[Collins] A Collins user

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

McKercher got more grumbly in his later years after he fell out of a big 
pine tree and crushed both ankles. He was standing on a lower limb 
cutting one above him and depending on that upper limb for a hand hold. 
His mistake was that he cut the upper limb between his hand hold and the 
tree trunk.

I did observe him amiable on one occasion. Seems a local preacher/ham 
had drunk him under the table early in the afternoon. I dropped by about 
the time he woke up from that afternoon nap. That was the only visit 
that he wasn't verbally abusive. But he did have a good collection of 
surplus parts and equipment that he readily sold that made taking the 
abuse worth the trip.

The day I saw the PA, I just saw two 4-1000A side by side, could have 
been dual single band with him chasing DX in a pile up was not a time to 
reach in and confirm the circuits. The variac sat at 50 on the dial and 
the plate voltage meter that day was showing 3 KV. I don't remember the 
full scale rating of the meter. He was being heard, just the DX was 
calling by call zones and was a long ways from 0 and McKercher wasn't 
willing to wait until the band went dead to work the DX.

Yes he had big antennas. Lots of the antenna work was done by Tony, now 
N0NI and McKercher gave Tony the place. N0NI antennas make McKercher's 
look small. At least 20 tall towers many rotating stacks of single band 
yagis and at least a couple 4 tower arrays for 160 and 80 meters. 
Visible for miles. With the gain and low angle radiation Tony's station 
opens bands for DX and scores high in contests with multiple operating 
positions.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 7/8/2014 9:09 AM, Paul Kraemer wrote:
> I don't believe that is correct
> I knew Dick very well, well er than I would have liked some times
> I was a helper at hamfests, with some of the Collins surplus, and
> Dayton. It was that trip that "cured" me
> You could not tell Dick ANYTHING. He was adamant about the "ULTI MIXER"
> using a mosfet as the cure for what ailed the 75S-3.
> In fact it was my attempts to design it that hit the market and
> apologies to anyone who actually bought one. I told Dick although it
> "worked" I wasn't on board as it being an improvement.
> Anyway, I digress, at that time Dick had a pair of monoband single tube
> 4-1000 for 20 and 15. HV was 6kv and Ip was 1 amp key down. I saw that
> stunt enough times to know what I saw.
> The antenna farm then was a 4 element on 20 and 5 element on 15.
> Separate 156 ft towers
> Just wanted to clarify what was at that time
> Paul K0UYA
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Jan Erik Holm" <sm2ekm at bdtv.se>
> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2014 11:45 PM
> To: "Collins Radio Assn" <collins at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Collins] Collins ham gear redesign
>
>> On 2014-07-08 00:33, Dr. Gerald N. Johnson wrote:
>>>
>>> A ham at Rippey Iowa who sold prop pitch rotors and remote antenna
>>> switches also sold a drop in replacement for the first mixer using a
>>> double gate MOSFET. He didn't agree that the second mixer was the
>>> limiting factor, but then if he didn't see it raining he would not
>>> believe it if I told it was raining. George McKercher was his name. He
>>> drove a pair of 4-1000A on HF with his S-line. With the plate variac at
>>> half voltage he only peaked at 1 amp and 3 KV on the meters when chasing
>>> DX with a visitor present in the shack.
>>>>
>> Sure remember him, he was very loud on 20m. Last time I worked him
>> was back in 1986.
>> I never knew hes ran a pair of 4-1000A´s, myself I also ran a pair
>> of 4-1000A´s.
>>
>> Interesting to read all the stories.
>>
>> 73 Jim SM2EKM
>>
>>
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