Johnson Old School CB- Barn Find, $1.00

[silverfox]

Anybody know something about RF. Well in these days, this would hardly qualify as RF.
Johnson two twenty three Messenger CB Transceiver. I've got it on the Variac bringing her up real slow but then I realized the tube rectifier won't come on until I get to some specified voltage.
I actually had put this in my wifes space for $35. to sell but then took it back out as the build quality was so nice I decided I would either keep it or at least take photos. Nice old Vintage Mic that I held back. Now I'm thinking I'll keep the whole thing. Nice layout and build quality. Seems to have very little use.
Questions: What is the best way to bring this up real slow and give the old electrolytic s a chance to reform?
The power transformer is rusted on the side moderately. Will there be a decrease in power?
Pics to follow when I schedule my photographer.
silverfox.

[Ritchie200]

Johnson always was known for their high quality CB's.  They had years of military, amateur, commercial, and marine experience under their belts before they entered the CB fray.  They were always a few bucks more than the other brands, but you knew you were getting quality.  Can't wait to see the pics!

Jim

[shooter]

hunt down a SAM's photofacts, IIRC, those models could be "pushed" quite well, 7-9W.  pick up a field strength meter, dial in your antenna and squelch away 

[PRR]

My computer clocks 100X faster than that rig's top Hz.

Don't you need two of them so you have someone to talk to? (Yourself?)

Gut all but the modulator and call it a Guitar Amp.

On another forum some posters were yellow-carded for making insults about a two twenty three, so I'll stop here.

Except to say: throw full 125V on it, out in the driveway, and wait for the smoke to clear. Easier than replacing caps one or two at a time.

[PRR]

No, rust on PT does NO harm. Less than an engine block, which can rust halfway *through* before trouble starts. May add old-tone mojo, but CBers won't notice.

[silverfox]

PRR- I was hoping you'd chime in. Put full voltage to it. Nothing blew. Makes an odd buzz, like an annunciator sound when I depress the mic button. Power meter goes to about 4 Watts. Seems as though the meter needs zero. Could be the mic battery is dead and that's why the unit is buzzing.

I wonder what the end of the cell phone era will look like? There's about nothing left to the short wave band either as that all seems to be going Internet.
Shooter- There was a tag on the back that mentioned, don't try to tweak the power output as it will degrade the other channels. Probably just propaganda, but PRR has a point. There is no one using that band anymore, for the most part. I don't think the Truckers even use CB's anymore. Could come in handy in the apocalypse. Oh yeah, the hand helds are solid state.

Ritchie200- May or may not open the covers again to take pics. I am so freakin busy now. Thanks for the encouraging words.
silverfox.

[shooter]

Power meter goes to about 4 Watts.

IIRC that is correct, IF, it's got anteni.  I did a year as a bench tech at a place called "The 4Watt shop" one of my great jobs!  and yup, if you mess with the PA it WILL bleed over because the sidebands come up also.  depending on where you are it is probably just a novelty item, but they were pretty simple to fix if you're bored n want a challenge.

[Ritchie200]

Hey! An empty band is a potential DX band!  11 meter acts like 10 meter and that's a great long distance band at sunset and sunrise.  CB's were always advertised as 5 watts input. However, the FCC limited output to 4 watts.  Perfect to push a 150 watt power amp, so I've heard....

Jim

http://www.cbtricks.com/radios/ef_johnson/messenger_223/index.htm

[Ritchie200]

https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/e-f-johnson-messenger-223-user-manual-and-schem.31893/

[shooter]

FCC limited output to 4 watts

when they added the extra 17ch it got limited to 4, you could still legally tune a 23ch to 5w.  for $20 cash, I could usually dial it to 7, 9w on a great day., I got to pocket $10, not bad for 1979 free market wages.
for $50 cash, I could take a SSB 40 channel and "slip it".  You installed a toggle which switched in R's to "adjust" the PPL chip, walla, you're in-between the sidebands, with enough power to piss off everyone within a mile  , I got to pocket $25!!!, It was my find, BEFORE the internet 

