[Johnson] Viking Ranger

Sun, 12 Oct 2003 09:54:38 -0400

One of the best rigs to use in a vintage setup - easy to repair and make
look like new for little money. You should look for a spare function
switch - they wore out from use - and arn't easy to find.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Donaldson" <[email protected]>
To: "Philip Atchley" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2003 12:23 AM
Subject: Re: [Johnson] Viking Ranger


> Good score Phil,
>
> Weaknesses in a Ranger, a rig that old has probably
> got alot of them so you should go through it and purge
> it of any paper capacitors, dried up electrolytics and
> out of tolerance old carbon resistors, don't forget to
> check the meter shunt resistors. Design flaws are also
> there, in particular the well known and documented
> regulator tube melt down problem in the VFO due to an
> inadequtely sized voltage dropping resistor. Also I
> really don't like how the screen voltage is derived
> for the PA, through a tap on the bleeder. The bleeder
> dissipates way too much power and gets everything hot
> under the chassis near it, best thing to do is put a
> higher value bleeder in and derive screen voltage from
> the low voltage power supply. I also have heard of
> problems with the reliability of the drive level pot.
> Enjoy your new old toy.
>
> Mark WA1QHQ
> --- Philip Atchley <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Hi.
> > Today a Ranger (the original not a II )walked in my
> > front door (actually as
> > carried in by yours truly since it doesn't have legs
> > 8^).
> >
> > This is one that I overhauled and did some audio
> > mods a couple years or so
> > back for another gentleman.  Now it's arrived on
> > "permanent loan" along with
> > a Dow coax relay (with extra contacts) and a D-104
> > Mic.  He's also loaning
> > me a handkey on the same terms since he knows I much
> > prefer CW to AM.
> >
> > My original intent was to use it with my
> > Hallicrafters SX-71 but that set is
> > just a little too drifty on CW to do serious
> > operating if I have better
> > choices, which I do.   It'll be mated with a Yaesu
> > FRG-100 (BLASPHEMY ??)
> > Though fully functional now, I should have it on the
> > air in a few days to a
> > week since I want to check the tubes etc.  Then I
> > want to get a few hours
> > practice on the handkey as it's been 3-4 years since
> > I've operated any CW.
> > Need to get my "fist" back.
> >
> > But a couple quick questions.  Does this rig have
> > any weaknesses I should be
> > aware of?  It has the later keying mod with the
> > extra tube/chassis.  Will it
> > give better service if I load it lightly at somewhat
> > reduced power?  I don't
> > have a lot of money to keep buying tubes for it.
> >
> > 73 from the "Beaconeers Lair".
> > Phil, KO6BB
> >
> > DX begins at the noise floor!
> > [email protected]
> > Merced, Central California
> > 37.18N  120.29W  CM97sh
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Johnson mailing list
> > [email protected]
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/johnson
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
> http://shopping.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> Johnson mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/johnson
>