[WRL] Globe Chief 90A - Lack of Meter Damping

[Glen Zook]

Welcome to the world of the moving-vane meter!

There isn't much that you can do that won't affect the
accuracy of the meter.  I used a Globe Chief 90A as my
first "real" transmitter as a novice in 1959 and have
another one now to re-create my original novice
station.  The same type of meter was used in the
Johnson Adventurer, Heath DX-20 and DX-35, and a lot
more transmitters of the late 1950s era.  Back then,
we didn't think that much about the "bouncing" meter,
we just operated our transmitters!

There is a modification that can be made to the Globe
Chief 90A to use a VFO with it.  However, I never made
the modification (you can no longer use a crystal when
it is made) to either of my Globe Chiefs and I used a
755 VFO with my original one.

It is best to let the VFO run constantly and just key
the transmitter to avoid "chirps".  You can use a
relay activated by the transmit switch (like spare
contacts off of the antenna change over relay) to turn
on the VFO.  Just plug the output of the VFO into the
crystal socket of the Globe Chief 90A.  If it doesn't
work, then just turn the plug over.  One side of the
crystal socket and one side of the lead from the VFO
is ground.  If you get the connection reversed, then
you will "short out" the signal.

Back in late 1959 when I was using the 755 / Globe
Chief 90A, I did make a keying system that used an
open frame low voltage relay with dual contacts that
could be sequenced.  I used the first set to key the
VFO and then, after it was on (a few microseconds) the
second set keyed the transmitter.  When the relay
opened, the transmitter turned off and then the VFO
turned off.  It was noisey, but could follow a "bug"
up to about 45 or 50 wpm.  However, it is much easier
just to turn the VFO on and let it run while in the
transmit position.  That is what I do on my present
Globe Chief 90A when I use it with a Heath VF-1 VFO
(am looking for a 755 - not 755A - VFO).

Glen, K9STH


--- Jerry Kincade <w5kp@swbell.net> wrote:

Got my 90A running fine (although I still have to
figure out how to make the 755A work with it), now I
would like to do something about the stock factory
meter's quivering mechanical oscillations when keyed.
The meter works fine, but you have to key up and wait
maybe 5 seconds for it to settle down to a steady
state before you can read it. Is there a way to dampen
this thing down so it won't do the boogaloo?

Other 90A owners: does your meter do this?


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