleradios.com/mark-iii-receiver-expander-kit/

As for the transmitters, you can just track down and buy a crystal if what you want is just one or two channels you don't have. But to cover more than that, the typical solution is an external VFO (variable frequency oscillator) or "slider". Just one problem. The correct one for the AM-only transmitter is rare as hens' teeth. It requires a way to become active only when the transmitter is keyed or the Spot button is pressed. Since the channel crystal operates directly on the receiver frequency, it can't be allowed to feed in to the transmitter all the time. You would have a big "Spot" carrier in the receiver all the time. As a result the external slider has to be on standby while receiving. A wire separate from the coax cable is connected to the radio's keying circuit. There is no "plug and play" for this type transmitter. The slider has to be installed properly.

The SSB-15 transmitter uses the same "type 3" Siltronix VFO as the later Mark 3 SSB transmitter. But the sideband receive stinks on Browning base radios, so that would be a waste of time. And no, it is NOT the same VFO needed for the AM-only transmitters.

A complete five-piece Mark 2 station might get you some silly money from a collector. And restoring it will be cheaper than restoring a 1968 car.

Our backlog has filled up all the space we have for it, so we're not soliciting any "restore" jobs at the moment. Those radios have passed beyond the age of "repair". To get any reliable use from them, it's more like "restore".

I have seen "silly" money spent on old Browning base radios that need to have hundreds more spent to make them reliable again. Are you sure it's not just a good time to cash in and find a 'collector' who wants the whole five-piece Mark 2 setup?

73

 

[Tangotoo]

Thanks for the information. It has been many years since I put them in storage (about 42 to 44 I am guessing). I have added a few photos. The additional channels were selectable on the side of the case. I also had a PAL VFO and a Kris Big Boomer amp in the set up. It was an interesting setup for a teenager when I was much younger.

 

[Holydvr]

I have most of the same station with the transdapter. The ssb-15 has a vfo installed. Of course, the AM does not for reasons stated above. Mine works very well. For now!