💾 Archived View for alaskalinuxuser.ddns.net › 2021-08-16.gmi captured on 2024-09-29 at 00:15:27. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
">
68w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/12024-1365-
225x300.jpg 225w, https://alaskalinuxuser3.ddns.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/
12024-1365.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />A Winslow
Tele-Tronics, INC. Model SG-44 Signal Generator.
In my collection of stuff, I happen to have a really old piece of radio
equipment. According to the data-plate, it is a SG-44 Signal Generator made by
Winslow Tele-Tronics, INC. I tried looking up the company, and the best that I
could find is that it was established in New Jersey in 1970, and that they
built a lot of equipment for the US Army and Navy. However, there is some
ambiguity, since some of the telegraph keys I found online, supposedly from
this company, pre-date the creation of the company itself.
So the company either existed elsewhere before coming to N.J., or the owners of
the equipment selling them on Ebay or online have the wrong manufacturing
dates. Either way, this unit is stamped with the plant in New Jersey, so we can
safely assume it was made after 1970. What is curious about that, though, is it
lists everything in Mega-Cycles, instead of Mega-Hertz.
The reason this is odd to me, is that the international standards changed to
use MHz (Mega-Hertz) instead of MC/s (Mega-Cycles/Second) in 1968. Further, the
term MHz was in use since 1965. So I’m not sure why this unit, built in the
1970’s would still use the old definition. I can only guess that the production
plans to build this unit were prior to 1968, and they continued to produce this
unit into the 1970’s. Another theory is that the US Navy, for whom this is
supposedly built, didn’t jump on the MHz bandwagon fast enough.
For those who don’t know, it is simply a name change from MC/s to MHz. The
conversion is direct and linear. 1000 MC/s is equal to 1000 MHz. Although I did
find somefunny_charts_where_they_tried_to_make_it_look_complicated_while_still
saying_that_same_thing.
In any event, this unit can generate a signal from 10 MHz up to 420 MHz. For
HAM radio operators, that covers from just under the 20 Meter band up through
the very start of the 70 CM band. Of course, the purpose of a signal generator
is to generate a set signal. In this case it is used to generate a 400 Hz or
1000 Hz signal. That signal is usually used for testing purposes to ensure your
equipment is calibrated and working properly. For your reference, middle C on a
piano is 261.6 Hz (the 40th key on the piano), so a 400 Hz signal is the 47th
key on the piano, a G, while the 1000 Hz signal is the 63rd key, a B. Of course
they are not exact matches, but close enough, just a little sharp.
Now the question becomes, what do I do with it? I suppose now I need to figure
out if it works, and I can’t find any manuals online for it. Hmmm…. more to
think on, I suppose.
Linux – keep it simple.