Managed to find a couple of Stoner Pro-40s out in Never-never-land. For those unfamiliar with the rig, it's an SSB-only 11M set with an audio notch filter ("whistlestop") and passive mixer front end - as the Drake 7-lines employed. They're pretty popular with the die-hard collector and command big money.

One of these is likely a parts/project rig - I think the synthesizer microcontroller is bad. Thus, I'm going to design a new one for it.

Here's where the purists will cry:

That radio just begs for additional features - bring the Mic Gain out to a front panel control, do something with selectable AGC time constants and selectable IF RX filters. Fortunately, they're 10.7MHz and I can find a variety of bandwidths...including a roll-your-own "variable" design.

If I have to create a synthesizer computer from scratch it'll offer dual logical channel selectors and a way to use them in split mode for TX/RX. Extended frequency ranges, albeit RX-only with a transmitter lockout. A "busy/free" scan function. Improved power supplies. All this without changing anything to do with the TX signal chain - from oscillators through PA. The front panel will remain untouched except for the addition of some concentric knobs - the ones I have in mind look better than the OEMs.

Currently on the hunt for accessories for the radio - SPK-40, OSC-40, SOC-40 and anything else which goes with it.

STONER-PRO-40-CB.jpg