Recent content by linearone

Oh .yeah one other observation is that the problem with wierd length coaxes is more evident with a reactive load. Alot of issues go away when you are using a totally non reactive load like a dummy load/purely resistive load

it doesnt show a loss but it will show itself. especially with certain watt meters or swr meters. plus, with alot of cb amps that have rf sensing keying circuits in them, the boxes will exhibit problems with keying or getting hung up or requiring too much drive to actuate the relay.

I've asked about the input rotary switch, you haven't said much about it. It's a huge pita to get to I know. Could the input tune just be off? There are adjustments I think ... Unless I'm mistaken. You will need to figure out what the cathode impedance is for your tubes in total. Then put the...

They were really being thrifty if they were saving a buck on choke wire diameter ... Jeez louise

I just realized looking at the cathode are they running these on series at 10v? I wonder why they chose to do that

Have you very closely inspected the input band switch contacts? Maybe spray them with deoxit and move them around some? The contacts always fail

wow. I just found an old post from a guy on here that said that box was $850 in 1976 or adjusted for inflation $4900 in 2025 money. Good lawd! And guys scoff at $3400 for a two tube z nowadays... I guess cb amplifiers can never be cheap enough.

anybody know how much these boxes were back in the day when new? just curious

That boy was getting down!!

no. the 500z has silver solder in its pins. not regular lead 60/40. Its a dead giveway that tells you a tubes pins have been melted and resoldered. If you look at the pins and one or two are dull at the tip, thats the regular solder a moron tried to resolder them with, the factories use silver...

I didn't think to specify this but you should have been checking it on AC. You should be looking for five volts AC, not DC on the filament. I didn't know if you were aware of that or not

Don't worry about that . It's fine. Replace tube

I know it can happen but silver solder melts at around 1200-1500 degrees. You have to really try to melt a z pin. Do what he says. Step one see if you have 5v on filament. While in there make sure the contacts on the pins are bent in a way that they make contact etc sometimes they just break...

I'm sorry, that became more an essay on amplifier building than a helpful comment on an Ameritron. I apologize.

I have a very specific opinion on "glitch" resistors. 99% of people install a resistor on the b+ and think they did something. If the b+ isn't fused before the glitch resistor than the resistor becomes a slow blow fuse. I'd rather use a fast acting fuse and use the resistor to limit the current...