Ranger Tuning Card?

[WA3VJB]

I'm part of an effort to get a working, vintage 40 meter station up and running at the National Capital Radio & Television Museum.

We have a variety of receivers to pair up with a Johnson Ranger, and I need to come up with a guide to tuning the transmitter that any licensed radio hobbyist might quickly understand.

Suggestions?

I'm thinking of a laminated 5x7 checklist card that can be posted near the transmitter, with a prescribed sequence and readings for an operator to set, check and use the Ranger on 40M phone.

A simple list would be greatly appreciated.  I've never used a Ranger very much and there are probably some operational strategies that will minimize risk of damage yet not look too scary to someone with even less experience than myself on the rig.

http://ncrtv.org/?p=722

[Bill, KD0HG]

Paul, I suggest starting with the 40M tuneup procedure from the Johnson Ranger manual and going from there..Here ya go.

Bill

[WA3VJB]

Thanks Bill, I should have said I have the manual.

When I was initially going through the transmitter, one of the licensees looked at the tune-up sequence and didn't have a very good reaction.

It can only be made a certain level of simple, and I'm struggling to boil it down further.

[W4AMV]

Hi Paul. On my Ranger for CW, I pre tuned it once into a power meter. Then I recorded all the scale settings, in particular the tuning and loading cap settings. I summarized from the manual the required meter read switch settings and ordered these settings with the corresponding meter reading and meter reading switch setting. That's it. I agree, the manual is clear, but each line needs to be read carefully.

To test if my approach worked, I completely mis tuned all settings and was able to put the Ranger on target in under a minute.   

[ke7trp]

Yes. The way to go here is to make a Grid for each band (I know you said 40 only) and then have a column for each knob.   A Diagram of the front showing each knob position helps.

Band 40 meters \ VFO- 7290 \ Exciter - 21 \ Plate tune - 54\ auxt load - 4\ fine -3\

ect... 

I dont think its possible to have a simple list to explain to a modern ham op how to tune a ranger.  It depends on the person of course, but most will have NO idea what a plate, grid or loading even is and without a several sessions at length, Its just not possible to expect them to tune the rig.   

I sold a valiant to a local and after hours of time on 2 seperate sessions, I gave up, He just scratched his head and did not understand anything about the current and loading. He burned the valiant down the following week on the air as we all listened in pain. 

C

[WA3VJB]

Your answers are very helpful.

I can take a photograph of the front panel, get into Photoshop, apply text LETTERS around each knob, and use those identifiers as an Index to run down on the checklist.

The photograph will be taken with the correct settings displayed, as well, so that the transmitter "looks" ready to operate.

Geez.  Yeah, the Valiant story, Clark, is exactly the scenario I dread.  We've got more than a dozen licensees in the museum's radio club, and the goal is to get all of them well-versed in vintage operating without burning down the building.

Thanks all for the suggestions.  

[Bill, KD0HG]

Isn't your effort like trying to teach someone to drive a stick shift by written instruction, Paul? You gotta be able to 'get it', "Peak the Grid, Dip the Plate, Dive right in, Don't Hesitate".

Maybe tune the thing up in advance and let them have at it for starters. Once they learn, then they can tune it themselves.

Don't know if I'd trust a newbie tuning a Ranger for the first time. I was there myself, once, a l-o-n-g time ago. My Knight T-60 was a piece of cake to tune, jam the Xtal in. Dip plate and load for maximum smoke on the SWR bridge.  Couldn't be easier. Same for the Eico 720 or DX-60. The Ranger is a lot more complex than either.

The worst thing on a Ranger is to overdrive the 6146 final grid. Put a marker on the grid drive control, "Do NOT exceed!"  Then at 2.5 mils, you simply tune plate and loading for max smoke on a wattmeter.

Maybe create a short instructional video on DVD for the 1st time Ranger users?

Just a thought or two.

Bill

[WA3VJB]

Funny, Bill, that you should mention the analogy to driving a manual shift car.

An earlier version of my response talked about the coordination and sequence of tuning up a transmitter, and I said there's a lot going on (with both) that I don't even think about (with both) anymore. Hard to parse that out.

And yes, as with your Knight T-60,  I used to have my 32V2 over there, and it seemed more simple to run. Maybe it is the familiarity.

Having a tuning card & photograph posted nearby may build confidence and minimize risk of damage. A few of us will probably take other folks through the sequence as well to observe and mitigate any puzzlement.

And your idea of a DVD -- good -- that prompted me to search what's already out there.
I could do a version of this YouTube presentation that anyone could click on to review.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMDlLqXalRo

[W3GMS]

Us that grew up with such rigs could all do it in our sleep and often take for granted that it is not so easy for other hams to do.  I do use my Ranger as an exciter for a pair of 3-500Z's.  I can tune the Ranger up in a few seconds.  Fast resonant of the grid network while limiting the drive to 2.5 MA immediately followed  by a quick dip.  Then increase and re-dip the plate current until your running the rated plate current.  Then go back and touch up the grid tuning and make any re-adjustment in the grid drive.  35 years and the same 6146 in my Ranger and it still works great! 

A lot of Ham's today seem to have a hard time even zero beating a rig to get it on the same frequency as the person they are talking to.  They don't know the tricks on how to turn the bfo on the receiver and zero beat the users signal with the BFO and then zero the VFO with the BFO on.  That really helps when your talking to someone that is very weak and the VFO injection kind of drowns them out. 

So you old crusty Elmer's out there, help a new Ham out and show them how to tune and operate an classic rig and you will sleep better at night!

Joe, W3GMS