My new transmitter.

[ke7trp]

Alright.  Thanks for the wake up.  I am going to unbox it today. I guess I will video tape it and take some photos.  I have no table space for the rig in the shack. I will have to take the FT101 Station down and box it up so I can make room for the 500, next to the GK500. 

This thing cost $950 new.  Thats $8000 in todays dollars.  Those where some lucky hams in 1956!

C

[WD8KDG]

2007 had the chance to purchase a NIB "500" from a person in Bellview, WA. Asking price was $15K.


Craig,

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I remember back in the 90's someone purchase a new/in the box HT-37. Got it home; set it on the floor for several days in the shack before he opened it up. Lifted the box to the work bench and half way through the lift, the bottom of the box let go. He wasn't happy when the HT-37 hit the floor.

[K6IC]

Hi Clark,

Best wishes to your dad,  and his quirk recovery!

WOW,  great find.  Congratulations.  Altho,  i'm envious,  but could I not afford even a beater j500.

Have Fun,  hope to hear you on and work you soon.  Vic

[ke7trp]

Thanks Vic.  I talked to Dad for an hour on the phone. That really eased my mind...


The J500 is out of the box.  That PS was heavy.  I am a pretty big guy and in my 30s so I was able to lift it out. I was a bit winded on the video though I was pleased to find the cables are there.  I will plug it into the variac in a few moments and start feeding her some juice.

C

[K6JEK]

No B+ on the 866's until they have warmed up a good long time. Mercury vapor experts. How long?

The failure mode is dead short kill the transformer, or so I'm told, having never had a J500

We're rooting for your dad and happy for your acquisition.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

No B+ on the 866's until they have warmed up a good long time. Mercury vapor experts. How long?

Half hour minimum for new ones or unused for so long that the mercury has pooled. After that, ten minutes or so if it's used seldom. Most of the big rigs here have a time delay of some sort built in. But I'd strongly suggest following Jared's earlier advice and pop some Xenon 3B28s in there for this beast. Especially considering its age and condition. It's not a 'modification' per say, as you can always swap them out for 866s later if you just wanna press your luck.

I am kind of on the cross roads with this thing.  Everyone is telling me to never open it and never use it. Its a "collectors" item. So that means, Its useless? It sits in a box?

Yeah, well.....that "R@RE Collector's Item" argument sounds better than it actually is in reality. Not a lot different than the old 'never build an unbuilt Heathkit' argument. I think these folks lose sight of what we're dealing with here. Ham radio is a tiny sliver of the overall population. Old tube ham radios are an even tinier sliver. And old tube AM/CW gear, even more so. Or specifically Johnson. You can get as granular as you want, at the end of the day Jeff and others are right: you'd kick yourself if you didn't enjoy using it. After all, it's only a radio if it functions as a radio. Otherwise, it's just a door stop. And years from now when someone finds it boxed up in the corner of a dusty basement or garage it'd most likely get sent to the curb as some weird old toaster oven than no one recognizes, has a use for, or wants. The scenario has played out over the decades and still does to this day.

Doesn't mean you need to pound the snot out of it or drill and blast. Just do the sensible things to protect it from damage and get it on the air. To have survived this long in that condition it deserves to be heard. A truly great find, congrats.

[ke7trp]

Ok. The rig is out of the boxes, On the table lined up.  I hooked up all the cables. Turned the variac up and heard buzzing from the PS. I got scared. Then realized its just the relay coil.   I let it sit for a while at 20%.  The filiments where lit.  After inching it up over time, The fans turned on at full speed, All the lights, tubes ect all came up as normal.

I let it run for about an hour at 80% or so.  No issues.  I turned the Zero on and got the expected PA grid current.  All normal.  I tuned the NC183D into the signal. Its there right on 3900.

After more time and some guts, I flipped to operate and dipped the PA current. I was in TUNE mode so only about 20 watts out on the Bird 43P.  I let it run this way for a while to make sure nothing funny was going on.  Everything seemed normal.

I then turned to operate which puts the full 2200 volts on the plates.  I hit the switch and dipped the final at 250 MA.   I ran this way for a while and touched up the PA Grid.  Everything seemed normal.  After I was sure there was no problems,  I loaded it up slowly to 300MA.  No problems. 

After sitting at 300, I went to full load of 330 MA.  Everything is by the book. Power output on the bird 43 is 325 watts carrier using a 1000 watt slug.  Keep in mind, I am on the 120 volt wall socket out in the game room!

Next, I hooked a D104 to the rig,  I keyed it up and checked mod current, About 45 MA.  I slowly advanced the mic control so the modulator current was peaking 120.  I looked over to see the Bird 43P pegging in the corner at 1 KW. 

SUCCESS!!!

I listened to the rig on the NC183D sitting next to it.  Sounds very tinny.  No bass.  Just like a stock valiant with a D104.  I think I will grab an EV638 from the closet and try that.  The stock audio will likely sound better with the EV. 

Its been on for hours now.  No problems at all guys.   Dont worry about the 866s.. I put some known good 3b28s in the PS before starting.  I did not want to take any chances here..

The only thing I wish I had was a 50FT Coax cable so I could put the rig on the air. Oh wait, I cant,  There are storms outside.  I guess I get to have a Miller and talk to myself on my J500 tonight

At least It took my mind off Dad.
C

[ke7trp]

Here is the video of the J500 running on 80 meters.  The video is uploading now and it says 20 minutes left. 

http://youtu.be/itlSdNherlI









 

[KX5JT]

Congratulations Clark!

