The Electronics Universe

Over The Air => Amplifiers => Topic started by: KC4UMO on January 10, 2010, 06:56:02 PM

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: KC4UMO on January 10, 2010, 06:56:02 PM

Picked this up this week end

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: crazy on January 10, 2010, 07:42:31 PM

How old is it?

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: KC4UMO on January 10, 2010, 08:19:54 PM

This is a 50\'s model. Close to 50 years old.
Looks good eh?

Here is a pic of it on with the lights out.

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: crazy on January 11, 2010, 06:22:06 AM

Quote by Buddy:  

Quote

This is a 50\'s model. Close to 50 years old.
Looks good eh?

Actually it looks almost brand new?  Someone took good care of it, that is for sure.  I am sure it was a great find!

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: KC4UMO on January 11, 2010, 06:07:08 PM

Only thing about this amp is it will not go directly behind the modern radios on the market today. You have to use a seperate receiver and transmitter.

This mosley a collectors item.

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: crazy on January 11, 2010, 06:30:36 PM

I\'m sure you will find SOME  kind of use for it, lol.  If ya run across a home base unit, standard CB, keep me in mind.    I would like to have one this year.

Have a good one,  Crazy.  :407:

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: KI4RVH on February 01, 2010, 07:44:18 PM

That thing is sweet!!!!!!!!!!!  That is a nice collectors item.

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: k9yli on February 11, 2010, 10:52:17 AM

no different than other vintage amps.  
all you need to put behind modern transciever is a  relay  to switch  the input  to output   SO239s.
so the amp is bypassed on receive..
MY heathkit  needed a bias supply  but someone had already  put that in..

a  2 pole  5 amp contact    12 volt coil relay will do the trick.
many circuits on the internet.



also for   crazy         using an amp  on  CB is illegal  in case you were not
 kidding...

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: KC4UMO on February 11, 2010, 10:58:23 AM

Quote from: k9yli;17165

no different than other vintage amps. 
all you need to put behind modern transciever is a  relay  to switch  the input  to output   SO239s.
so the amp is bypassed on receive..
MY heathkit  needed a bias supply  but someone had already  put that in..

a  2 pole  5 amp contact    12 volt coil relay will do the trick.
many circuits on the internet.



also for   crazy         using an amp  on  CB is illegal  in case you were not
 kidding...

Curious to the type of bias supply installed in your heatkit.
I have seen many different version around.

Agreed on the relay install. But I would never change this amplifier. I am gonna use it with my Apache.
Oh, I am sure crazy aint that crazy lol

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: crazy on February 12, 2010, 09:30:52 AM

Quote from: k9yli;17165

also for   crazy         using an amp  on  CB is illegal  in case you were not
 kidding...

Quote from: KC4UMO;17166

Oh, I am sure crazy aint that crazy lol

Both of you are correct.   When I was a teenager I had a monster linear (spelling?) , an aluminum finned monster.  I never got in trouble with it, but  a lot of folks wanted to know who I was, lol.   See, I was crazy long before I was CRAZY! :arf2:

Title: Johnson Viking Thunderbolt
Post by: k9yli on February 12, 2010, 09:51:41 AM

I think, if i remember from when i looked at a  year or so ago it is just a  6.3 volt filiment transformer wired backward off the  6.3 volt  filament line.

120 ac out.   simple rectifier/ cap  circuit.
very little current drawn..
no real load on the  filament  transformer.

i havent finished yet but the heath has plenty of room to mount  two   dow key  relays i accuired,  under the chasis...

bias supply is also mounted under the chassis..

for the relay power  i have a 12 volt  1 amp   wall wart  to wire in..

only modification to the heath is  replacing the two   rg8 cables under the chasis to the   SO239s with new cable running to the relays.

nothing external or  holes in the cabinet.