Is it worth anything?

[ampulman]

Getting ready for the community yard sale and was wondering about my radio's value (if any).

It is a surplus WWII BC-3120-N (or NX). I.D. plate was removed, but has been tentatively I.D'd from War Department TM. It has an AC male plug on the back, so a simple extension cord will power it up. Audio out is via a jack.

Tuning range is 1.5 - 18 Mhz, AM only, but can receive sideband. The manual, dated Feb 3, 1943 has circuit diagrams and component pictorials. Also have a few spare JAN (joint Army/Navy) tubes. Has provision for long wire antenna.

Now, for the downside. It suddenly stopped working a few years ago. I opened it up and found a burnt out resistor (which I removed, but marked up the pictorial. Not a tech, but I'm thinking the associated capacitor is shorted/open. Tubes don't light up so probably open heater string. Never did get around to fixing it.

Since this baby weighs a ton (estimating > 50 lbs), I don't feel like lugging it up from the basement if hopeless case.

Thanks for your input.

While I have your attention, also have a Hallicrafters SX-99 in working order. Cosmetically fair. Could benefit from an alignment and contact cleaning. Value?

Thanks again.

Amp

 

[Rt169Radio]

Any pictures?

 

[trace1]

I just happen to have one of those WWII era US Army Signal Corps Radio Receiver BC-312-N siting on my desk and it is in good working order. Even with the problems of the one you have it could be very valuable to someone who restores old radios like that who made need parts or to actually restore it.

Way back in the 80's when I got mine I was tuning around the dials and came up on what sounded to be a foreign news broadcast. I couldn't understand a word that was being said but then the name of Ronald Reagan was said, in plain English, so I knew that they were at least talking about US. Then many years later as I was spinning that dial I heard some Chinese Hip-Hop music. I thought my wife and oldest son were going hurt themselves from laughing so hard!

 

[zz0468]

The value will depend on the condition and completeness. A lot of these radios were heavily modified during their post-war life, and that detracts from their value. eBay is a good place to check for prices. Since the value of anything is only what people are willing to pay for them, check closed auctions and see what they go for. Same for the SX99.

Funny thing... I have both of those radios. Well, close. Mine is actually a BC-342, the only difference was the power supply. I think the '312 was originally 12 or 24 volts. I also have it's twin, the BC-344. Frequency range 150 khz to 1.5 MHz. 150 kilocycles, actually. That's what it says on the dial. =)

 

[kb2vxa]

It's a misidentified BC-312 so I can't be sure about the letter suffix which identifies the operating voltage. There's a whole slew of them for either 12VDC or 24VDC with B+ coming from an internal dynamotor. Where that "AC plug" came from I have no idea, like the man said many were modified for ham use. Now if you want to fix it first you'll have to properly identify it, manuals are available.

Oh if you think that's heavy, try hoisting an R-390 (I restored two) or the one that nearly broke my back, the RCA AR-88. Guy, we don't call them boat anchors for nothing!

 

[zz0468]

It's a misidentified BC-312 so I can't be sure about the letter suffix which identifies the operating voltage. There's a whole slew of them for either 12VDC or 24VDC with B+ coming from an internal dynamotor. Where that "AC plug" came from I have no idea, like the man said many were modified for ham use. Now if you want to fix it first you'll have to properly identify it, manuals are available.

After a bit of research, I find that the BC-312 was the dynamoter version, and the BC-342 was the AC powered version. I've seen the RA-20 power supply mounted in BC-312's, so it sounds like the OP's was modified at some point - and that would affect the value.

Oh if you think that's heavy, try hoisting an R-390 (I restored two) or the one that nearly broke my back, the RCA AR-88. Guy, we don't call them boat anchors for nothing!

At 85 lbs (R-390), that's heavy enough that you carefully plan how you're going to get it into and out of the rack. The AR-88 really was a boat anchor! There's probably a few hundred of them helping gravity keep ship wrecks at the bottom of the ocean, where they really belong.

 

[ampulman]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I just checked the manual and the radio appears to be a 342-N which is the AC powered version in the stated frequency range.

Might remove the case to check the internals since I can't verify model, as the ID plate was removed.

Amp

 

[kb2vxa]

The model number should appear right on the cover, maybe your manual is missing a few things?

"At 85 lbs (R-390), that's heavy enough that you carefully plan how you're going to get it into and out of the rack."

In this case difficulties were minor, plenty of room on the shelf in front of it to work on.

"The AR-88 really was a boat anchor!"

Tell me about it, I couldn't budge the thing without assistance preferably from a forklift.

"There's probably a few hundred of them helping gravity keep ship wrecks at the bottom of the ocean, where they really belong."

I'll agree with the first part, we shipped enough of them to England and some never made it past the U-Boat wolf packs. Where they belong was where most went, to the Bletchley Park monitoring station. Hey look, there's 1, 2, no, 8 of them in this rack! Oh that's not all, notice the US Army Signal Corps model LS-3 loudspeaker.

 

[zz0468]

I'll agree with the first part, we shipped enough of them to England and some never made it past the U-Boat wolf packs. Where they belong was where most went, to the Bletchley Park monitoring station. Hey look, there's 1, 2, no, 8 of them in this rack!

I didn't say that well... What I meant was, the ship wrecks belong on the bottom, not the radios. They're just helping to keep things weighed down.

Bletchley would be a sight to behold. It's a museum now?

 

[kb2vxa]

Yes, there are several including the mansion, Station X, the National Museum of Computing which has a rebuild of Colossus, the Churchill Collection, Blechley Park Garage a collection of antique autos and by now the RSGB should be relocated into their new building. There are others but my English teacher warned me against drag-on sentences.

Oh and since RR is the "which speaker is best and Motorola always wins" web site, I love my Motorolas but I sure wish I still had my Signal Corps speaker, the mother of all communications speakers.

 

[DaveIN]

It suddenly stopped working a few years ago. I opened it up and found a burnt out resistor (which I removed, but marked up the pictorial.

YMMV, but unless you find the right buyer, it's not going to be worth anything, non-working.