KNIGHT T-60

[AE1CT]

does anyone know how much power  the knitght t-60 transmitter should put out. is it an easy rig to work on. are there any mods to it that will make it work better.

[Bill, KD0HG]

My first novice rig.

The T-60 is an OK basic CW rig. Easy to work on. Stylish. Output power about 25 watts. Replacement tubes inexpensive. Don't consider one for AM, they use controlled screen modulation, AM output power is way less than 25 watts in that mode, the tube plate tends to go red hot because of inherent inefficiency and you can't achieve 100% modulation.

If you have an interest in that sort and vintage of transmitter, you'd be much better off with an Eico 720.

[Carl WA1KPD]

I plate modulated and added 160 to one I had kicking around. Sounds OK FINE
http://home.comcast.net/~chnord/T-160/T-160.htm

[Bill, KD0HG]

The six meter operation of the T-60 was a joke. The 6DQ6 final ran as a doubler..IF you were lucky, you might have gotten 5 watts out on six (and several other frequencies) while the plate of the final glowed bright red and you trashed TV sets in the neighbor's homes.

I ended up turning my T-60 into a 2 meter AM rig, mounting a single 829B horizontally and using external plate modulation.

The plate mod is interesting, thanks for posting it.

[W3GMS]

I have a T-60 and T-150 but I would recommend that you look for a DX-100 or a Viking 1 or 2.  The Viking needs an external VFO and either the Heath VF-1 or the matching Johnson 122 would work well.  Both of those rigs are very easy to work on and will present a good signal on the air with reasonable power.  They also work on 160M which is a great winter AM band.  Johnson Rangers are neat rigs but run about 40W output which is a bit puny on 160 unless conditions are good and the noise levels are low.  Feeding a modified Ranger into a linear amp works very well.  They can be modified easily for some very good sounding audio.    

If you don't want or need the rig to have 160M then other choices would that come to mind could be the Heathkit Apache.  The Collins 32V2 and 32V3's are expensive and not that easy to work.

Eico  720's need a remote VFO which is not big deal and are in the Ranger class as far a power is concerned.  For AM they require an external plate modulator.  Eico made one which is the 730.  They are good rigs but you will end up with 3 boxes.  They are built very well.  Again, no 160 with the Eico.  

A DX-60 with an external VFO works well on 80 thru 10 but does not have a plate modulator.  It uses controlled carrier modulation by putting audio on the screen of the final tube.  I have heard these modified and they can sound very good.  A bit light on power, but into a linear amp can present a respectable signal, again no 160.

These are just some initial thoughts.  Other choices are out there but these are some of my initial thoughts.  

Remember rigs can be modified to cover 160M.  So are easier to do that than others.  My comments above are for stock transmitters.    

Good luck and keep asking question!

Joe, W3GMS
      

      

[WQ9E]

The little "novice class" controlled carrier AM rigs can sound good and they are a perfect match for typical linear amplifiers.  Although the T-60 won't drive a modern grounded grid amp to its full power capability the combination will provide a useful power level and it will drive a number of the older amps (like the Johnson Tbolt) to rated power.

I wouldn't want a T-60 barefoot as my only AM rig but even with a higher power rig it is fun to operate and low in cost.  I have one that gets mostly used on CW.  It is coupled with the matching P-2 meter, V44 VFO, and Knight R-195 receiver.  If the price is right you will enjoy owning it.

[K5UJ]

I operated a T-60 through a number of years in the 1970s on 40 and 80 but only on CW.  I never used it on phone.  It was my only rig and paired with a HA-5 VFO and ww2 surplus lightning bug.  They are now getting popular again (lots at hamfests and on eBay) because of nostalgia--hams like me want to relive the old days.  Well I don't, at least not yet.  I ran mine with the cover off and now I'm not exactly sure why.   Maybe I had a fan on it.
Anyway 5 or so years with the T-60 was enough, but I was able to make a lot of contacts with it.  Late one night I worked EA4BV on 40 m. with it.  You don't forget those QSOs when your station is mostly used for handling section traffic nets.
 

[KM1H]

One of my favorite peanut whistle rigs is a Johnson Adventurer that I often use with a HB plate modulator and one of the linears around here. Also picked up a clean Eico 720 minus cabinet and it worked right off the variac first try. Next will be new filter caps and a search for a cabinet.

Carl