[Boatanchors] Looking for any other Tri-X 500 owners

[john]

Hello Gang,

I've finally gotten a Tri-X 500 startup circuit going after this rig has 
sat on my bench for a year.  The TriX is an unusual self contained HF 
transmitter using a 4X150 final tube for 500w input on SSB (so says the 
manual).  Not many were made, and did I mention this thing is heavy  and 
big? It's unusual not only in its PA tube choice but also in that is has a 
cast chassis, not a bent aluminum box. I believe it's ~80 lbs or so. It's 
not quite as big as a Halli HT9, but it's kind of in between that and a 
"normal" modern SSB rig.  It's built with all very good parts, and must 
have cost a fortune when new.

When I received the rig, the time delay tube would not make solid 
contact... this was a problem as it was trying to engage a two pole double 
throw relay , one pole of which activated the HV and the other was 
configured as a latching relay (thanks Wilson!). Since it would not make 
solid connection, the HV pole was toggling on and off and these 
transients/arc  had eaten the relay contact.  I took the leaf stack apart 
and substituted the one unused pole for the one which had been ruined. I 
also took a small file and scored the envelope for the time delay relay and 
was able to pop off the glass envelope without shattering the glass by 
thermally stressing it on the scored area with a hot wire powered by a DC 
bench supply. I'll probably need to try and find a replacement tube OR try 
and super glue the tube top back on, now that the contacts are cleaned and 
the TD tube is functioning again.

ANYWAY.... I've gotten this going and would really like to talk to anyone 
else who might have one of these, particularly if they have it on the 
air.  The one I have does not have the meter markings that are referenced 
in the manual so I'm flying blind a bit. I think the drive control pot is 
noisy and I need to fix that next, but if anyone else has one of these on 
the air I'd love to compare notes.

I can find no pictures of this rig on the web... I'll have to fix that!

73 and HNY
John K5MO