As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.

For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
The vernier reads 0 to 500.
The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???

Jimm,
I'm guessing, but couldn't the markings on vernier be nothing more than a logging scale, since it has no relationship to frequency. Depending on the graduations, it might even be more accurate than trying to find your favorite station on a mHz dial. A lot of AM and FM radios had that for years before the digital readout was introduced.

marv

:As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.
:
:For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
:The vernier reads 0 to 500.
:The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
:Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???

In the early days of radio, dials weren't calibrated in terms of exact frequency. The operator tuned in stations and then recorded the dial settings in a log book.

Here's a vintage log you can download from the Internet.

http://www181.pair.com/otsw/KC_Log.pdf

It was intended for a typical TRF set of the 20s that had three tuned stages. Once you tuned-in a station, you listened until you learned the stations location and wavelength (they didn't start using "frequency" at the beginning). Then you wrote all this data in your log so that if you wanted to find that station again, you set your dials according to the log and you were pretty close. Since the early radios weren't always stable, you might have to "tweak" the dials a little to get the best reception.

Rich

:Jimm,
:I'm guessing, but couldn't the markings on vernier be nothing more than a logging scale, since it has no relationship to frequency. Depending on the graduations, it might even be more accurate than trying to find your favorite station on a mHz dial. A lot of AM and FM radios had that for years before the digital readout was introduced.
:
:marv
:
::As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.
::
::For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
::The vernier reads 0 to 500.
::The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
::Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???

Very interesting! I've never seen one of those before.

However, one might think that by the advent of the single dial superhet, they would have standardized the calibration!

In the NC-100 series "resource" on this site, a log graph shows the corelation between the frequencies and log dial settings. i guess that's as good as it gets!

I like this old dog. It has sufficient selectivity with the BFO to tune in SSB with relative ease.

:In the early days of radio, dials weren't calibrated in terms of exact frequency. The operator tuned in stations and then recorded the dial settings in a log book.
:
:Here's a vintage log you can download from the Internet.
:
:http://www181.pair.com/otsw/KC_Log.pdf
:
:It was intended for a typical TRF set of the 20s that had three tuned stages. Once you tuned-in a station, you listened until you learned the stations location and wavelength (they didn't start using "frequency" at the beginning). Then you wrote all this data in your log so that if you wanted to find that station again, you set your dials according to the log and you were pretty close. Since the early radios weren't always stable, you might have to "tweak" the dials a little to get the best reception.
:
:Rich
:
:
::Jimm,
::I'm guessing, but couldn't the markings on vernier be nothing more than a logging scale, since it has no relationship to frequency. Depending on the graduations, it might even be more accurate than trying to find your favorite station on a mHz dial. A lot of AM and FM radios had that for years before the digital readout was introduced.
::
::marv
::
:::As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.
:::
:::For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
:::The vernier reads 0 to 500.
:::The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
:::Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???

:Jimm,
:I'm guessing, but couldn't the markings on vernier be nothing more than a logging scale, since it has no relationship to frequency. Depending on the graduations, it might even be more accurate than trying to find your favorite station on a mHz dial. A lot of AM and FM radios had that for years before the digital readout was introduced.
:
:marv
:Hi Marv, I can use s pic of the needle If you have one. My last email to you bounced back. Forgive me for getting in the middle of this post.
Ivan
:
::As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.
::
::For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
::The vernier reads 0 to 500.
::The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
::Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???

Ivan,
Don't have a stylus (saphire recommended)or the stylus guard yet. Westtech Services, as recommended by Norm offered the req'd stuff, after viewing a .jpg of my cartridge. Try the email again.

marv

::Jimm,
::I'm guessing, but couldn't the markings on vernier be nothing more than a logging scale, since it has no relationship to frequency. Depending on the graduations, it might even be more accurate than trying to find your favorite station on a mHz dial. A lot of AM and FM radios had that for years before the digital readout was introduced.
::
::marv
::Hi Marv, I can use s pic of the needle If you have one. My last email to you bounced back. Forgive me for getting in the middle of this post.
:Ivan
::
:::As I was playing with this old National RCE, i was wondering how to tell what frequency I'm on.
:::
:::For instance, one of the bands is 2.8 to 6.4 MC.
:::The vernier reads 0 to 500.
:::The specs say that the active band is above 0 and below 500. I'm confused about how this works..
:::Is the operator supposed to work out ratios to figure out the frequency???