[Johnson] Done For Tonight & for awhile
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
Thu Jul 2 14:54:24 EDT 2015
Richard, what measurement instruments do you have available? I
didn't mean to desert you but others were jumping in and I wanted to
wait. I am now confused about what has happened to the transmitter.
My usual procedure with anything is to check the power supply first.
As far as rectifiers go the 866s will work fine provided you understand
that mercury tubes need a warm up and should be kept as nearly vertical
as possible. The gas rectifiers don't care and are a better choice
unless you like watching the mercury tubes glowing with the signal.
Someone else addressed the glowing output tubes but I will
reiterate: two kinds of glow, the first is a dark blue glow that
appears to be on the inside surface of the tube envelope. This is
caused by high energy electrons hitting the glass and is normal in many
tubes with high voltage on the plates. The second kind of glow is a
pale blue or purplish one that appears inside the tube elements. It
resembles the glow from VR tubes or mercury rectifiers. This is due to
gas in the tube and means the tube is shot. The gas can come from the
tube being overloaded enough to heat up some of the elements or can be
from a leak in the envelope. In either case the tube is no good and
should be discarded.
I think the transmitter will probably function with two final
tubes since they are in series. However you need to watch the drive
levels. This can be useful for trouble shooting until you can get
replacement tubes.
Further advice depends on what the symptoms are and what you have
available to measure things.
On 7/2/2015 11:24 AM, richard wrote:
> 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
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>>>>
>>>
>>> Richard
>>> Morris
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Johnson
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>> list
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>>
>> Richard
>> Morris
>> ______________________________________________________________
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>
> Richard Morris
> ______________________________________________________________
> Johnson mailing list
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--
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL
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