[Johnson] Valiant Chirp - longish post

[Chris Kepus]

I tried a newly acquired Valiant on CW for the first time tonight to get in
a few SKN QSOs and not let the CW get too rusty.  Well, this Valiant seems
to work just fine on 160 and 75 AM.  It has been modded for better quality
AM and it sure gets some very nice reports.  So on to the chirp.  Tonight I
tuned up on the dummy load at 7050, switched over to the Windom, and spruced
up the dip and loading while adjusting the SA-2060 for low SWR.  All seemed
to be ducky.  I was able to load to 450 ma, all other currents seemed just
fine, the grid current was steady at 8 ma.  Keyed the rig a few times and
tweaked the loading and then.nothing.  No grid current, no buffer current,
no plate current..etc.  Switched the Plate SW off.  Scratched my head.  OK,
let's try it again.  On with the plate SW.  OK, grid current, plate
current..Opps.again nothing.  no grid current, no buffer current, no plate
current..etc.  Off went the plate switch.  More head scratching.  This just
doesn't make any sense.  One more time.  On with the plate SW.  OK, grid
current, plate current.  Hmmm.  All seems OK.  So I listened, found an empty
frequency, and called a quick CQ SKN.   A W5 came back and gave me a 569C .
I was using a SX-100 to monitor my signal and another receiver for the QSO
which was muted by a relay when the plate switch was on.  This isn't the
best set up SX-100 in the world but it hears OK.  So with the sensitivity
cranked down, it served easily as a monitor.  But I attributed the chirpy
signal I was monitoring to overloading the rx or something going on in the
SX-100 that needed fixing.  Turns out the receiver is just fine!  But I have
a real bad chirp I need to fix.   AFAIK, the Valiant keying circuit was not
modified.  Before I extract the beast from its case, is there anything in
regard to the tuning or loading that would enhance a chirp?  Is there
anything in particular that would be suspect in causing a chirp?  Do
Valiants normally chirp? 

Any and all comments will be appreciated. 

73 and Happy New Year

Chris

W7JPG

 

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