[Boatanchors] NRR and Millen 90800 exciter help

[howard holden]

Hi John and Bry,

I've also got a 90800. Mine is clean, good looking, and fully 
operational. It will be on for NRR as usual.  Bry, I use the stock link 
coupled output, but on 40M in particular, I find that with certain 
antennas, a series variable cap on the loop side helps. Shouldn't matter 
which lead of the loop you put it on.

John, There's a 200 ohm resistor between the 6L6 cathode and ground, 
even with the coil switch in the "out" position, which shorts out the 
oscillator coil. I wouldn't ground the low side of the connection at the 
crystal socket, as that would upset the bias on the 6L6. You could try 
putting the VFO ground to the Millen ground. I tried just hooking a VFO 
up to the pins on the crystal socket, (no ground connection between the 
Millen and the VFO otherwise, and got nowhere. Didn't pursue it. But now 
you've got me wondering again.


73, Howie WB2AWQ


On 9/20/2016 12:33 PM, Bry Carling wrote:
> This sounds very similar to my Millen HF transmitter project. It came with link coupling and a few of the plug oin coils.
> I like PI networks a lot better and may convert mine to PI network.
> The one I have is no beauty queen so I won't feel bad making mods.
>
> I will be using it in the upcoming Novice Rig Roundup - hope to hear from a lot of folks on the Boatanchors group getting on the air for this next one...
>
> ANNOUNCING the Third Annual NOVICE RIG ROUNDUP - 0000 UTC February 18 - 27, 2017.
> Contact stations using vintage ham radio equipment from the early era of the NOVICE LICENSE.
> All radio amateurs welcome.  Extra points for XTAL, HOMEBREW,  QRP.  25 Bonus for each rig used.
> Contact
>   WN#XXX and  KN#XXX stations such as WN5AIA etc. etc. for 50 bonus points.  Call CQ NRR. Exchange
>   RST, QTH, NAME, RIG, XTL or VFO and Watts.  Full details: http://NoviceRigRoundup.com
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Brian Carling, AF4K / WN4NRR
> Novice Rig Roundup 2017 Co-chair (with WD4NKA)
>
>> Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 13:44:13 +0000
>> To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [Boatanchors] Need some Millen 90800 exciter help...
>> From: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> Hi:
>>
>> This is John, K5ENQ, in Pearland, TX.  I have a very nice Millen 90800 transmitter that I have been using with xtals.  I have a couple of nice vintage VFOs I would like to use with it.  Both of the VFOs have a "hot" and "ground" pair for output, not a link.  I hope I can plug a VFO cable into the xtal socket.  However, the oscillator circuit on the 90800 does not have one lead of the xtal going to ground.  If I need to make changes to the 90800 I would simply not do it and stick to xtals.  OK...One of the xtal socket leads goes directly to the grid of the 6L6, the other lead does not go to ground, at least not directly.  Would it be safe to connect the "hot" VFO lead to the xtal socket pin going to the grid, and the VFO  "ground" side strapped to ground?  Could this lead to self-oscillations, parasitics, damaged 6L6/807,etc...?
>>
>> (BTW: I would be using the 6L6 oscillator as a doubler)
>>
>> Any help appreciated,
>> Thanks,
>> John
>> K5ENQ
>>
>>
>>
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