[Milsurplus] Milsurplus Digest, Vol 259, Issue 24 LF/MF fun

Fri Nov 21 11:07:18 EST 2025

The BC-348 can indeed be used for NDB hunting, but IMHO the BC-453 Command Set is much superior,
mainly because of greater selectivity due to it's IF frequency; much narrower than the BC-348 (85 KHz
for the BC-453 versus 915 KHz for the BC-348).

Running a BC-348 with it's dynamotor isn't a very good idea for LF DXing. Dynamotors are inherently
noisy (brush noise). A good AC power supply is much superior.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Christie <mzfb at aol.com>
Sent: Nov 20, 2025 8:12 PM
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Milsurplus Digest, Vol 259, Issue 24 LF/MF fun

So i&rsquo;ve reading all the messages about LF/MF and receivers. I didn&rsquo;t see the BC 348 series mentioned. I realize it&rsquo;s frequency is 200 to 500 Kc but I&rsquo;m thinking it might be worth trying to looking for some NDB&rsquo;s with it. I have one that still has the Dynamotor in it and it would be easy to get 24 volts from a couple batteries run it.
Has anyone tried this idea?
Mike
W1ZFB

On Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 03:19:53 PM EST, <milsurplus-request at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

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Today's Topics:

  1. Re: Convoy Communications manual (Nick England)
  2. Re: [ARC5] Vintage LF/MF Fun with my BC-453B (Dennis Monticelli)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:37:08 -0500
From: Nick England <nick at navy-radio.com (mailto:nick at navy-radio.com)>
To: "milsurplus at mailman.qth.net" <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net (mailto:milsurplus at mailman.qth.net)>
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Convoy Communications manual
Message-ID:
    <CAB55hNf1KM_RfS5Y9RHPKfB9HyXM7dRTX92LiJhRk25EeSbKbw at mail.gmail.com (mailto:CAB55hNf1KM_RfS5Y9RHPKfB9HyXM7dRTX92LiJhRk25EeSbKbw at mail.gmail.com)>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

And an actual WW2 convoy plan including communications is on pages 42-50.

Nick England K4NYW
Chapel Hill NC
www.navy-radio.com
On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 2:22?PM Nick England <nick at navy-radio.com (mailto:nick at navy-radio.com)> wrote:
>
> I recently acquired and scanned NAVPERS 10875 "Merchant Ship Communications".
> It is a 1952 edition but it looks like things mostly followed WW2 practices.
> Chapter 2 contains a history of WW2 convoy operations and changes afterwards,
> This isn't a radio operations manual, but contains a lot of interesting info.
> https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/merch-ship-comms-10875-5208.pdf
>
> I have also posted a 1945 "General Instructions for Naval
> Communications Liaison Officers"
> https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/dnc21-ginclo-1945.pdf
>
> Nick England K4NYW
> Chapel Hill NC
> www.navy-radio.com

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:18:47 -0800
From: Dennis Monticelli <dennis.monticelli at gmail.com (mailto:dennis.monticelli at gmail.com)>
To: Thomas Adams <quixote2 at ix.netcom.com (mailto:quixote2 at ix.netcom.com)>
Cc: ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net (mailto:arc5 at mailman.qth.net)>,    "Military Radio Collectors
    Association \(mrca at mailman.qth.net\)"    <mrca at mailman.qth.net (mailto:mrca at mailman.qth.net)>, List
    Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net (mailto:milsurplus at mailman.qth.net)>
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] [ARC5] Vintage LF/MF Fun with my BC-453B
Message-ID:
    <CADgAsSS=NyFQDWdRwcCG0vsLOSbLzkMeJHwaY5yHcxp0Apj38w at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hey, that's a great idea, Thomas.  Conducted line RFI plagues that radio.
That's why I used batteries.

Dennis AE6C

On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 11:01?AM Thomas Adams <quixote2 at ix.netcom.com (mailto:quixote2 at ix.netcom.com)>
wrote:

> *One modification to the BC-453 that I'd highly recommend...*
>
>
>
> *The tapped antenna input coil is a problem; in many situations it allows
> unwanted ground loops*
>
> *that greatly increase noise sneaking in from the AC power line.*
>
>
>
> *On one set I had, I pulled out the antenna coil and disconnected the tap.
> I then replaced it with a*
>
> *link coil of maybe 20 turns wound over the coil. The plug in terminals
> can be configured to allow*
>
> *the new link coil to be connected to the antenna input.*
>
>
>
> *The noise level went down dramatically, and after some realignment the
> set became a first class *
>
> *NDB hunter. *
>
>
>
>
>
> *Mr. T.*
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dennis Monticelli <dennis.monticelli at gmail.com (mailto:dennis.monticelli at gmail.com)>
> Sent: Nov 19, 2025 3:15 PM
> To: Mark K3MSB <mark.k3msb at gmail.com (mailto:mark.k3msb at gmail.com)>
> Cc: ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net (mailto:arc5 at mailman.qth.net)>, Military Radio Collectors Association (
> mrca at mailman.qth.net) <mrca at mailman.qth.net (mailto:mrca at mailman.qth.net)>, List Milsurplus <
> milsurplus at mailman.qth.net (mailto:milsurplus at mailman.qth.net)>
> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] [ARC5] Vintage LF/MF Fun with my BC-453B
>
>
> Mark,
>
> That is a fun thing to do.  10 yrs ago I did the same thing with a rebuilt
> BC-453B.  One tip I will pass along is to use batteries if you can,
> especially the B+.  I ran eight 9V batteries for B+.  Divorcing the
> receiver from the AC line reduces noise pickup from all the crud that
> modern electronics dump into the line.  It was a significant difference in
> my situation.  Also if you haven't already, adjust the IF transformers for
> looser coupling by pulling up on the tabs.  This will reduce the noise BW.
>
> Dennis AE6C
>
> On Wed, Nov 19, 2025 at 12:25?PM Mark K3MSB <mark.k3msb at gmail.com (mailto:mark.k3msb at gmail.com)> wrote:
>
>> Hi Everyone
>>
>> For the past 2 years I've been using my RBA receiver for vintage LF/MF
>> fun, and have logged over 200 NDBs each year.  This year I decided to use
>> my BC-453B receiver.  It's been recapped, and all out of tolerance
>> resistors (sans one....) have been replaced.
>>
>> [image: image.png]
>>
>> Since early November,  I've logged 52 NDBs.  I'm hoping to log 100 this
>> listening season (which runs through March).
>>
>> 73 Mark K3MSB
>> ______________________________________________________________
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>>
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>
>
>
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