Old TV tuners - useful for a wide range VHF receiver (video)

[vk3yedotcom]

Here in Australia we were unfortunate enough to have TV channels very close to the 6m and 2m amateur band.

That created all sorts of problems when those channels were used. Luckily they aren't today.

The silver lining is that old TV tuners can be used for reception of amateur and adjacent frequencies in conjunction with a tunable IF receiver in the 20 - 60 MHz range.

Here's some demonstrations:

[jonovid]

an interesting project for its time.
I have tryed various TV tuner receiver cans, as a VHF UHF voltage controlled tuner, step down receiver feeding a  TA2003P  radio ic set-up for 40MHz 90MHz
but digital modes have killed the project for me.

[MathWizard]

I have a little box of the RF front end's from TV/VCR's. They looked nice and are shielded so some day I hope to use them for something.

1 is the old style TV tuner from the 1960's. Even if the frequency ranges are no use to me, someday I might replace the components for lower freq circuits, in some RF project that needs a big sturdy tuning selector.

[JoeyG]

Tuner modules are still available

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=Philips+tuner+module&_sacat=0

Example data sheet https://tvsat.com.pl/PDF/C/cdm1300l_ph.pdf

[james_s]

It's interesting if you have a tuner around that you want to repurpose, but otherwise analog scanner receivers are plentiful and easy to find and they are a lot more versatile. I have a Radio Shack Pro-2004 and a Pro-2006 that I use almost daily.

[9aplus]

Couple years ago the TV tuners with separated RF preamp can, was on sale in my local
electronic shop... Tempted to try, purchased two for approx value of 5$
One is still in use from time to time, with N connectors attached.
Useful gain ends on 1,1 GHz... 

[TimFox]

An interesting obsolete tuner, still available from surplus houses, is the Mallory "Inducto tuner", which has continuous tuning over the VHF TV band.
https://fairradio.com/product/545t001/
https://fairradio.com/product/458u246/
https://fairradio.com/product/456c452/
I'm not sure, but the inductors may be flat spirals that wind up with rotation.
Has anyone tried using these for VHF receivers?

[vk3yedotcom]

Follow-up video, using a crude crystal set type detector & audio amp.

[jonovid]

Follow-up video, using a crude crystal set type detector & audio amp.

if you can get  i2c and arduino most TV tuner cans be hacked.
then your get the 35Mhz output in to the receiver of your choice.
however the old TV turret tuners as shown in the video are hard to find nowadays.
most I find are 1990s i2c type contraled TV tuner cans on a crt TV motherboards.
I was slightly disappointed given the effort, time I put into this hack.
also as seen in the video most of the time your just getting FM broadcasting. 

update-
figure out this lot
can=case ground & ant-in is obvious
IF   intermediate frequency 25  35MHz
BM 
AFC
BL  low
AGC automatic gain control
BH  high
BT
BU
two other tuners one is PLL 

if anyone is interested
all you need to know here-
https://www.maximus-randd.com/tv-tuner-history-pt1.html
tv tuner history from 1945 to the 1990s   2000's

[jonovid]

anyone seeking cheap and plentiful  20pF variable RF capacitors for a DIY regenerative receiver
if you got old clock radios or other analog AM-FM parts at hand.
443DF Model 20 & 270pF shaft type radio 2x dual variable capacitor for analog AM-FM broadcast receivers.
the FM side has two 20pF variable capacitors , each has its own trimmer capacitor.
extending knob axle can be done with a 2mm screw & hollow round tubing.

[vk3yedotcom]

Part 3 - with a superregen tunable IF

[stellavox]

Mallory Inductuners were used on many early surveillance receivers made by Watkins Johnson and others in the "mechanical tuning age", because they could cover a wide tuning range.  Some receivers had 4 or 5 gangs for pretty good front-end selectivity.