Yes Ed, Fred Hammond was involved in the building of those Viewstar
amplifiers as Fred supplied the dies to make the tuning capacitors. I
recall when Paul Hivniak (not sure on spelling of his name) had a big
sale on all the models especially the PT-1000 and the PT-2500 so that
must have been at about the time that they shut down the canadian
operations. The PT-3000A was in same cabinet as the PT-2500 amp. I'm
not aware of the details as to whether Viewstar actually went under but
I do know that B&W had bought the rights to them but it appears that not
very many were sold then.
Fern VE7GZ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Swynar" <gswynar@durham.net>
To: "Fern Rivard" <crc@cyberlink.bc.ca>; "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>;
<Gudguyham@aol.com>
Cc: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Ameritron Amps
> Hi Fern,
>
> Those Viewstar amplifiers were first-rate all the way, to be sure.
>
> I first saw one "up close & personal" at a Hamfest some 24 years ago,
> and
> really admired its construction. It looked like the absolute best sort
> of a
> rig that a savvy, experienced homebrewer could make --- rugged to the
> nth
> degree, yet everything seemed to be quite accessible...not at all like
> the
> automobiles being manufactured to-day, that were obviously designed by
> engineering grads who never understood the expression "shade tree
> mechanic"
> (ever try to change certain spark plugs in 99% of the current FWD
> delights...?).
>
> It seems to me, though, that Hammond Manufacturing (in Guelph,
> Ontario)
> first designed & manufactured these amplifiers...if memory serves me
> well,
> Viewstar bought the manufacturing rights from them, and then when they
> went
> under, Barker & Williamson took the line over for awhile...
>
> Anyway, they ARE "good'uns", well worth hanging onto.
>
> ~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Fern Rivard" <crc@cyberlink.bc.ca>
> To: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>; <Gudguyham@aol.com>
> Cc: <amps@contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 10:58 AM
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Ameritron Amps
>
>
>> Some of the best hf amplifiers were built by Viewstar. They had 3
>> different models with the small one PT-1000 using a single 3-500Z,
>> then
>> the PT-2500 which had a pair of 3-500Z and the very rare one model
>> PT-3000A (only 5 of those produced) using a single 8877 tube with
>> factory QSK option installed with vacuum relays. The line was later
>> on
>> sold to B&W but unfortunately it did not last very long there.
>> All 3 models of those amps were very well built and very
>> reliable.
>> I have owned all 3 different models but now only have the PT-3000A
>> which
>> is a very nice high power desk top amp. The only problem with it is
>> that I had to replace a padder ceramic cap used across the main
>> tuning
>> cap on 160 and 80 meters and to replace the ceramic loading cap used
>> on
>> 160 meters with a mica type to prevent drifting of the loading when
>> operating rtty or am.
>> I certainly would not derated any hf amplifier when the problem
>> is
>> with inferior poor quality tubes which was quite a common thing going
>> back a few years ago when the import tubes from say China were coming
>> in. We should blame ourselves for not wanting to pay the high prices
>> for
>> better quality north american or European brands of tubes which were
>> available all along.
>> Just my 2 cents worth. Cheers from Fern VE7GZ
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>
>> To: <Gudguyham@aol.com>
>> Cc: <amps@contesting.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 9:18 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Ameritron Amps
>>
>>
>> >> Tom, I am not aware of what amp you might be referring to
>> >> here, can you lwt
>> >> me know...PLEASE! Thanks 73 Lou
>> >
>> > When the Chinese were making 3-500Z tubes with regular glass
>> > and holes were sucking in the sides, Rich concluded it was a
>> > VHF parasitic that couldn't be seen or measured. This VHF
>> > oscillation supposedly caused dielectric heating of glass at
>> > VHF.
>> >
>> > Paul Hrivnak of Viewstar, Palstar, Vectronics fame was
>> > building a single 3-500 amp using that particular Chinese
>> > tube. He changed to nichrome suppressors and tubes kept
>> > right on failing.
>> >
>> > 73 Tom
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> > Amps@contesting.com
>> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>> >
>> >
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>>
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