[Boatanchors] Transmitter comparisons and a question.

[Curt]

Well, had first QSO yesterday with new to me DX-20 on 40M.  As expected, it 
performs about the same as the Eico 723, the two seem nearly identical in 
design and implementation.  I've read that the Eico's transformer may be a 
little more rugged.  Neither of them like HC49 crystals, which is what most 
of the available FT243s are.  Both rigs chirp like a canary with the small 
HC49, but an HC6U or real FT243 produces a clean signal.

The next candidate on the bench is a Globe Scout 680, which appears to be 
intact and in good cosmetic condition.  Since it uses a 6V6 as the 
oscillator, I'm anticipating even more of a tendency to chirp.

My question is whether there is a way to make the HC49 crystals useable in 
these oscillators?  The seller indicated they work fine in any rig with less 
than 40ma crystal current, so obviously the DX-20 and Eico 723 have higher 
than that.

73, Curt KB5JO