Hi, The Stew Perry fun started without me. A couple of days ago my only viable 160 meter transmitter, my Johnson Ranger, exhibited signs of "illness" - some kind of unwanted oscillation somewhere within. I tried to get another transmitter coupled to the receiver and quickly realized there is no way to spot the TX (the Tx half of a mostly SSB transceiver). I've been in the Johnson Ranger again ever since. I found it is possible to tune the frequency of the oscillation with the drive level, driver tuning, and to some lesser extent with the plate tuning (TPTG mode). But..if I approach the proper drive level setting from the NO drive level (increasing drive level) as opposed to deceasing from too much drive, I don't have the problem - at least not on 160 or 80 meters. I am ordering suitable bypass caps, especially for all of the screen circuits along with new 6CL6 tubes. The tubes check out okay in the tube tester but we all know that is not all telling. I have no subs at the moment so I will be limping along when I get done with my Santa gig this evening. I'll be running in the QRP category at the 5 watt level. Keeping the power level down will hopefully help with the Ranger surviving the Stew.
A few months ago I had the VFO working pretty well on the bands 40 meters and higher but the instability there has returned. The Ranger will be getting a lot more TLC in the next few weeks. More caps (I already changed out some of them), resistance checks and replacement, etc. The front panel is in great shape but the cabinet will need some matching paint. There is ONE quarter size chunk of paint missing on the top near the front...was like that when I got it more than 20 years ago. I hope to work some of you in the Stew this evening. TX - Johnson Ranger. RX - Kenwood R-599. I wonder why the 'matching' transmitter sitting there beside the R-599 does NOT have 160 meters! Maybe the Ranger will be more fun. 73, Bill KU8H _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
