Viking ranger -advice

[N9axl]

I went to a Farm Sale and the man Tells me he grampas ham Radio in Barn. I Look and find a Viking ranger. I paid 180.

All Original. All Complete. Theres this Attachment in Middle Le back like an antenna Switch with so239 Female ?

Did i get Good Deal?  Sorry Abt Spelling. Using Cell Phone.

[WD8KDG]

Radio in Barn.........Is it a mouse hotel?

Craig,

[W3RSW]

The Johnson Ranger is a well sealed, mouse proof feller except for possibly the AC cord being chewed up. That should be replaced anyway.  I take it the panels are unscathed, paint and lettering ok, meter face unbroken, all the knobs ok including the little white indicator pegs, etc.
If so, you've gotten a reasonable deal. You may find the audio driver transformer is defective inside it, but still works ok on CW.

If you haven't tried already, don't even turn it on. First get to know it and all the ways to gently bring it back to life.

There's a ton of literature on this site and on the AMWindow that outlines restoration, recapping. Particularly all the electrolytics,  the T/R relay that's probably on the back of yours , etc.

Just start searching both QSO and Technical at this site as well as the side bar specific topics for "Johnson Ranger"  or "Ranger" or "Ranger II," etc.    --search  Google of course too.

[N9axl]

My plan here is to get the original assembly instructions and simply work through every single step while testing each component and replacing the caps and everything that looks out of spec. Does anyone know what the dingus on the back is?  Antenna switch???

[n2bc]

The 'attachment' on the back cover is a SPDT coax relay - used to switch the antenna between the RX and TX.

It looks like the relay's coil may have a pigtail and plug for the Ranger's accy socket.  Some coax relays had additional contacts which can be used for RX muting.

Looks to me like you have many hours of fun ahead restoring your barn find.  ENJOY!

73, Bill

[K4RT]

Karl,

Nice find. It's beautiful! Okay, it looks a bit rough on the outside, but I've seen worse that have cleaned up nicely. You'll get good advice here from Ranger owners. The searchable database here is an excellent resource.


73,
Brad

[N9axl]

Thanks. here's the interior if that helps.  It appears to have been left alone. No mods. No obvious missing parts.

 My thought as I said is make this completely stock - this is sort of the 57 Chevy of ham radios. I'm in no rush on this so if if takes three years I'm OK with that. I have an HQ-170c to go with this so I will be ready for AM phone nets when this is done.

[Opcom]

My plan here is to get the original assembly instructions and simply work through every single step while testing each component and replacing the caps and everything that looks out of spec. Does anyone know what the dingus on the back is?  Antenna switch???

fond memories of radios found in chicken houses, barns, etc. One was a 'revenooer radio' a long-ago stolen mobile set that had been used to listen for the sheriff as the occupants were into a bit of whiskey making.. My introduction to Loktal tubes.

[N9axl]

Thanks. As you can see from the picture the modulation transformer seems fried. I see burn marks on the chassis. That explains how it ended up in the barn. Fixable but more work. Not uncommon to see.