[Ritchie200]

Gosh I completely forgot all the terminology!  I remember units being modded to get the "uppers" and some units actually came with the 23A channel. I bought a Browning Golden Eagle MK(something) with a bunch of bad tubes and fried caps.  Just listed as non-working for $125 in a local trading paper.  It was pretty rough but my dad and I went through it (using good ol sams photofacts). Replaced the tubes and parts and I was pinging (feedbacking) away! You could set the relay to drop out the receiver for really annoyingly long time! "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!....break"    Man they sounded good.  I also had a Robyn 23 channel that I sold after I got the Browning.  Bought that with a bad final for like $50.  Both really cool radios.  Brownings are like gold nowadays!  Huge collector value!  The cool kid was a guy who had a Siltronix 10 and 11 meter.  He had his ham ticket but he would come on 11 meter booming out 100w!  Ooooooo!  Man that brings back memories!  A friend of mine had a Moonraker antenna and a 250 watt linear.  We would stay up all night rotating that puppy around waiting for the skip to come in. I remember there was a sideband channel where all the illegal guys would hang out on.  Gosh I cant remember what it was...   That was some fun times.  All my buds had radios.  70's cell phones!

Jim

[shooter]

A friend of mine had a Moonraker antenna and a 250 watt linear

The guy that owned the shop, Art, had a moonraker 4, browning golden eagle, and a 500W linear.  I had keys, so I'd come in late to catch up on repairs, fire up the base and talk skip.  We had a world map on the wall and I added about 10 pins!!  I had a sleeper Camaro, had a police scanner with every crystal from Great Lakes Il, to Kalamazoo MI, I ran a cobra SSB, 10W.  commuting home on the weekends I'd play "rabbit"" for the truckers on I80, I94.  I had a small "cult" following at 90mph, something to be said about a big rig tailgating 

[silverfox]

Now you got me going. A couple years ago I picked up half a 40-10 band  100 watt linear. Posted some questions about the HV TV deflection tubes used as the output. I always thought I could use the linear chassis as a guitar amp so I kept it around.
Now I'm set. I could talk to the word. Or at least Asia, and Boston Mass or beyond. Half a linear means: When I bought it it seemed light to be a tube amp of that power rating. It was, I didn't know it needed a separate power supply. If I ever get the urge, I'll use a 160 watt Roadmaster PT for the supply.

Pics to follow,

silverfox.

[Ritchie200]

That looks like a turner mic? Wasn’t the original a banana? That looks in great shape! Plug that linear in and go hunting!


Jim

[shooter]

Nice find! 
I was gonna turn this into an amp, just can't! 
They don't make things like these anymore, 10,000 yrs from now the next caveman needs something to find 

[silverfox]

Sorry, sluckey's got you on that already. Wasn't it he that made a guitar amp out of a Toaster Oven? I actually picked up a decent one in the event I ever needed to flow a surface mount. Or make a bagel...
gut shots to be posted.
10 9 7 Delta Bravo over.

[PRR]

> They don't make things like these anymore

Readily found today:  Milkhouse heater.

One sold for $8. Different handle and color, $50 at Uline.

[shooter]

Readily found today

I just looked, it IS a Chinese knock-off 
It is a well done fake, my Dad has one, still in use, that I dates to the late 50's, I think, now I gotta take mine n c

I have an amp chassis    should make a good complement to my MRI cover amp

[Ritchie200]

Silverfox

If you still have a SW radio sitting around, this is the current bible.  There is still stuff out there if you know where to look.  Just because a large part of the BBC is gone (and a lot of others....), doesn't mean there is still some interesting stations still broadcasting!

Jim

http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2017/11/international-shortwave-broadcast-guide_28.html

[Ritchie200]

Silverfox,


If you need tubes for that linear, let me know.  I've got hundreds of transmitter tubes - free to my Hoffman friends.


Jim