{"id":4571,"date":"2012-10-06T12:48:19","date_gmt":"2012-10-06T16:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=4571"},"modified":"2012-10-06T12:48:19","modified_gmt":"2012-10-06T16:48:19","slug":"the-ten-tec-hamfest-and-my-new-vintage-ls-166u-military-loudspeaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/the-ten-tec-hamfest-and-my-new-vintage-ls-166u-military-loudspeaker\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ten-Tec Hamfest–and my new (vintage) LS-166\/U military loudspeaker"},"content":{"rendered":"
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My only purchase at the Ten-Tec hamfest flea market this year, the LS-166\/U military loudspeaker<\/p><\/div>\n

This past weekend was the Ten-Tec Hamfest<\/a>, which is held each year at the Ten-Tec factory in Sevierville, Tennessee, USA. I’m particularly fortunate in that I live within a\u00a0few hour’s drive of the factory, so I make it a point to attend the Hamfest each year.<\/p>\n

Hamfests, for those of you not familiar with them, are basically flea markets or swap-meets for amateur radio operators and radio enthusiasts of all stripes. \u00a0It’s a place to reunite with hobbyist friends and to trade, sell, or purchase new or used radio equipment. The Ten-Tec Hamfest is free, draws a sizable crowd, and what’s more, attendees get the opportunity to try out Ten-Tec radio equipment and tour the factory where their products are made. The Hamfest also coincides with the annual SEDCO<\/a> DXer\/Contester Conference, which is held in the same town, and begins just as the Hamfest winds down.<\/p>\n

This year, I had not intended to buy anything. Still, I’m pleased to admit I bought only one<\/em> item…<\/p>\n

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The LS-166\/U loudspeaker is built like no other–it’s even gun blast resistant! Its rigid cone is well protected by thick metal screen and mesh.<\/p><\/div>\n

My purchase:\u00a0 an LS-166\/U loudspeaker. This small speaker has been used extensively in military operations around the world. It’s built like a tank, was perhaps mounted in some, but used primarily used in Jeeps, trucks, and on portable radio packs. The case is made of metal and extremely durable. The two watt speaker has a permanent magnet.\u00a0 It is also fungus, gunblast, and immersion resistant:\u00a0 if you drop this speaker, you don’t need to worry about damaging it–rather, you may need to worry about the floor (or your foot).<\/p>\n

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Side view of the LS-166\/U: though heavy, its dimensions are only 4.75 x 4.75 x 3″.<\/p><\/div>\n

The really cool thing about this speaker is that it contains an audio transformer that–via a switch on the side–will allow you to chose between a 600 ohm primary and 8 ohm secondary impedance. The speaker sounds crystal clear, even though mine has obviously received extensive usage. That’s the great thing about military gear–it was designed for functionality, often over-engineered, and certainly\u00a0built to last!<\/p>\n

The LS-166\/U is not for listening to music–it was designed primarily for radios that require a high impedance load, and for voice<\/em> audio clarity. If you’re receiving orders over the radio from your commander, the LS-166\/U will punch through the noise from your vehicle and surroundings. It sounds “tinny” if used to listen to shortwave broadcasters, but is actually quite effective when used to listen to amateur radio transmissions and morse code. The 300 Hz to 7 kHz\u00a0frequency response is ideal for this type of application.<\/p>\n

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The schematic is printed on the inside of this back plate, which is easily removed with a plain head screw driver<\/p><\/div>\n

The first rig I hooked up the LS-166\/U to was my Hammarlund SP-600, which has a 600 ohm output. Though I know I can hook up a larger, more responsive speaker for better fidelity, there is something rewarding about hearing a speaker that has seen so much service being used once again, and still playing as if new.<\/p>\n

As you can see from the photo below, mine lacks the knob on the side of the case. \u00a0I’ll be looking for one of these at the next Hamfest–or may just order one from\u00a0Fair Radio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>If you happen to locate the LS-166\/U loudspeaker at your local Hamfest, grab one! There are a lot of them floating around and they’re usually quite affordable–typically between $10-20 US (more if mint). I was lucky to pick mine up for $4. Not only is it an affordable piece of military radio history, but I think it would make an excellent external speaker for amateur radio use during outdoor events like Field Day. Indeed, I think this speaker will weather any<\/em> radio challenge!<\/p>\n

So, what else did I see at the Ten-Tec Hamfest this year? Quite a few classic receivers. Though I didn’t take many photos, I did snap a few gems…<\/p>\n

Photos<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

This aluminum radio speaker reminds me of the external speakers found on radios in the early 1900s. The seller had made a custom wooden base for this one (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Heathkits, in near-mint condition (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

An antique Marti receiver, the first of its kind I’ve ever seen (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

A close-up of the Marti’s beautiful dials (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Kennedy 281 (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

