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Navy TCS restoration

I made two QSOs!

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- May 05, 2020

I made 2 contacts on 40 meters CW. Its a little hard to send CW without a sidetone...

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Testing the transmitter

- May 04, 2020

Did some more work on the TCS transmitter. Everything came up good when I bypassed the variac. While trying to determine which pins of the Morse code Jack were the correct ones to key the transmitter, I found out that the pins in the back of a socket were bent incorrectly and not contacting the correct part of the plug. I bent them back into their correct position. Then I was able to Wire up my Morse code key to a plug that fit inside of that Jack, and have the correct pins key the transmitter. Next I will have to see if I could get any power out of it into the dummy load.

Power into the dummy load

- May 04, 2020

I was able to tune it up into the dummy load on 40 meters. I could hear it on my local receiver. Finally progress. I'll probably button it back up and make everything safe now.

Relay problem solved

- May 03, 2020

Relay problem solved. I learned a few things about AC powered relays. You can't bring them up on a variac slowly or they will chatter between 50 and 100 volts. They need to be operated at their full voltage, over 110 volts. It turns out that when using the dim bulb in line with the variac, the voltage drop was too much, and the relay dropped below its cutoff voltage and started to chatter. With 115 volts AC across the contacts, you get to see some sparks (not good). I turned off the dim bulb, set the variac at 120 volts and flipped the switch! The transmitter powered up and started drawing about 1.2 amps. No smoke or explosions :)