New To Tubes

[jaliv94]

I just purchased my first tube radio, a Browning Mark IVA, form a local radio shop. There are some controls on the radio that I haven't seen on other radios. Not wanting to damage the radio I haven't fired it up yet. Any advice is welcome.

Also, I have posted a few pictures of the radio. It looks like there has been a good bit of work done to it. I was wandering if things look the way it should.

73's

John

[Tombstone (R.I.P.)]

Go ahead and fire it up! If all is well you will notice that tubes produce a more pleasant warm sounding receive and should have better sensitivity than most solid state rigs. What controls are you not familiar with? I've not had my hands on a mark IV or IVA so I don't know if I can help you with that unless I could clearly see the front panels. I have Brownings but but nothing past the Mark III model, If something isn't right you'll soon find out. If the radio hasn't been in use for a long time I would normally bring it up slowly with a variac if you have or can get access to one but with that rig being a hybrid that may do more harm than good. There are more experienced people on this board on the subject than I can input. I hope that it runs ok for you.

Tombstone

[jaliv94]

Thanks for the reply Tombstone. The controls in question are:

band spread (rx) and

spot, test/reset, and scan rate (tx)

Also, I think there is an adjustment on the back of the tx labeled plate.

[Tombstone (R.I.P.)]

I think those rigs have sideband (see, I'm not familiar) so the band spread is your fine tune on AM and your clarifier on sideband. The spot button is for aligning the receiver with whatever channel the transmitter is on. When using this you don't need to key up, just select a channel that you want on the transmitter and hold the spot button down and turn the main tuning dial or band spread on the receiver until you get the highest reading on the S meter, you probably will hear a tone during this also. That way you're dead on with the transmitter. The plate adjustment on the back of the transmitter is for peaking the final. Just key up and turn it gently untill you have the highest wattage reading on the meter whether it be the meter in the radio or an external meter, which you should be using anyway. As far as test/reset and scan rate I'm not sure, I'd have to fiddle with it. Somene please correct me if I'm wrong on anything. I hope that this helps you.

Tombstone

[scrapiron]

The scan rate on the transmitter just adjust how fast or slow the channel selector changes channels.....Nice looking radio. Happy Thankgiving.

[40sx]

The test position shows that all the segments in the channel selector are working. This does not affect your transmitter or reciever, just a test feature. The reset just takes you back to channel 1 quickly in case your in the upper range of channels. It's also used in case your radio goes out of lock.

Dennis