The AA8V/W8EXI 6CL6 One-Tube Transmitter - Other Versions of the Transmitter

The AA8V/W8EXI 6CL6 One-Tube Transmitter
by Greg Latta, AA8V

Other Versions of the Transmitter

Dave Rogers' (WB4CHK) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter

**6CL6 Transmitter Pages:**
6CL6 Home/Historical Background	Restoration Photos and Details
Exterior Photos of the Finished Transmitter	Schematic Diagram and Circuit Description
Interior Photos of the Finished Transmitter	Why Use A 6CL6?
Photos of the Transmitter In Its Original Condition	Which Crystals to Use/Power Output
Power Transformer Specifications	AA8V with Jim Trutko W8EXI
	Other Versions of the Transmitter

It's heartening to know that others have found these pages useful. The ultimate compliment is when I receive news that someone else has built the transmitter and has it on the air. On this page you can find pictures and information on these other versions of the transmitter.

Other Versions of the Transmitter:
Dave Rogers' (WB4CHK) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter
Charlie Zarek's (W9SAY) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter

Dave Rogers' (WB4CHK) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter

In November of 2005 Dave Rogers (WB4CHK) finished building his 6CL6 transmitter and was kind enough to send me some photos. I thought it would be helpful to show how someone else put the transmitter together. If you have any questions for Dave, you can e-mail him at Davewb4@aol.com

**Photos of Dave Rogers' (WB4CHK) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter:**
Front View: In this front view of Dave's transmitter, you can see that his front panel layout is essentially the same as the original transmitter layout. The only difference is that Dave mounted the crystal socket horizontally, whereas it is mounted vertically in the original version of the transmitter. (Note: In this photo Dave has the plate tuning and loading control labels reversed. The one marked "plate tuning" should be marked "plate loading" and vice-versa.)	Click on the image for a larger view. Click here for a super detailed view.
Rear View: This is the rear view of Dave's transmitter. The layout is similar, but not identical, to that of the original transmitter. You will notice that Dave chose to mount the power supply on a separate chassis, which gives you more room on the transmitter and makes the wiring easier. Dave also made good use of terminal strips for the power supply connections. For the tank coil, Dave used 1 1/4" PVC pipe, and it looks like it worked great.. Dave made his transmitter for 40, 30, and 20 meters, so there are fewer turns of wire and fewer taps on the coil. Another important difference is that Dave used a variable capacitor (on the right in the photo) for the loading capacitor, rather than switched, fixed, capacitors, as in the original. The variable capacitor is definitely the way to go! The large 18pf-500pf capacitor that Dave used (because that is what he had) will work fine, though it is not necessary. A smaller one would do nicely too. Any air variable capacitor with a maximum capacity of 200pf to 400pf should work fine as a loading capacitor.	Click on the image for a larger view. Click here for a super detailed view.
Power Supply: Though Dave chose to use a separate chassis for the power supply, his component layout is very similar to that of the original transmitter. Keeping to tradition, Dave used a bread loaf pan for the chassis, a practice common in the 50's and 60's. At the left rear you can see the black terminal strip that Dave used to make connections to the power supply. The terminal strip is a great idea, as it allows the power supply to be easily used to power other vintage projects.	Click on the image for a larger view. Click here for a super detailed view.

Charlie Zarek's (W9SAY) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter

In February, 2008 I received an email from from Charlie Zarek (W9SAY) describing his version of the transmitter. Charlie mounted his transmitter in a wooden case, and designed the transmitter to run off of a generic power supply he has in his shack. If you have questions for Charlie you can e-mail him at w9say@yahoo.net

**Photos of Charlie Zarek's (W9SAY) Version of the 6CL6 Transmitter:**
Charlie Zarek's (W9SAY) Transmitter: In Charlie Zarek's version of the transmitter the power supply is built on a separate chassis but the voltage regulator tubes are mounted with the transmitter. Charlie used a wooden chassis for his transmitter with a black top panel. Charlie's transmitter is also a single band (40m) transmitter. This simplifies construction. RCA connectors were used for the key and antenna. The power supply connects to the transmitter via the Jones connector right behind the 6CL6.	Click on the image for a larger view. Click here for a super detailed view.