[Johnson] Valiant Success

[John Lawson]

   Starting at about 10:30PM Local (PST), on 3.870 - engaged in QSO with 
Dave, WJ6W in Los Angeles, hitting my R-388 at +40 to +50 indicated. 
Participating also in this group were at one time as many as 9 or 10 other 
stations, such as K7YOO in Winona, MI - giving me a solid 50+ "armchair 
copy" the whole evening, even as band conditions changed.

   Speaking with Dave was my first ever AM QSO, and the first HF QSO I've 
conducted in about 7 years, save for some very limited RTTY and PSK31 on 
20, a few years back.

   Mike, KO6NM, (Also in the Los Angeles area) gave me a very gratifying 
report - apparently the Old Girl is putting out a not-so-bad signal. 
Well: two-way communication occurred - that is one of the criteria, no?

   This evening I used an EV 668 broadcast mic, into an M-Audio preamp, a 
Furman compressor/limiter, thence into the mic input of the Valiant thru 
suitable pads. Modulation swings were up to about 200mA and the carrier 
was around 110 watts into the feedline - the FenceLoop is still tuning 
very nicely at 1:1.05....  can't complain. We'll see in the next few days 
how it does on other bands.



   So a very great THANK YOU!!! to the many folks who have helped me along 
with my Valiant 'restoration' - there are still things to be done to the 
rig, but now that it's putting out modulated RF, I think I'll turn to 
getting the Ranger back on the air, acquiring a new jug for my Ameritron 
AL-80, and....  (someday!) finding a Thunderbolt.


   THEN - there's a nice RCA or Collins BC Xmtr out there waiting for me to 
come and haul it home...

    And I'll need about 100 acres for the multiple rhombics...

    Ionosphere: Be afraid. Be very, very afraid!


Cheers and Best of the Season!


John  KB6SCO