[Milsurplus] ATD/ARB on the air

[wf2u at ws19ops.com]

Folks,

I'm happy to report that last night for the first time my ATD was on  
the air on the East-Coast OMRN net (Old Military Radio Net) on CW.  
(3570 KHz).
After removing a previous owner's stupid modifications from the ATD,  
it works well, putting out 38W into the antenna. The ARB receiver is  
unmodified, and worked great from the first time I turned it on, (with  
one remote control box).
Both run on their original dynamotors from 24 VDC.
The antenna matching on the ATD is very tricky.
I used a quick and dirty method: I connected the ATD output into the  
antenna output of a manual MFJ antenna tuner, while the 50 ohm input  
was used for the output.  Of course I pretuned the ATD/tuner into a 50  
ohm dummy load.
The ATD is surprisingly stable in frequency, I got reports of a slight  
chirp (we want character!) which is normal and I would expect with a  
transmitter running a 6L6 oscillator into an 814 PA...
I also had the transmitter on AM,  getting reports from our local "Old  
Friends Group" - old timers' AM net  Sunday afternoons on 3715 KHz.
The audio sounded good, using the original RS-38 Navy carbon mike.
The ARB tuning is very touchy as there is no BFO pitch control and the  
dial is very crowded, the tuning rate is relatively fast. I used the  
local tuning, I don't have the flexible cable for the "coffee grinder"  
remote dial. Sensitivity is good, it's stable and doesn't overload  
easily.
I'm pleased!

73, Meir WF2U
Landrum, SC