[Johnson] Done For Tonight & for awhile

Thu Jul 2 14:24:36 EDT 2015

Thanks Evan.
So far you are the only one to keep answering me back as I am getting reply's  but no one sticking in there with me..  I am watching out in what I am doing with this transmitter but who would know it would shock you threw the Microphone plug when I have had many radios over the years & never had that happen but now I know & have put black tape on the plug but even doing that I have been turning it on & Off in needed.. What would be great is to find someone in my area that know way more than I to give me some help but I don't what few Hams I do know don't give one thing about building or working on anything and the one man I know that can fix about anything wants $100.00 an hr so I am trying to get help & learn outside that $100.00 an hr but if need be I will take it to him but some things are just an easy fix & so I felt I might find some things out on here Plus I want to learn as much as I can & over the years I have fixed some things that were easy fix's .. OK you said that it might be  a shorted tube in that area. Well is it True that if I take the tubes out to check them and change any of them then I will have to re-do the VFO as I did check all the tubes but the 5-6146 & I found 2 bad ones & put good ones back in & the VFO was way off & I had to go threw the VFO Calibration to get it back on track But either way with the 2--6146 doing as they did last night I think I should get the tube tester back out & go threw them. I thought this transmitter was petty  stock by as I see different pictures of the Valiant I see that some things have been removed and have read why they were removed.. Anyway what are your thought on things?? Also on the Rf plate choke if a tube or TUBE's were going bad would that cause them to heat up as I am sure that is what I noticed last night just before I shut it down.

