Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020
I finally got a good deal on my favorite antenna tuner — the MFJ-986 Differential T tuner.
The MFJ-986 sells new for $419.95 from MFJ; used on eBay they command prices well north of the $200 mark. The one I was watching was stuck at $52 for the last several days during its 7-day auction period. I got my bid in the last 3 seconds and was fortunate to have submitted a bid high enough to win. I got the tuner for $100, so I cannot complain!
My plan is to set up the MFJ in the main shack and replace one of my Heathkit SA-2060 tuners. I have no complaint with the Heathkit tuners I own, don’t get me wrong. But after using the Differential T tuner, I quickly came to appreciate the fact that its much easier to find match with this tuner than my Heathkit tuners. I have no plan to shed my Heathkit tuners.
In fact, there’s a second MFJ-986 on eBay that has a low current bid. Not sure I want a third one, but if I did, I would use it in Studio C.
I still have a number of radio and accessories listed on eBay. I have more to add, I just haven’t taken time to shoot photos and write the listings. I found a Hammarlund HQ-170 in a box in the attic, so I think I’m going to need to get it out to check it out soon.
I still have the Ranger RCI-2990 on the bench; it still has the “rumbling” static and crackling. I need to put it back in the box. I don’t have a mic for it right now, and I would like to confirm that it works before I list it on eBay.
Still enjoying my SB-102 station as my main rig in Studio C. I have a Drake TR-7 and matching VFO to check out; I need to get it upstairs and let it play.
ATTIC TREASURES. I uncovered my original Icom IC-756PROIII that I purchased new recently, and also found my IC-746PRO boxed up. I’ll likely keep them both boxed up.
I have what I believe is a Hallicrafters SX-101A in the attic too, but I’m not ready to haul it out of the attic. I finally received the dial string I bought to repair the broken dial cord on my Zenith Transoceanic and my Hallicrafters TW-1000.
I recently picked up a Heathkit HP-23 power supply … the seller had replaced the 2 prong AC cord with a 3-conductor cord; however when he did that, he removed the fuse protection for the power supply (the fuses were built into the AC plug); later HP-23s had a circuit breaker on the supply. I have a circuit breaker to install to protect the AC line cord. The supply is supposed to work FB; time will tell.
Enough for this evening … 73 to all.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z … SK … SK … (dit dit) ….