[Boatanchors] ongoing Johnson adventure

Mon Feb 13 09:45:43 EST 2017

Hi Bill,

The guy that can sell that stuff will become the wealthiest man on the 
planet.

 From some of the responses I got here it is probably not clear that 
when I set it on the shelf after finding that broken bypass cap it was 
weeks ago and not years or decades ago :) I have recovered gear that sat 
for decades and some of the advice definitely applies. Replace those 
caps, for example. I sort of did that in stages with the Ranger already.

73,

Bill  KU8H

On 02/13/2017 09:15 AM, Bill Henderson wrote:
> they really should package and sell the magic smoke so that it, too 
> can be replaced when it escapes.....
>
> (HIHI) de CF3HWA / Bill H.
>
>
>
> <https://mailtrack.io/>Sent with Mailtrack 
> <https://mailtrack.io/install?source=signature&lang=en&[email protected]&idSignature=22>
>
> On Fri, Feb 10, 2017 at 10:33 PM, Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com 
> <mailto:wrcromwell at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hi,
>
>     I have a Johnson Ranger that has been in my hands since the late
>     80s. I have put it in place on the shack table, bench, or desk
>     numerous times over the years. I have made the occasional repair
>     on it over all that time. Last time I opened it to look at
>     something I found the screen bypass cap was broken - one lead wire
>     was broken off at the cap body. I set it on the shelf and turned
>     my attention to other things. I have been thinking to use it in
>     the upcoming NRR so I put it on the bench belly up. I have several
>     brand new, suitable caps and I installed one of them and buttoned
>     it back up. I hooked up to power and a dummy load, wattmeter, and
>     key. I turned it on and let it warm up a couple minutes in standby
>     mode. Soon, something smelled hot and I turned it off just as a
>     wisp of smoke sneaked out of the top vent holes. It already has
>     the electrolytics and a couple of out of spec resistors replaced
>     (and worked on air for a while with those). This weekend I will be
>     working on it. First suspect is the new screen bypass cap which is
>     essentially across the power supply (or part of it). My Kenwood
>     T-599 started smoking at Field Day a few years ago and it didn't
>     take very much effort to fix it (back home after FD). The Ranger
>     is simpler so I am hopeful I will get to use it for NRR. The drive
>     pot feels crunchy. I started having doubts about that during it's
>     last run on the bench. I found a brand new one for it and I have
>     it on it's way here. That is in the screen dropping circuit of the
>     driver tube so it is also partly across low B+. Suspect number 2.
>     I have working, identical drive pots in three Heathkit
>     transmitters if all else fails. I am reluctant to disturb them so
>     I am waiting to see if the parts I ordered will fit. I ordered a
>     25K, 5 watt pot to replace the 25K, 4 watt pot that (may have)
>     failed after only 57 years or so!
>
>     I have used that TX for all of my contacts (not all that
>     impressive) on 160 meters. Once upon a time I used it to log into
>     a Navy-Marine Corps MARS phone net while the 'pretty' radio was
>     down for TLC. It is awsome on the CB channels! Just kidding! I
>     like the TX but it is really feeling it's age! Come to think of
>     it, I'm feeling some of that too.
>
>     73,
>
>     Bill  KU8H
>
>     -- 
>     bark less - wag more
>
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-- 
bark less - wag more