KG8IB IF YOU WANT TO DISPOSE OF SOME OF YOUR GEAR GIVE ME A PRICE WITH SHIPPING AND LETS TALK.....EMAIL ME AT....AE1CT@YAHOO.COM Sorry but no shipping. It is all pick up only. If I have to move anything it will be out to the curb on trash day
Regarding the Elmacs, the driver transformers seem to give more trouble than the modulation output tranny. I have seen plenty of crapped out interstage xfmrs but so far not a single bad mod xfmr . Some folks lay the cause for open drivers on the outgassing from the bias battery. That could well be. I have repaired a few of the transformers by opening them up and finding a connection failure right at the terminal tag strip. A little bit of careful surgery often leads to a salvaged driver. The battery can be replaced by a zener modification but timely battery replacements may save the outgassing.
They (interstage) are quite easily, cheaply replaced. For that matter the deed has often been accomplished. Transformers are an issue with a lot of the older gear but not a deal breaker.
Power levels of 25 to 50 watts are often used by people in this locale with excellent results so don't be too shy regarding a good 50 watt rig. We work many east coast and midwest stations regularly with 17 watts out of an old Ameco TX86 . We get fine reports from the little half wave coax fed dipole .We don't own an amplifier any longer, the Gates and the Johnson 500 along with other legal limit TXs are long as well and not missed in the least .
Sure, higher power may be nice at times but not mandatory by a long shot. Indeed some folks need to learn when to cut back a bit on power !
The main thing is to get on the air and find out just what you want to get done. Use any decent starter type station , you can then build from there. Making contacts on air often will take you to people that can help you find just the right stuff to populate your shack.