Eddy -
Cool! Sounds like you have it beat, which is always a nice feeling.
Yes, the Johnson transmitters had a beautiful CW signal once they started grid-block keying them.
Nice, heavy THUMP when the key was closed that really woke up the receiver AVC! Akin to the 'relay
thump' when keying a big AM signal! :-) Let you know that a BIG signal was coming......
Congratulations on your diagnostic skills and perseverance, both of which are sometimes required in
large quantities with this stuff.....
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
Eddy Swynar wrote:
*/
/*
*/Hi Guys,/*
Yesterday I took my R-4receiver & /T-4X/transmitter---the one with the ailing PTO---to the
lakeside cottage for a bit of a field trip operation on 40-meters, to validate the effectiveness
of my "fix" to the frequency stability...
After some 5 hours of off & on CW operating---and all-the-while monitoring my actual signal on the
receiver---it pleases me to no end to report that the intermittent warbling / raspiness /
instability of my signal is now */GONE...!!!/*
I made a half dozen or so, QSOs, & specifically asked for a critique of what I sounded like in the
contacts I made. To a man, each respondent said that the signal was good---no chirp, no clicks, no
/NOTHING/that might be considered to be "...untoward". Two of the fellows that I worked even
complimented me on the great "/Drake/sound" coming out of the T-4X, & at least one of them
expressed regret that he'd sold his own /Drake Twins /years ago.
One comment that I received---meant to be a compliment, I'm sure!---was that the /T-4X /sounded
like an old /Johnson Valiant/transmitter "../.on its best day, when brand new/". I personally can
remember with special fondness the note those old rascals emitted, but only /WHEN OLD! /Hi Hi.
*/LESSONS LEARNED:/*
(*1*) Always suspect /MORE/than just one single issue with your PTO in the event of "raspy
warbles". Mine was two-fold here, i.e. /TWO/bad solder joints with the 3000-pfd. silver mica cap,
and a consequent bad solder joint with the 33-pfd. temperature compensating capacitor (probably my
own fault, after my first "fix" to the s.m. cap!), and,
(*2*) Do not discount the "ill effects" that circuitry /EXTERNAL/to your PTO might have upon your
signal. I discovered yesterday that I have some serious cleaning / inspection ahead of me in the
matter of the function switch of my /T-4X/: by rotating the switch ever-so-slightly off of its
"normal" detent, I could induce raspiness & a shift of the frequency of the PTO rather
easily---/and with shades of the original ailment! /These rigs are wonderful, to be sure, but they
/ARE/fast-approaching the half-century mark in age(!). Rigs---like the owners of same---need a
bit of TLC as they grow older. Hi Hi.
I hope this personal saga of mine might serve to inspire others not to give up. Many thanks to all
who generously & graciously took the time to share their own personal experiences with me, during
the course of my journey of discovery here...
*/~73!~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ/*
_______________________________________________
Drakelist mailing list
[email protected]
http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
