T-368 question

[W9BHI]

Has anybody ever used the external exciter input on the T-368 RF deck?
Could a ricebox set to a few watts into a 50 ohm load be used as an exciter?
I know that a blocking cap would have to be installed between the exciter connector and the rig because the grid on the 4-400 is directly connected to it. (check the schematic).
Thanks,
Don W9BHI

[flintstone mop]

what happened to your T-3 exciter? Need a 6000 tube for the output?
A sleezy way to do it would be to get the coax that is going to the final 4-400 tube and connect to any antenna tuner. Maybe connect to the balanced line out or the open wire output and then connect your transceiver to the radio port. You can even try the coax output of the tuner.
The T -368 should protect itself from a no-drive,,,,no exciter condition.

Have the T-3 power set in the TUNE position.

Key the transceiver in CW position and bring up the RF power for less than 10W. The tuner meter will show some forward power and high SWR. Set the controls on the tuner for the band you are using and start tuning to reduce the SWR. The grid drive meter on the T-3 should start to indicate. I forget what the value is for the T-3.


What you gotta do is have all this pre-planned and all set up. Get all hook-ups done and a step-by-step procedure you go over with yourself how to do this so, there is not a prolonged key-up of the T-3 or your transceiver for extended periods of time.
Have the multimeter switched to monitor GRID drive and watch that closely. What does the manual call out for typical grid drive?
Keep key-up times minimal and the P.S. in TUNE position and all bandswitches set for the proper band where you are experimenting....
Maybe someone else has a better approach
Fred

[W9BHI]

The T-3 exciter is working ok, I actually have 2 NOS 6000A tubes for spares.
I was just wondering if and how it could be done.
I have talked to a few hams that use small riceboxes as drivers for their AM RF decks but never asked how they were dioing it.
I have seen shematics that show a 4:1 balun with a 200 ohm resistor load used to feed the grid of a tetrode amp.

Thanks,
Don W9BHI

[flintstone mop]

The T-3 exciter is working ok, I actually have 2 NOS 6000A tubes for spares.
I was just wondering if and how it could be done.
I have talked to a few hams that use small riceboxes as drivers for their AM RF decks but never asked how they were dioing it.
I have seen shematics that show a 4:1 balun with a 200 ohm resistor load used to feed the grid of a tetrode amp.

Thanks,
Don W9BHI

You last reply seems to make better sense.

[WBear2GCR]

Pretty darn sure there is a larger than BNC looking type of connector on the front panel for an external exciter, iirc.

                           _-_-