Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, 8 p.m. — I’m just checking in to vent a little frustration into the ether tonight … just finished reading a discussion thread trashing one of my favorite old 
receivers, the BC-348. I fired mine up yesterday evening and let ‘er warm up because I anticipated doing some late-night ham band rambling. These gents were ragging on the old war horse receiver something terrible!
Of course, they were pointing out all the receiver’s shortcomings, which in light of other ham-only receivers of the post-WWII era, were true. A Hallicrafters SX-42 was a better performer for ham use. However the BC-348 surplus was the more affordable option for lots of hams.
The BC-348 started out in the mid-1930s as an RCA design for the Army Signal Corps for a 14-volt DC aircraft receiver. The 14-volt version of this receiver is the BC-224 receiver. A 28-volt version was developed (basically the same radio powered by a 28 volt dynamotor) and dubbed the BC-348. Beginning in the mid-30s through the Korean War, the BC-348 found its way into multi-engine military transports, bombers, etc.
According to Antique Radio Forum, more than 100,000 of these receivers were built. They’re still floating around eBay, so they’re still in circulation.
I enjoyed listening to mine last night in the library. And yes, it lacks the selectivity of most decent post-WWII receivers (National, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters), but its usable. For new novices, it was probably the bees’ knees in the 50s and 60s. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of my old receiver, and if I had it paired with a transmitter, I’m confident I could work CW with it without a lot of problems … at least most of the time. On Field Day or Straight Key Night, well, that might be another story! However, I could always break out my Datong FL-2 or 3 and I’m certain I could overcome whatever selectivity shortcomings the BC-348 has. The Datongs have done yeoman’s service providing selectivity to my Heathkit HW-16 rig for years, so its not an unknown task, hi!
I’m heading to the library to do some reading, and I’m going to fire up the BC-348 again. Friday nights on 75 meters, I’m sure I can find an entertaining ragchew to copy while I read.
Keep the heaters lit, Martha, I’m coming to join ya honey!
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