-----Original Message------
>From: Evan Rolek <k9sqg at aol.com>
>Sent: Jul 2, 2015 10:45 AM
>To: ramnaz at peoplepc.com
>Subject: Re: [Johnson] Done For Tonight & for awhile
>
>Richard,
>
>
>First order of business is safety, if you're not familiar with working with high voltage, best to consult or work with an expert.
>
>
>
>Yes, that Johnson design is poor in that it puts 110 volts on the mic cord.  Best to have the transmitter off when connecting/disconnecting the microphone, due to the design that can put 110 volts on the mic case etc.
>
>
>
>I believe that stack of coils you're referring to is the RF plate choke.  Sounds like there is a problem in that area like a shorted tube or something.  Looks like there is some diagnostic work still needed to find the failed component(s).
>
>
>73,
>
>
>Evan
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: richard <ramnaz at peoplepc.com>
>To: johnson Valiant Help <Johnson at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Thu, Jul 2, 2015 12:21 pm
>Subject: Re: [Johnson] Done For Tonight & for awhile
>
>
>Thanks Evan.
>The VFO turns nice & easy but  I did get a shock when I unplugged
>the microphone plug last night & I noticed that if I don't push the plug in fast
>& just go slow it will key up the transmitter tell it is in all the way..
>ONE
>other thing .. near the back by the 3 -6146 tubes there is a stack of pink
>colored coils next to R-13 and that stack of coils I think were just about to
>get hot as I saw some kind of trace of smoke starting to come from them when I
>noticed the 6146 tube getting real blue  but I shut it down pretty fast but I
>did  see the stack of coils wanting to start to smoke . So I am not sure as to
>turning it back on and seeing if it does it again but right now I am just
>leaving well enough alone tell I get more input as to what to check for on the
>tube getting a blue dancing flame inside & then another time a different tube
>got yellow /blue and both times I cought it right away & shut
>down..
>
>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Evan Rolek <k9sqg at aol.com>
>>Sent:
>Jul 2, 2015 8:56 AM
>>To: ramnaz at peoplepc.com,
>Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>>Subject: Re: [Johnson] Done For Tonight & for
>awhile
>>
>>VFO coupler failure manifests itself in several possible ways.  Lack
>of VFO frequency change, sticky operation, "grinding" sound when rotating the
>VFO knob, etc.
>>
>>
>>
>>The only way I could envision the coupler causing
>"tube flashing" is if the coupler broke and prevented frequency change, and then
>one switched bands, "moved" the VFO frequency in-band when in fact the frequency
>wasn't actually changed, and then an attempt to tune up in a severely out of
>resonance condition causing excessive peak voltages in the output network. 
>
>>
>>
>>
>>73,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Evan, K9SQG
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>-----Original
>Message-----
>>From: richard <ramnaz at peoplepc.com>
>>To: johnson Valiant Help
><Johnson at mailman.qth.net>
>>Sent: Thu, Jul 2, 2015 11:35 am
>>Subject: Re:
>[Johnson] Done For Tonight & for awhile
>>
>>
>>Hello Roger.
>>Can't thank you
>enough for the reply.
>>If my problem is with the
>>Coupler how would I know as
>I have moved the transmitter around a lot on it's
>>side many times and then
>back sitting right side up .. I do have a new coupler
>>coming as I saw on e-bay
>a guy was making them and he talked about how they
>>break easy so I bought
>one...Is there a test to check the coupler and would that
>>cause the tubes to
>do as they are. I will try to see how to get to it as I can
>>take the side
>panel off the VFO Box & Look and then I will get back to you with
>>what I find
>but I am waiting for the new one to come..
>>Thanks Again Roger.
>>
>
>>Richard
>>
>>..................  
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From:
>Rodger
>>Singley <WQ9E at btsnetworks.net>
>>>Sent: Jul 2, 2015 5:53
>AM
>>>To:
>>ramnaz at peoplepc.com, Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>>>Subject: re:
>[Johnson] Done For
>>Tonight & for awhile
>>>
>>>Richard,
>>>
>>>The
>Valiant/SX-101 is a nice vintage
>>setup and it is what I used as a novice when
>I got my license in 1975 and
>>recreating this setup in 1994 is what gave me my
>start in collecting and
>>restoring vintage gear. I am currently traveling and I
>just saw your list
>>postings.  When I return home I will send you a short
>document of hints I have
>>put together for the Valiant, I own 2 Valiant
>transmitters and a Valiant II  and
>>have repaired several for friends; I also
>own most of the other vintage models
>>from Johnson so I have spent a fair
>amount of time inside them :)  But one
>>caution before you go further is there
>is an insulating coupler used in the VFO
>>drive which is easily damaged and
>this usually happens when the Valiant is
>>turned upside down (with the case
>off) and the front panel flexes which will
>>break the coupler.  It fortunately
>can be repaired fairly easily but it is
>>unique with different input and output
>shaft sizes so it is best not to break it
>>in the first place.  The safe
>> st
>approach is to loosen the set screws in this
>>coupler before flipping the
>transmitter over, this allows it to slide on its
>>shaft rather than trying to
>hold the panel in place.
>>>
>>>I am reading email and
>>keeping up with the
>online class I am teaching via a little Asus transformer PC
>>which is very
>portable but not great for reading a lot of text so I haven't
>>closely read all
>of the postings but if you aren't sure the bias filter
>>capacitors have been
>replaced these should be done immediately.  Bias supply
>>issues will cause a
>number of faults and some can be very damaging to other
>>components.  If
>replacing bias filter capacitors be careful with capacitor
>>polarity since the
>bias supply capacitors are installed with the positive
>>terminal connected to
>ground-opposite of the more common negative to ground
>>orientation.
>>>
>>>More
>to follow along with an email attachment of Valiant
>>repair and operational
>tips once I return home to IL shortly.  I am currently in
>>the soggy Smoky
>Mountains which isn't great for hiking and 12 miles away there
>>is a big
>evacuation because of a CSX train derailment with toxic gas leaking.
>
>>Apparently CSX couldn't wait until the 4th to start
>their
>>explosions.
>>>
>>>Rodger WQ9E
>>>
>>>-------- Original Message
>--------
>>>> From:
>>richard <ramnaz at peoplepc.com>
>>>> Sent: Thursday, July
>02, 2015 4:39 AM
>>>> To:
>>Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>>>> Subject: [Johnson] Done
>For Tonight & for awhile
>>>>
>>
>>>> Well as I said in my last note I was going
>to check the Bias & then check
>>it out on 40 meters and so I tuned up my
>antenna for 40 got the Valiant tuned up
>>and was doing some 123s and  1 of the
>3--6146 started to get yellow / green and
>>so I shut it off and will wait for
>the man I bought it from to return from his
>>trip and then let him look at it
>and I wonder if anyone looked him up on QRZ his
>>call is NE7X Tom and he has a
>nice big set up he built. Well anyway I will call
>>it a night or morning as it
>is 2:30 am and there is nothing I can do with the
>>Transmitter doing as it
>is.
>>>> Maybe I will be back sometime with other
>>questions who knows..
>>>>  
>73
>>>>   Richard--- AKA--- KB7FDF--- FDF= Far
>>Distant Friend Just what all
>Hams Are..
>>>> 
>>>> Richard
>Morris
>>>>
>>______________________________________________________________
>>>>
>Johnson
>>mailing list
>>>> Home:
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/johnson
>>>>
>Help:
>>http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>>> Post:
>mailto:Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>>>>
>>Message delivered to
>wq9e at btsnetworks.net
>>>> 
>>>> This list hosted by:
>>http://www.qsl.net
>>>>
>Please help support this email list:
>>http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>Richard
>>Morris
>>______________________________________________________________
>>Johnson
>>mailing
>list
>>Home:
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/johnson
>>Help:
>>http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>Post:
>mailto:Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>>Message
>>delivered to k9sqg at aol.com
>>
>>This
>list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>Please
>>help support this email list:
>http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>> 
>
>
>Richard
>Morris
>______________________________________________________________
>Johnson
>mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/johnson
>Help:
>http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:Johnson at mailman.qth.net
>Message
>delivered to k9sqg at aol.com
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please
>help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> 

Richard Morris