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[AMPS] More on the Viewstar amplifier

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] More on the Viewstar amplifier
From: bjk@ihug.co.nz (Barry Kirkwood)
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 11:39:30 +1300
Very interesting Phil.
Thanks.
My PT2000A has 1.8mHz built in, otherwise as you describe.
Yes, transformers by Hammond.
73
Baz

end
Barry Kirkwood PhD ZL1DD
Signal Hill
66 Cory Road
Palm Beach
Waiheke Island 1240
NEW ZEALAND
www.waiheke.co.nz/signal.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil (VA3UX) <phil@vaxxine.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, 07 January, 2001 10:57 AM
Subject: [AMPS] More on the Viewstar amplifier


>
> At 10:23 AM 1/6/2001 -0800, you wrote:
> >
> >-
>
> I have a Viewstar PT-2000A (and the matching VS-1500A tuner).  Works well
> although I haven't used it in years.  The PT-2000 is the same as the
> PT-2500 with the following exception : the 2000 had an 1100VA power
> transformer; the 2500 had a 1600 VA transformer.  The 2000 has 80 - 10
> meter operation and also has an extra, unused position for 160 meters if
> you want to add the components.  Other than that, they're the same (same
> box, same components, same front panel  meters,  dual 3-500Z's, blower,
etc).
>
> Viewstar was right here in Ontario, Canada and was owned by Paul Hrivnak
> (VE3UP). In the beginning the amplifier line actually started out at
> Hammond Manufacturing (it was one of Fred Hammond's pet projects).  I
> believe that Paul spent so much time assisting Fred with the design and
> tuning of the Hammond amps that he figured he might as well build them
> himself. The Hammond line of amps was bought by Paul for his Viewstar
> company (Viewstar made a bunch of other stuff too). He sold the Viewstar
> Amp/tuner line to B&W in the 80's.  He then started Vectronics which was
> later sold (or whatever) to MFJ.  He now owns and operates Palstar/Bramco
> in Ohio. (Paul if you're reading this, jump in and correct any of the
> details if I got them wrong).
>
> I have schematics for the Viewstar PT-2000, PT-2500 and PT-3000 amps if
> anyone is interested in copys. As I found with my PT-2000A, not everything
> shown on the schematic is necessarily in the actual amplifier.  Mine does
> not have the shorting bandswitch shown on the drawing. A few other minor
> bits and pieces were changed along the way without the drawing being
> updated.  The PT-3000 used an 8877.
>
> Phil
>
>
>
> >About the Viewstar...
> >-
> >:>From: "w7ry" <w7ry@netzero.net>
> >:>It is a Viewstar....And yes, it covers 160 meters.....
> >:>Last one I had I sold it for $ 800.00
> >-
> >Hi Jim,
> >-
> >Compared to today's "Ebay Prices," it went pretty cheap. I'd
> >like to get a look/copy of the circuit diagram if anyone has
> >one to share.
> >-
> >:>They work good, but some have had trouble with them.
> >-
> >There are a series/generation of HF amplifiers produced in
> >the 80's and 90's which are similar in appearance, but
> >their Engineering and Production Origins are a bit vague to
> >me.  The Viewstar and the B&W Amplifier along with one or
> >two others appear similar in construction, but probably have
> >different roots.
> >Carl, km1h was reselling the B&W amplifier for a time, I'd
> >never heard of a Viewstar vender, and there is also a
> >"Palstar" amplifier..?  I would assume none of these
> >amplifiers lines are still in production..?
> >-
> >:>They run 4000 volts on the plate, very easy to tune, with nice Jackson
> >:>Brothers drives.
> >:>Has a squirrel cage blower and glass chimneys..
> >-
> >Were these amplifiers plagued by any the classic dual 3-500z
> >construction format "glitches" ... (parasitics, cooling, high
> >filament voltage, power supply heat) ..?
> >-
> >:>73! Jim W7RY
> >-
> >Thanks for your input Jim...
> >-
> >[sidebar]
> >I just found/bought an old home brew dual 813 HF Amplifier,
> >just because of the hand made output tank cap physical
> >hardware makeup.  The original builder made a really wild
> >low end range band switch lever mechanism which moves
> >a plastic square with a metal end attached to slide over and
> >short the two halves of a center parted surplus air variable
> >capacitor.
> >-
> >Just the mental work to come up with this hardware was worth
> >the fair price I paid.  After next Thursday, pictures of this wacky,
> >but well working hardware can be seen on the
> >http://sonic.ucdavis.edu  Amateur Radio Pages. If nothing else,
> >it's good for a head scratching laugh.
> >-
> >Anyway... anyone with a Viewstar Diagram to share..?
> >-
> >cheers
> >skipp
> >-
> >
> >________________________________________________________________
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