Browning Mark IV Power Adjustment

[hifiman]

Hi All
I have a beautiful Mk IV. I have adjusted the screw in the back so my Bias falls in the little brown box as the manual says. However when I adjust the other screw I cant get more than 3 watts DK and 10 watts pep. Could this be a tube or is there an internal adjustment I should try first. Thanks

[wd8nia]

Those numbers don't sound bad to me; rather, it reads like you have a nice, unmolested MK IV to be proud of. What kind of reports are you getting from others on the air around you? They should be excellent where audio quality is concerned....if not, it's probably something simple that needs to be looked at and corrected.

I can't begin to count the number of times when people, used to mega-swinging newer radios, pick up their first Browning or any number of other back-in-the-day rigs complain of low power output performance. I was one of them. Over the ooooow and aaaaah years between when I couldn't afford one and then could, I'd somehow forgotten that we were thrilled with their audio performance back then and ops added low-drive tube amps to bring up the numbers. Sadly, today it generally seems to be the opposite....it's all about the numbers and screw TX audio quality. Don't believe me, get on any channel and listen for awhile.

You have one of the Crown Jewels of the radio world and should expect no more out of it than it performs to specs. It's what you add to your shack that will make it perform better otherwise; not necessarily what you do to the MK IV. What I recommend is that you go through it if you possess the skills/equipment or have a Browning guy go through it to make sure it's operating exactly how it was designed to operate.

Enjoy!

[hifiman]

Thanks and I absolutely agree. Its just that when I first got it, it would dead key 4 watts and now I cant get more than 3 watts. Thats why I asked about the tube(s). Not that one watt makes a difference but I just like my radios to work 100 percent. However I agree that 3 swinging to 10 is within spec so I wont worry about it to much.

[mark4]

3 watts is normal for that radio.
There is a 10 watt dropping resistor factory range 2.7K to 3.1K
Bet yours is already 2.7K Peak reading is usually around 18 watts. On a peak reading meter. Average is watt your reading I bet and is fine. Just don't get into strapping that rig for the most power output. Get a amp. My Mark IV/IVA's have beat out ever Tram I have owned for audio quality with and only with the 776 mic in line.

[cbrown]

I agree with Mark4, your output on that radio is normal. If you need more power, add an amplifier. No need to punish the Browning trying to push more watts out of it.