[ke7trp]

Thanks J!  I sure am enjoying it. I wish I had it on the air!   I did already realize that I was overloading it at 330.  You are supposed to deduct 50MA from the meter.  So max load is 280.  Not to bad. Still does 300 AM from the lamp socket.  I will wire it for 220 volt when its in the shack.  Maybe she will come up a bit in power.

C

[WD8KDG]

Clark,

The audio of a stock Junkston "500" gonna sound a little tinny. It has a clipper & filter network in it just like a Valiant. I think the correct loading is 300 mils for AM.  Meter reads cathode current.

Craig,

[ke7trp]

Thanks Craig. I got confused. The correct loading is 300ma.  They say to deduct the screen current and grid current to get to 250ma x 2000 volts for 500 watts input.  I loaded it to 300 and its happy there. 

C

[W2VW]

Was the final tube a newer one or did it come with the rig?

[w1vtp]

Clark,

I searched for a long time for a clean 500.. Finally found an almost mint example.. BUT..

That is an amazing time capsule! Congrats!!

This one is serial #41559 , so in the last quarter of production..
500 operating position:
http://qrz.com/db/W2NBC

Make sure you check the value of the meter shunt resistors before you load up!

Good luck,
Jeff

Jeff

My eyes have been permanently spoiled!  That was just too much eye candy - art - whatever for my poor 75 year old eyes to handle.  Just take me by the hand to the nearest mortician and let me lay peacefully in repose.  My life had been fulfilled. There is nothing else to experience.   

Al

[w1vtp]

Congras Clark

I would have gladly paid that price if I had run across it.  Use it, enjoy it.  It's now live history / art

Al

[W3RSW]

I agree.  VERY nice.  and, hey, the crisp audio is from a LOUD Johnson, very commanding and air secure.  Nothing like 300 watts carrier and up to identify a solid QSO.

Who knew.. ?  The Last Johnson built for 21st century FCC proclivities. 

[WA1GFZ]

WOW! SO COOL!

[ke7trp]

So I ran the rig for 10 hours now at idle and about an hour of key down.  No trouble.  I tried all bands,  They all tune up.

Somethings I have noticed:

This is the easiest transmitter I have ever tuned.  The ganged system is fantastic.  The GK500 has to have all stages tuned.  This rig is so easy.  Turn band switch, Set VFO, Key up and dip plate, Go to operate. Done! 

The J500 does more power on the higher bands.  Incredible.  Most rigs fall off badly as you go up in Freq.  The 500 has that huge silver plated coil switched in for the higher bands.  I think that is the reason it makes full power on the higher frequencys.  The GK500 falls off badly up on 15.  It only makes 250 watts output.  The J500 makes 375 watts carrier on 15!   Awesome.

C

[KX5JT]

So I ran the rig for 10 hours now at idle and about an hour of key down.  No trouble.  I tried all bands,  They all tune up.

Somethings I have noticed:

........

The J500 does more power on the higher bands.  Incredible.  Most rigs fall off badly as you go up in Freq.  The 500 has that huge silver plated coil switched in for the higher bands.  I think that is the reason it makes full power on the higher frequencys.  The GK500 falls off badly up on 15.  It only makes 250 watts output.  The J500 makes 375 watts carrier on 15!   Awesome.

C

Yes I noticed that on my Viking II, it makes the same power on 10 meters as it does on all the other bands.... really sweet.

[kb3ouk]

The silver is more conductive than copper is, so there would be less power lost in the coil. Johnson knew what they were doing when they designed the RF deck and used the silver plating.

[ke7trp]

Thats neat. I never owned a 1 or 2,  I know the ranger and valiants sure fall off on higher bands.  

I just ran the J500 and NC183D for the AMI net.  I used the EV638 mic.  Sounds better then the D104 since this is a stock radio.  No trouble at all.  The band was noisy but I got through and checked in.  Those 811s run hot hot hot.  After a solid 5 min key down, I could smell them and felt the heat at the top of the modulator.  After another 5 minutes of off time, the heat was gone.   So yes, They run hot, But unless your an old buzzard or you are playing music. I doubt it would be a problem.

Whats amazing is that the caps seem to be in good shape so far.  I would think from 1958 they would be shot. But I guess being in the boxes, in AZ, kept the caps in decent shape.

[KA2DZT]

Thats neat. I never owned a 1 or 2,  I know the ranger and valiants sure fall off on higher bands.  

I just ran the J500 and NC183D for the AMI net.  I used the EV638 mic.  Sounds better then the D104 since this is a stock radio.  No trouble at all.  The band was noisy but I got through and checked in.  Those 811s run hot hot hot.  After a solid 5 min key down, I could smell them and felt the heat at the top of the modulator.  After another 5 minutes of off time, the heat was gone.   So yes, They run hot, But unless your an old buzzard or you are playing music. I doubt it would be a problem.

Whats amazing is that the caps seem to be in good shape so far.  I would think from 1958 they would be shot. But I guess being in the boxes, in AZ, kept the caps in decent shape.

Clark,

If you ship that J500 out to me, I'll be able to take a picture of it sitting next to my 183D.

Seemed like a good idea when I first thought of it.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

Fred

PS  It was very hot today in NJ,  the above wasn't the only great idea I came up with today.

[n2ffl]

Clark,

I searched for a long time for a clean 500.. Finally found an almost mint example.. BUT..

That is an amazing time capsule! Congrats!!

This one is serial #41559 , so in the last quarter of production..
500 operating position:
http://qrz.com/db/W2NBC

Make sure you check the value of the meter shunt resistors before you load up!

Good luck,
Jeff

And it sounds fantastic Jeff!

Ron
N2FFL

[W2VW]

And it sounds fantastic Jeff!

Ron
N2FFL

Does Jeff ever sound less than fantastic?