The AM Forum

Get a load of this,,
http://cgi.ebay.com/E-F-Johnson-Transmitter-HAM-RADIO_W0QQitemZ320286899633QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4674QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Any thoughts?
Norm K7NCR

Wow... that unit might have seen some communications or even broadcast service in an oriental country, possibly Japan.  I don't know the printed language, but it is certainly oriental.  I remember a shortwave broadcast station in South America on 4885 KHz that used a Viking-II.

I betcha that is a 'chinese' Viking 2 we supplied to the Nationalists in China during their fight with the Commies.

First transmitter I've ever seen with a speaker...well at least a speaker grille.

Interesting also is the interior view, as no TVI shields are evident.

"All The Stories It Could Tell" Wasn't that an old Jimmy Buffett song? I think it was about a motel room.

I'd love to know that rig's story. Whoever did that was a smart person. Electronics background, English translation skills, The whole enchilada.

The fact it was in with a US military lot makes the story even more compelling. What a story IT could tell.

Mike

Boy it wud make a good ER article I betcha.

Grab that thing as is refurbish as is same color etc, an then tell the history..heck ya.

What a trip!!  The control layout and internals are pretty similar if not the same as my Viker II's are.  It sure is dusty enough!  I can tell from the Switchcraft 2-conductor mic jack, that it doesn't have PTT capability.  The main loading cap's knob is different from mine (mine has the swivel peg/pin on it, for quick spinning of the knob).  I wonder if the paint is factory applied, or if the owner applied it.  It does have the tabs on the enclosure top, that the lid can latch into, to help prevent TVI.  It's also missing the 866 rectifiers.  I think that it's a special order - look at the meter, you can see where there is a new meter label applied as a decal over the old one.  Most interesting.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

This is almost irresistible. Here is a chance to have fun with one of the best vintage AM transmitters made. study any changes. refit and get it on the air.

Meanwhile, start with the seller and work backwards to find the story. No time to loose. Those people are passing fast. This could be an ER blockbuster.

Even if the real story is never found, the search will be a story you will never forget. Trust me! Start the sniping.  ;D

Here is where I would start.

I am no expert but i really don't think that is Japanese. I suspect Korean but I'm a North American and as the world knows we only speak one language. Shame. 

Find the language and the real key is dialect. The dialect will lead to a region.

Does it have a crystal? Man, now that is another clue. Region, frequency, approximate year. Sounds like a start  to me! ;D

Yes, it has crystals in it.  I looked in the photo that showed the crystal bank in it, and there were 3 crystals I saw.  Unfortunately, you can't see the frequencies on the crystals.  The thing is even dustier than my Viking II was when I bought it.

Ellen - AF9J

I just dont know what Johnson would be doing supplying Vikings to post war Japan. the only thing I can think of is maybe to set up radio stations in country somewhere to remote areas.
In the Korean War occupied japan was where you went to R&R. That rig could have been made no earlier than late 53 or early 54. Before then it would have been a Viking 1.

No ham could or would do such a thing. Maybe a " Radio Vietnam" type radio station for US personnel in Japan in outer lying bases?

I think in  Japan and/or China this is referred to as a "Cornbox"
Frank
K3SQP
All analog, all the time...

Its within driving distance for me!

i wrote the guy and asked him if he could read the frequencies on the xtals and was it in english or another language.....see what he says.....

Brilliant comment!  ;D ;D

Terry - WA9UDW

Awright, it ends at lunchtime today, and so far it isn't up past the opening bid.

Wish me Ruck!  ;)

ROTSA RUCK!!
Wish me luck in my move this week,, egads I have a lot of SCHTUFF!

Gotta agree with Brian.  I think you guys are giving too much credit for a lousy paint job and application of Japanese labels.  Let's face it, many old Viking II's have less than perfect paint and many were re-painted by their owners over the years.  Some were meticulously re done, others just sprayed and dymo-labeled.   Looks like it did gather a lot of dust...probably been stored/set aside for many years.  It would certainly be interesting to know if it belonged to a JA ham or if it was pressed into some sort of pseudo commercial/government service.

73,  Jack, W9GT

Lots of luck in the bidding wars!   Hope to hear this one on AM soon!

66 yen. cheap.

Definitely a good price, although shipping might be expensive.

Looking at the inside photo, the grille on the outside is not a speaker, it is only an emblem or decoration of some kind, because all you see are what appear to be two sheet metal screws sticking through the panel from the outside.

It's still a very good deal, if it can be picked up instead of shipped.

KLAP!!!

I got busy at work today and forgot to bid. Oh well, like I urgently need another project transmitter anyway.

Personally, I'd rather have one with battered (or better) original paint, and no knowledge of any "history." ;)

That johnson color scheme has such the "industrial 1950's" look to it, I actually bought cans of grey, purple, and turquise spraypaint a while back to do that scheme on an entirely random object, just haven't picked which one yet. ;)

I would use that transmitter to impress hot oriental babes with how I can read Japanese and correctly operate exotic Nippon transmitting devices for the glory of the Emperor.

And when the XYL finds you dipping your Jophnson final with that "hot babe" in the shack you are likely to find a crowbar circuit kicking in across your HV supply causing possible permanent damage to the unopbtanium parts

Carl

/KPD

hey man, you dont know. My wife might be freaky-deekey, the kind you dont take home to momma. It might be a freaky scene.

yah, right. what you said.  ::)

I'm suspicious of the authenticity, but then I tend to be suspicious. Look where the fan is, then look at the picture behind the panel, no hole for the fan? But no one would go through all that trouble to cobble it up unless they were expecting big $$ from a gaggle of collectors which did not happen. Someone got a really good deal on that rig. Must be a Viking II with the 6146's, as the Viking I had a 4D32 or 829? Rectifiers have been pulled. The seller could have gotten more if he had cleaned it up inside, etc. but maybe it was not worth it.

less than perfect paint you say?
How about "purr-fect"? mine was a favorite of an outdoor tomcat and he used to back hisself up to it. This went on for years while it sat in the owner's garage (the wife left the door cracked so the nice kitty would have a place to sleep). I got it for $25 just because of the smell. It was realy crusty! That's all fixed now and clear coated, so the paint's real ugly and looks rusty, but is clean, smooth, and won't get worse. I added fans but did NOT cut holes even in this poor old clunker! The fans are in one side of the outer case and just remove the plenty hot air that builds up inside the beast. They run on DC made from the filament supply.

Maybe the tomcat was an OO who preferred SSB?

Carl
/KPD

Take a look at the inside shots on the grille side. You see the screws pokong through but no hole in the sheet metal that a fan or speaker would need. Total rip=off...prolly from this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Military-Version-Hallicrafters-Model-S-20R_W0QQitemZ140261168944QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140261168944&_trkparms=72%3A134%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-Military-Version-Hallicrafters-Model-S-20R_W0QQitemZ140261168944QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140261168944&_trkparms=72%3A134%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)

Seems more like hack Resto'...

put another metal case there insulated from the floor with a metal pad there ... connect a few 100's volts between ... last time oo tomcat will back up to that ! ... beefus

That will release the "magic smoke" from ol' kitty kitty fer sher!

Well.. one of the business ends of a tomcat does have as part of its features a section with a rather 00-ish appearance. Tomcats do prefer SSB slinking, sulking, brawling. But I couldn't comment further on Omekosan.