Thinning out the herd

[AE1PT]

Most of the suggestions I have got from people here over they last year are to go with something like a Valiant or DX-100 for my xmitter and match it with either n HQ-170, NC-300, or NC-303. A DX-100 and HQ-170 is a pretty cheap route to go money wise and seems to be rather popular as well.

I decided on the Valiant/NC-300 pair. Seeing as both needed a bit of work, the price was right on both. HOWEVER--it is the recapping and other component changes that eat the money. I will have as much in that as the rigs themselves, but both will be like new (and with a few proven/factory mods) even better. Take a peek at the whole process here:

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...rs-Will-Solder

Personally I am very fond of the 32V series. Did quite a bit of service work on them and the 75A's. The pair you describe being available could form the basis of a very sweet early 50s AM/CW station.

P.S. If anyone ever pulls the slide rule dial assembly loose for cleaning, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE NUMBERS ON THE BARS. They will flake off in a heartbeat...

[KB3LAZ]

I decided on the Valiant/NC-300 pair. Seeing as both needed a bit of work, the price was right on both. HOWEVER--it is the recapping and other component changes that eat the money. I will have as much in that as the rigs themselves, but both will be like new (and with a few proven/factory mods) even better. Take a peek at the whole process here:

http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...rs-Will-Solder

Personally I am very fond of the 32V series. Did quite a bit of service work on them and the 75A's. The pair you describe being available could form the basis of a very sweet early 50s AM/CW station.

P.S. If anyone ever pulls the slide rule dial assembly loose for cleaning, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE NUMBERS ON THE BARS. They will flake off in a heartbeat...

Yes, I recall you posting that.

[n2ize]

Well, what I really want is a set of Gold Dust Twins. Im not sure that I want to sell one of my cars to get that setup though. :P

When I get back to the states, a new shack needs to be assembled. I have decided on a few things but not all. I do want an AM setup but I am very indecisive. I know where I can get a 32V-2/75A-1 setup for a decent price but Im not sure if I want to go that route. Another friend has a 75A-2 and 75A-4 that he is willing to let go of one or the other. Other options I have at my disposal are either a heath TX-1 or DX-100B. I could match either one of those to my HQ-129X for the time being if need be.

Only time will tell. However, I would really like to go with something that gives 100W (at least) on 80 and 160. That cuts out the Collins Xmitter. It would do what, about 60w and does not have 160. A Ranger would give me 160 but put me at about 40W's which has been suggested that I do not go that route by more than a few on here.

Most of the suggestions I have got from people here over they last year are to go with something like a Valiant or DX-100 for my xmitter and match it with either n HQ-170, NC-300, or NC-303. A DX-100 and HQ-170 is a pretty cheap route to go money wise and seems to be rather popular as well.

I suppose I could look outside of the box as well at commercial gear.

If you want 100w on 75 and 160 AM go for a Johnson Viking 2 (CD+ 122 VFO). You can't go wrong. I own one. First thing I did was to relocated the wirewound resistor under the chassis of the VFO and the stability of the vfo improved dramatically.For a 60 year old VFO it stays where I put it. That rig is a workhorse, built like an army tank, easy to modify and work on, very forgiving, is very capable of "hi fi" AM with relatively simple mods and likes to kkeep on ticking.. Many other great mods for it too like solid stating out the power supplies (very easy just replace the hollow state rectifiers with solid state, easy to change the mod Iron but not nessesary, switching from 807 modulators to 811's , etc. all depending on how far you want to go with the thing. I'll admit, it's not the prettiest rig in the world but for an ancient radio it can still pull its own weight and then some. CD version (full coverage from 1.8 - 30 mc. or the ham version) you can't go wrong.

[KB3LAZ]

If you want 100w on 75 and 160 AM go for a Johnson Viking 2 (CD+ 122 VFO). You can't go wrong. I own one. First thing I did was to relocated the wirewound resistor under the chassis of the VFO and the stability of the vfo improved dramatically.For a 60 year old VFO it stays where I put it. That rig is a workhorse, built like an army tank, easy to modify and work on, very forgiving, is very capable of "hi fi" AM with relatively simple mods and likes to kkeep on ticking.. Many other great mods for it too like solid stating out the power supplies (very easy just replace the hollow state rectifiers with solid state, easy to change the mod Iron but not nessesary, switching from 807 modulators to 811's , etc. all depending on how far you want to go with the thing. I'll admit, it's not the prettiest rig in the world but for an ancient radio it can still pull its own weight and then some. CD version (full coverage from 1.8 - 30 mc. or the ham version) you can't go wrong.

Finding one that does not look like it has been run over by a truck is tough. I see them on eham, QTH, and ebay now and again but it looks like they were really used to anchor a boat.

[K7SGJ]

Looks like a fun project. Be sure to post some AFTER pix here.

