[Johnson] Is the Johnson Viking II better than Heathkit DX 100 ?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On 7/15/05, Sherrill Watkins <Sherrill.Watkins at dgs.virginia.gov> wrote:
> Gentlemen: I would like to offer my observations on this subject. While I
> have never owned a DX-100, <snip> To repeat myself,
> this is just SPECULATION on my part as I have not seen any tests performed in
> this area. - 73's - Sherrill W. k4own.

I think you're pretty much on the money, and probably no one would
argue that overall quality of Johnson vs. Heathkit falls in favor of
the E.F. Johnson gear.

What we're basically doing is looking at some 1950s radio gear through
2005 eyes, with the intervening years of testing, experience, and
modifications on our side. If we put ourselves back into that time
frame, we'd see that makers like Heath and WRL sold a lot of cheaper,
lesser build-quality gear despite their limitations.

Example: the Viking II needed a separate VFO, the DX-100 did not. This
means additional expense to a ham who probably didn't have the extra
money to throw around or he'd be buying Collins or some other
whizbang, feature-filled box. Limited funds, maybe limited space, the
all-in-one-cabinet DX-100 would probably win out. Better audio out of
the box, too. As someone said, people have their favorites, and both
rigs have their pros and cons. "Better" is a lot like the truth; views
vary on both. Facts are a different matter, of course.

Johnson gear was, without a doubt, some of the best. If you check
inside the bigger Collins transmitters, you'll find Johnson air
variables as well as other EFJ parts included. Heathkit was some of
the cheapest gear available and quite popular for that reason alone.
Despite being cheap some of it actually worked pretty well, too. Same
with Leo's WRL gear. I wasn't around then for the Golden Age of ham
radio, but I've read a lot and talked with many, many hams who used
the gear. I've owned a Viking II w/VFO and a DX-100B, neither of which
I ever got on the air. The Viking was with N1HUT last I knew, maybe he
took it to KL7 land with him. Sold the 100B at a hamfest, the Emerald
green paint job certainly didn't help its cause. Yes, the Johnson
transmitter was better built.

BTW, I'm still looking for the top wooden trim piece for the Desk KW,
the part that sits inside on the top panel and holds the cover in
place. Anyone have a spare kicking around?

de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