No, it's not Part 15 but it's an interesting listing. My only interest in it is curiosity why 1710kHz?
Globe Electronics HG-303 1710kHz AM Transmitter - AS IS ($399 or BO, free ship) https://www.ebay.com/itm/136922749413
"We are unable to test due to the power cable is cut very short. The function switch is bent, and will have rust spots. For this reason, we are selling the unit AS-IS for parts/repair as a non-working or incomplete unit. We have not tested / inspected any further, .."
Looks very old. From 50s? Back then the police used what is now the expanded band and a lot of vintage radios went to 1710 to receive the audio of police calls.
This may have been used by police on that frequency as there were no commercial broadcasts there. These sellers just get this stuff from wherever, estate, garage sales etc..
to sell on Ebay and only know what someone else tells them or nothing at all.
Looked it up and saw this...maybe HAM was there also but I know there was a police band in the 1610 to 1710 back then.
http://maxmcarter.com/hg303/index.html
Here's an example of a typical radio from the 50s that went to 1710 for the police band. I had a similar Marconi model growing up.
That's an amateur radio transmitter. Globe used to make them in the tube era of the 1950s and the 1960s.
If you look closely (although it's hard to see), you'll notice the bandswitch control, with 80m, 40m, 20m, etc. as stops. Those are amateur bands.
Either the seller doesn't know what he has (rarely they do), or the transmitter has been modified to transmit in the lower frequencies, and it has a 1710 crystal in it (likely, as I can't see how he/she would pull that value out of a hat).
Again, that was in the era where electronics could be worked on with minimal equipment, and amateur radio operators actually knew some electronics and fixed/modified things.
... Either the seller doesn't know what he has (rarely they do), or the transmitter has been modified to transmit in the lower frequencies, and it has a 1710 crystal in it (likely, as I can't see how he/she would pull that value out of a hat).
Again, that was in the era where electronics could be worked on with minimal equipment, and amateur radio operators actually knew some electronics and fixed/modified things.
@artisan-radio In the link above that Mark posted to one in much better condition it specifically says it had been modified for 1710 too, which seems to imply it might been a common practice for some reason.. which brings back the question Why 1710?
The Globe HG-303 -A former ham transmitter (mfg circa 1960) converted for AM operation on 1710 kHz> http://maxmcarter.com/hg303/index.html
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/worldradio_hg_303.html The HG-303 is a crystal controlled (option for external VFO) five band 75 watts CW amateur transmitter. It provides output on the (old) 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands.
You know, it just occured to me there's a possibility the seller just used the info provided at the maxcarter site as the basis of his own description for the one he listed on eBay. Maybe anyway, either that or there that conversion was common on these transmitters for some reason
I asked Google AI why someone might do that and it said one of the possibilities would be
- Pirate Radio Broadcasting: 1710 kHz is a popular "clear channel" frequency for North American pirate radio stations because it sits just above the standard AM broadcast band (530–1700 kHz), allowing it to be heard on many consumer radios while avoiding most legal commercial stations.
Sounds reasonable
Doubt that many amateur radio operators would do the conversion to 1710 (maybe 1.8 to 2Mhz for the 160m ham band). Most hams are pretty strict about following the rules (not all, admittedly, but most).
In fact, if you're a pirate and want to be caught, just transmit on the ham bands. It's a surefire way.
I suspect that the seller just did copy the info on that site Mark posted the link to. Maybe it's even that transmitter! You never know.
Even the maxcarter page doesn't mention why it had been converted to 1710, on that it had been. I just keep wondering why 1710? For what purpose? Part 15? Maybe, but few choose it because it's confined to 15.209 operation -- although interesting to note that the has FCC recently granted licence to a 1710 TIS station in Montana... Which I also find curious.
Converting to 1710 back in the 50s would get you on the police analog band that was used back then. That could get you into trouble. The AM radios that had the expanded band to 1710 was only for receiving not transmitting. It was after the police stopped using that, that the commercial AM band was expanded(late 80s).
Here's an RCA radio with the expanded band and marked police...enlarge and/or open in new tab and enlarge to see better.
Although I wonder what kind of tracking equipment they had back in the 1930s 40s and 50s to catch pirates on 1710?
I guess it would depend on when the modification was done.
If back when the transmitter was sold or shortly after, then it would definitely be in the police band.
My guess would be more recently, after the AM band expanded into the X Band. 1710 is used by a lot of AM pirates, as it's almost always clear (except for the few licensed stations there), so you would have no interference, and you likely wouldn't interfere with them. Still pirate operation, though.
I also have to wonder why you would choose that transmitter. The Drake line of tube transmitters had much better sound, and was a favorite for pirate use. Probably cost, as they were relatively expensive.
I contacted the seller and asked:
I'm very curious what makes you say it's 1710kHz?
Thank you
Dear Customer,
It looks like this information was added from a 3rd party site, i am not able to confirm if the unit operates at 1710 kHz.
Sincerely,
Austin
Police use was from 1.6Mz(1600kz) to 2.5Mz(2500kz), in some areas but more often between 1600 and 1700.
So HAM transmitters were just asking for trouble modifying to transmit on 1710. Surprising that pirates would chance interfering on a police band.
Maybe for some reason 1710 was left clear as it says that was clear channel so pirates thought to go there as some radios like the one shown and lots of others could get to 1710.
Only one reason it seems this HAM equipment would be converted to 1710.
But surprising enough, I grew up with a Marconi radio as I posted that had the x band but I never knew about hearing police calls there or anything else so never tried.