If you visit the Ten-Tec factory, tour their radio museum, housing nearly every radio Ten-Tec has produced. One example is the\u00a0 SP-325 (on bottom) a shortwave receiver which once served the US government as a training radio. They’re fairly rare, but can be found occasionally on eBay. (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This past weekend was the Ten-Tec Hamfest, which is held each year at the Ten-Tec factory in Sevierville, Tennessee, USA. I’m particularly fortunate in that I live within a\u00a0few hour’s drive of the factory, so I make it a point to attend the Hamfest each year. Hamfests, for those of you not familiar with them, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,1271,305],"tags":[1146,586,1403,1398,1399,1397,1402,1400,1401,1404],"class_list":["post-4571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-boat-anchors-2","category-nostalgia","tag-boat-anchors","tag-heathkit","tag-kennedy-281","tag-ls-166","tag-ls-166u","tag-ls-166u-loudspeaker","tag-marti-antique-radio","tag-military-loudspeaker","tag-military-radio","tag-ten-tec-sp325"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-1bJ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56251,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/comparing-the-watkins-johnson-wj-8711-wj-8712-with-ten-tec-rx-340-rx-331-receivers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":0},"title":"Comparing the Watkins-Johnson WJ-8711 & WJ-8712 with TEN-TEC RX-340 & RX-331 receivers","author":"Thomas","date":"April 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paolo Viappiani, who shares the following guest post: The WJ-8711 & WJ-8712 vs. Ten-Tec RX-340 & RX-331 Receivers by Paolo Viappiani, Carrara, Italy In recent years, a renewed interest has grown in regards to the best HF receivers using \"first generation\" DSPs, typically the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image6.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image6.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14659,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/a-photo-tour-of-the-2015-shelby-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":1},"title":"A photo tour of the 2015 Shelby Hamfest","author":"Thomas","date":"September 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"For the first time in over a decade, my Labor Day weekend was free of travel, so I was able to make a short pilgrimage to the Shelby (North Carolina) hamfest with my good buddies, Vlado (N3CZ), Dave (K4SV) and Phil (W9IXX). The Shelby Hamfest--referred to, locally, as \"The Grand-Daddy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_20150905_104809168_HDR","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150905_104809168_HDR.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150905_104809168_HDR.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150905_104809168_HDR.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33589,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/photos-from-the-berryville-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":2},"title":"Photos from the Berryville Hamfest","author":"Thomas","date":"August 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares a few photos he took at the Berryville, Virginia, hamfest recently. A fitting post for Boat Anchor Tuesday! Thanks for sharing these, Dan!","rel":"","context":"In "Boat Anchors"","block_context":{"text":"Boat Anchors","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/boat-anchors-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Berryville-Hamfest-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Berryville-Hamfest-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Berryville-Hamfest-8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14786,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/a-photo-tour-of-the-2015-wcars-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":3},"title":"A photo tour of the 2015 WCARS hamfest","author":"Thomas","date":"September 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks ago, on July 25th, I made my way to Waynesville, NC, to the WCARS hamfest. This is a much smaller hamfest than, say, the Shelby Hamfest I recently attended. In the past, however, I've found some real gems among the tables of this small hamfest. I took\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_20150725_083926547","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33423,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/boat-anchors-at-voice-of-aladdin-arc-columbus-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":4},"title":"Boat Anchors at Voice of Aladdin ARC Columbus Hamfest","author":"Eric","date":"August 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"A guest post by Eric McFadden, WD8RIF I had the pleasure of attending the annual Voice of Aladdin Amateur Radio Club's Columbus Hamfest this past weekend, on Saturday, August 4, 2018. The Columbus Hamfest is a smaller, local or regional hamfest but every year when I attend I'm pleasantly surprised\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Boat Anchors"","block_context":{"text":"Boat Anchors","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/boat-anchors-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"1966 Chevrolet pickup-truck (it was for sale)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ColumbusHamfest2018_17.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ColumbusHamfest2018_17.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ColumbusHamfest2018_17.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ColumbusHamfest2018_17.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53991,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/a-photo-tour-of-the-2022-shelby-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":4571,"position":5},"title":"A photo tour of the 2022 Shelby Hamfest","author":"Thomas","date":"September 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday, September 2, 2022, I had just enough time in my schedule to visit the Shelby Hamfest for a couple of hours. The\u00a0Shelby Hamfest\u2013referred to, locally, as \u201cThe Grand-Daddy of them All\u201d\u2013has long been regarded as one of the largest outdoor hamfests in the southeast US. Shelby Photo Gallery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Boat Anchors"","block_context":{"text":"Boat Anchors","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/boat-anchors-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2022-Shelby-Hamfest-02SEP2022-1-300x225.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2022-Shelby-Hamfest-02SEP2022-1-300x225.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2022-Shelby-Hamfest-02SEP2022-1-300x225.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2022-Shelby-Hamfest-02SEP2022-1-300x225.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/2022-Shelby-Hamfest-02SEP2022-1-300x225.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4571\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}