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11M test just now showed over 400w AM from a 1970's 23 ch CB barely powered by a 12v, 2 amp bench supply. Amp still on work table so I was only using one plate transformer (1800 400mA). That's a best ever for 27Mhz especially given I did not even tweak Tune, Load or RF Input, just took a good...

Regarding the plate choke (thanks again Nomad) I compared with my old choke and found that it was roughly twice the inductance of W8JI's component so I'm hopeful that I'll see improvement. Over the past 2 months I replaced the point to point wiring of the RF Input I had strewn about the tube...

New input, shorter leads, less mess but same Pride values plus six more to try soon (11 position switch behind inductor board). 40 & 80m already worked well so new values directed at 10-20m bands. If this does not work I will focus on reducing 750R swamping to 600.

Found these handy screw terminals on ebay. They fit snugly and the metal is strong. Seller wants $3-4 for 7 of them. The screws are fine thread. https://www.ebay.com/itm/181677244055?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5336136228&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1

M162 LC R meter kit

Process of elimination search for best values. 11 values selectable by rotary switch. Traces cut for 2 sections. Easier to remove for adjusting several at a time; Somewhere btwn .4-2.5uH. I'll find it eventually.

Pictures and a hearty discussion of circuit

When it rains it pours. Thank you Nomad, came today in the USPS.

Thank you. Sounds like a good focus. I already began rebuilding the Input section and re-wound another choke. I'm waiting on some parts including a better LCR meter. I went with M-162 LCR kit ($40) only thru-hole components need be assembled. 40/80 no problem but I cannot see where I am...

Wire looks like 24-26? Reviewing my options: re-wind or get another. Uncertain what choke goes with 2 4cx300 tubes. When the attached picture is enlarged, a bulbous glob of copper is evident on each end of the wire break. Like a melted fuse. Choke went during 200w cw tuning with 4w...

I abandoned the mast-mount preamp effort. The swr bump wasn't worth the small gain on Receive and signal noise. Plus, it would have been another set of relay contacts exposed to elements despite being inside plastic case. The affects from condensation during the few years the old relay was...

I neglected to note that the 2:1 antenna relay board works good. Far better than the large latching relay I was using. SWR nearly flat. I do not like that a relay coil stays energized all the time during use. Latching was a failsafe as 1 antenna would always be connected even when power was...

It was only 1 bad relay and never had a bad relay coil problem ever, that I can remember. My estimation of the total number of relays I purchased over my lifetime is somewhere 40-ish. Yet I learned something else about the factory relays mounted on the Preamp board. Specifically, the...

This is what I found inside. The failure was it would not do anything when coil powered. It worked last night but today when I tested prior to taking to roof, it would not activate. Rated at 8A Can see color diff btwn the 2. The dark one I know is genuine. Light colored 1 I got from PRC

I've never had any brand of these small relays fail, today was the first time. It failed days after it was installed and the only usage was testing. Never left bench. It was one of 4, I purchased on eBay from China. I had a 6v version of same relay and I installed it temp basis. I know the 6v...

Using this to replace old large latching relay flattened my swrs on both antennas.

Mast-mount Ant switch w/ HF preamp 4 wire controlled 12vdc. Oversized relays (8A) on preamp board, same pinout but for the coil pins over pcb edge & connected by wire.

The $35 was for the right stuff recommended in the link provided a few posts up. It’s all fun, mistakes included. Next project is finding a method to attenuate output on 2x 4cx300 amp. Lowest I can do from radio is 5w and the jump is too high sometimes.

Lazy & Cheap that's a backhand if I ever felt one. Well, thanks for the scoop on silicone, even if it is heaping proof that I'm only an amateur, lol. And $35 a tube? Slow down, no need revisit Cheap, I'll figure it out before my station re-make is finished.