[w2amr]

If you want 100w on 75 and 160 AM go for a Johnson Viking 2 (CD+ 122 VFO). You can't go wrong. I own one. First thing I did was to relocated the wirewound resistor under the chassis of the VFO and the stability of the vfo improved dramatically.For a 60 year old VFO it stays where I put it. That rig is a workhorse, built like an army tank, easy to modify and work on, very forgiving, is very capable of "hi fi" AM with relatively simple mods and likes to kkeep on ticking.. Many other great mods for it too like solid stating out the power supplies (very easy just replace the hollow state rectifiers with solid state, easy to change the mod Iron but not nessesary, switching from 807 modulators to 811's , etc. all depending on how far you want to go with the thing. I'll admit, it's not the prettiest rig in the world but for an ancient radio it can still pull its own weight and then some. CD version (full coverage from 1.8 - 30 mc. or the ham version) you can't go wrong.

Back in the 80's ,Phil/KB2MAM was bitching on the air about not having any projects. That summer I picked up a Viking II and A 122 VFO at the Gloucester county hamfester, then had UPS ship it to Staten island as a gift . He restored it , modified the audio, and it sounds great. When he passed, I got it back from his estate. I have it paired with a really nice National NC-173. It is a very special transmitter. I also have the Valiant which was his primary transmitter. I have that paired with my NC-303.

[n2ize]

Back in the 80's ,Phil/KB2MAM was bitching on the air about not having any projects. That summer I picked up a Viking II and A 122 VFO at the Gloucester county hamfester, then had UPS ship it to Staten island as a gift . He restored it , modified the audio, and it sounds great. When he passed, I got it back from his estate. I have it paired with a really nice National NC-173. It is a very special transmitter. I also have the Valiant which was his primary transmitter. I have that paired with my NC-303.

i think I remember when you got Phil the Viking. I remember he was looking for a spare drive pot for it. I believe he eventually got one, either I had an extra and sent it to him or maybe someone else had a spare. I remember talking with him over the air a few times about audio modifications and I recall he got it sounding pretty good. But most of the time I remember him running the Valiant which also had nice audio quality. He always put out a nice signal on 75 meters. I forget what he was using as the antenna system but it seemed to work great, he always had a very respectable signal. Very sad moment when I heard Phil passed, he was one heck of a great person and his radios could not have gone to a better home and a better caretaker.

[wa6mhz]

I sold the 170 with the invader for $175. The receiver has problems, and the invader had the wrong cabinet.

DOGGONE!!!! Shame I missed that sale. I don't need a 170, but that was a Bargain for the Invader! Rats! Well, my WIFE would be happy I didn't get it!

[n2ize]

Finding one that does not look like it has been run over by a truck is tough. I see them on eham, QTH, and ebay now and again but it looks like they were really used to anchor a boat.

Think of it this way... My Viking 2 has been on this earth longer than me. It was born in 1952 and me in 1957. Most of them are going on 60 years old and probably a lot of them have been sitting in basements and are going to require some serious cleaning and restoration, i.e. recapping, etc. But once you get them going they are great rigs. Still, you have to consider how much restoration you are willing to do when you buy an older (or in this case ancient) radio. And tubes are expensive these days as well. Well the three rectifier tubes can easily be replaces with solid state diodes, the driver and speech amp tubes can be bypassed or replaced with a solid state circuit (which is what I wound up doing with mine), 6146's are expensive nowadays if you buy them online but sometimes can be had cheap at hamfests or maybe even this forum. 807's (the modulators) are still plentiful and I can probably help out with those. Old rigs are great and can be a lot of fun but there is the tradeoff. depending on condition and how long its been sitting around you might have to invest in considerable amount of restoration work in order to get a return.

[w2amr]

Think of it this way... My Viking 2 has been on this earth longer than me. It was born in 1952 and me in 1957. Most of them are going on 60 years old and probably a lot of them have been sitting in basements and are going to require some serious cleaning and restoration, i.e. recapping, etc. But once you get them going they are great rigs. Still, you have to consider how much restoration you are willing to do when you buy an older (or in this case ancient) radio. And tubes are expensive these days as well. Well the three rectifier tubes can easily be replaces with solid state diodes, the driver and speech amp tubes can be bypassed or replaced with a solid state circuit (which is what I wound up doing with mine), 6146's are expensive nowadays if you buy them online but sometimes can be had cheap at hamfests or maybe even this forum. 807's (the modulators) are still plentiful and I can probably help out with those. Old rigs are great and can be a lot of fun but there is the tradeoff. depending on condition and how long its been sitting around you might have to invest in considerable amount of restoration work in order to get a return.

K2AW diode stacks are the way to go. Even though Mercury vapor rectumfiers are pretty to watch.