[Johnson] Viking 1

[Kenneth]

I am have a blast getting a Viking 1 transmitter back into to service.  This
rig has not been used since the late 60's as far as I can tell.  I when
through and
check for cold solder joints, there were a few, and changed out visually bad
parts.  I did a test start up to see if any thing smoked, listening on my
R390A
with the transmitter dumping into a cantenna.  I let it idle for a half an
hour
and with a strait key did a test transmission with it.   I heard it on the
R390A
and was happy that it got that far.  I did a test loading and at this point
both of the 5R4's went into the most beautiful electrical storm I have ever
seen.
I have not yet looked at it see what happened but as I remarked to a friend
"Well I got it transmitting, but.  You know this old stuff always has a
"but" at the end of what you say about it.

I have both versions of the Johnson Viking transmitter.  I have to say of
the two
I think the Viking II  is the better transmitter.  To be sure the Viking I
is a good rig with it's 4D32 final it does the job  but the 6146 finals  are
what really make the Viking II, and it's encased much better.  Now if they
had just put the 6AU6's
located below the meter in a different place.

>From a historical stand point it is interesting to note the Viking I and the
VikingII are at opposite sides of a time line, before television and after
television the Viking I was designed without regards to TVI, very little
shielding, and the Viking II is build like a bank vault it keep the evil TVI
in.
In order to keep using the Viking I Johnson made available a shield kit
which
my Viking I fortunately has.

                                                                    Ken

Ken, Amateur Radio Station W7ITC  AMI 873:
Receivers:  Gonset G63, Hammarlund HQ-129X, SP-600-JX17, Collins R388/URR,
RME-45, R390A/URR. BC 312, National NC183D, NC 300, Hallicrafter SX101A
Transmitters, and such: Johnson Viking I, and Viking II with M122 vfo for
each, Lysco 600 Transmaster, Messiner Signal Shifter Deluxe, Central
Electronics 10B exciter, Heathkit SB200, HW-30 Twoer (lunch Box) etc.