Hi,
The Stew Perry fun started without me. A couple of days ago my only
viable 160 meter transmitter, my Johnson Ranger, exhibited signs of
"illness" - some kind of unwanted oscillation somewhere within. I tried
to get another transmitter coupled to the receiver and quickly realized
there is no way to spot the TX (the Tx half of a mostly SSB
transceiver). I've been in the Johnson Ranger again ever since. I found
it is possible to tune the frequency of the oscillation with the drive
level, driver tuning, and to some lesser extent with the plate tuning
(TPTG mode). But..if I approach the proper drive level setting from the
NO drive level (increasing drive level) as opposed to deceasing from too
much drive, I don't have the problem - at least not on 160 or 80 meters.
I am ordering suitable bypass caps, especially for all of the screen
circuits along with new 6CL6 tubes. The tubes check out okay in the tube
tester but we all know that is not all telling. I have no subs at the
moment so I will be limping along when I get done with my Santa gig this
evening. I'll be running in the QRP category at the 5 watt level.
Keeping the power level down will hopefully help with the Ranger
surviving the Stew.
A few months ago I had the VFO working pretty well on the bands 40
meters and higher but the instability there has returned. The Ranger
will be getting a lot more TLC in the next few weeks. More caps (I
already changed out some of them), resistance checks and replacement,
etc. The front panel is in great shape but the cabinet will need some
matching paint. There is ONE quarter size chunk of paint missing on the
top near the front...was like that when I got it more than 20 years ago.
I hope to work some of you in the Stew this evening. TX - Johnson
Ranger. RX - Kenwood R-599. I wonder why the 'matching' transmitter
sitting there beside the R-599 does NOT have 160 meters! Maybe the
Ranger will be more fun.
73,
Bill KU8H
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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