A Utah Radio UAT-2 Modulator

Provenance
Because my CW skills are still lacking after all these years I knew early on that I was going to want the modulator for the UAT-1. I was making plans to build one from scratch but I was agonizing about putting it in the empty UAT-5 high power modulator cabinet that I had. I knew it was very unlikely that I was ever going to come across the high power modulator electronics. But I hated the idea of cutting new holes in the original cabinet. I started to toy with the idea of building a wooden cabinet for it. And then this spring NEARFest XXXIII happened where I finally found a UAT-4 Amplifier. I had it setup on a box next to my truck and I was ogling and staring at it all day as I mostly ignored my table full of exciting and rare items for sale. Guys would pass by looking at the crusty, filthy box, smiling knowingly. Like "this guy doesn't know what he's getting into" (They were right, and actually I still don't). Others were almost incredulous asking "What the hell is that" with a slight snicker in their voice. But one guy came by and came up close to the box. He looked at it knowingly and we talked a little about Utah Radio Products. Turned out he once owned all 5 UAT boxes, but sold them off years ago and now was sorry he had. We talked a little more and he vaguely muttered something like "I might have some information for you". So I gave him my QSL card, (forgetting that it didn't have any contact info on it) and he walked away. I figured maybe he had some schematics or manuals that he might share but I went back to my ogling and forgot all about it. A few weeks later I get an email from George K1ANX saying he has the power supply and cabinet for the number 2 modulator. First I had to verify that he was the guy I talked to at NEARFest. Then I had to make sure he was offering to part with it. Turns out he was, and he was. We met a few weeks later down in southern Vermont and spent a nice 45 minutes talking boatanchor shop. I brought the half full modulator cabinet home happy that at least half of my proposed modulator from scratch was almost complete.

Provenance

Because my CW skills are still lacking after all these years I knew early on that I was going to want the modulator for the UAT-1. I was making plans to build one from scratch but I was agonizing about putting it in the empty UAT-5 high power modulator cabinet that I had. I knew it was very unlikely that I was ever going to come across the high power modulator electronics. But I hated the idea of cutting new holes in the original cabinet. I started to toy with the idea of building a wooden cabinet for it.

And then this spring NEARFest XXXIII happened where I finally found a UAT-4 Amplifier. I had it setup on a box next to my truck and I was ogling and staring at it all day as I mostly ignored my table full of exciting and rare items for sale. Guys would pass by looking at the crusty, filthy box, smiling knowingly. Like "this guy doesn't know what he's getting into" (They were right, and actually I still don't). Others were almost incredulous asking "What the hell is that" with a slight snicker in their voice.

But one guy came by and came up close to the box. He looked at it knowingly and we talked a little about Utah Radio Products. Turned out he once owned all 5 UAT boxes, but sold them off years ago and now was sorry he had. We talked a little more and he vaguely muttered something like "I might have some information for you". So I gave him my QSL card, (forgetting that it didn't have any contact info on it) and he walked away. I figured maybe he had some schematics or manuals that he might share but I went back to my ogling and forgot all about it.

A few weeks later I get an email from George K1ANX saying he has the power supply and cabinet for the number 2 modulator. First I had to verify that he was the guy I talked to at NEARFest. Then I had to make sure he was offering to part with it. Turns out he was, and he was. We met a few weeks later down in southern Vermont and spent a nice 45 minutes talking boatanchor shop. I brought the half full modulator cabinet home happy that at least half of my proposed modulator from scratch was almost complete.