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Message |
    
N9emz
Junior Member
Username: N9emz
Post Number: 11
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 5:40 am: | 
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Wanted one of these rigs real bad back in the 70s, and that want lingered. I periodically check the listings on internet sites and saw one with a reasonable "buy it now" price listed by a fellow ham. Appearance and description were good, e-mails were better, so I popped for it and held my breath (I had searched out and read many cautionary statements about them in the meantime).
Rig arrived safe and sound, and it went on the desk first thing; tubes, boards and all connections checked and cleaned; temporarily set up on the only available clear horizontal space in the house; connected to Antron99 at 90' via Power/Mod/SWR meter and frequency counter. Switch on and warm-up while carefully studying the factory manual. Everything set up for AM operation as per manual, and I fired the puppy up and worked all the usual local contacts within a 40-mile radius....the old timers I've been ratchet-jawing with who could best give me a comparison with the number of rigs I've operated over the years.
The reports....all boiled down to the cleanest audio ever radiated from my shack, and the loudest; right up there or louder than my old FT-101F, but not quite as loud as the Eagle 5000 or RCI-2990. Then again, the D201 deadkeys 4-1/2W and swings 17 (with a flip of a switch it'll do 13/27) and the Eagle and 2990 "talked" 200W+. Everyone stated that the D201 is the all around best sounding rig I've ever run. Nothing but commanding, clean audio every time I key the mic.
Coming up with information on the mods was a real teeth-puller without 'caine. I must have searched over 50 hours; a lot of posted inquiries without response; the previous owner (who'd regularly operated the rig for a year didn't know the particulars); all very frustrating. Thanks to information gleaned from posts from "2600" here (and on other forums) and some e-mail help from "fixer7526" along with checking the freq counter and meter, I finally got it all squared away.
Mods: Hi/Lo power chasis switch detailed above; clarifier unlocked; VFO tuner auxiliary switch for lowers; VFO opened up for uppers in manual mode on Channel 11. The good: All xtal frequencies are within tolerances; All channels plus uppers are right on the money on the VFO markers; Xmit perfectly tracks VFO receive tuning; all tubes are up to snuff with excellent receive and xmit functions.
The bad: Calibrator is 800 Hz low; squelch pot is shot (new one coming); meter power function won't trim down to read accurately (reads double actual output on deadkey and pegs with modulation) even with R427 trimmer bottomed out. The fact that tx is on the money with VFO rx tuning nulls my concerns to the point where I can live with this minor stuff for the time being.
Saying I'm happy is an understatement. This is the first piece of tube gear I've bought in 20 years that operated this well without any major work having to be done to it. I'd really like to have a D201HW but this will do until I score one.
As for any comparisons between the operation of this rig and my Eagles, I sold off my browning collection a few years back and I wouldn't trade this Tram for all of them back.
Try one....you'll like it.
73,
Sam |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1367
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 9:54 am: |
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I have said this for years-
A tube radio is the only man made thing in this world that has a soul. |
Kilowatt
Intermediate Member
Username: Kilowatt
Post Number: 237
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 04, 2006 - 4:32 am: |
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Congratulations on the Tram! I'm gonna have to pick up one, someday. |
Patrick26062
New member
Username: Patrick26062
Post Number: 3
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 10:18 am: |
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If you are talking about the old Tram CB radios, I think my sister has one. Been put away. I think she still has an old Browing Mark IV also.
She was into CB years ago and when she dropped out, she just packed her radios away. |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 762
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 6:40 pm: |
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Patrick, Weirton, as in Weirton, WV?
My bride is from the big city of Parkersburg!
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Slowhand
Intermediate Member
Username: Slowhand
Post Number: 105
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 7:14 pm: |
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I got a D201 handwired version. I have a continuous readout counter on it. I changed it to a regular 4 pin mic plug also. I love that radio.
Plate modulated audio is the greatest! Out of all my radios , my Mark III Browning get the award for being the "loudest" but the Tram is "warmest".
slowhand |
N9emz
Junior Member
Username: N9emz
Post Number: 19
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 11:56 pm: |
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I envy you, Hand....I almost had an HW but I let a $25-bill stop me from going through with the deal....a principle ditty. I'm still on high alert for one and it's the only thing stopping me from shipping off my current D201 for a full physical.
I had just the opposite experience. In fact, my overall experience with Brownings is still a big disappointment. I sunk a lot of money into a MKII, MKIII and MKIV getting them on the air....the MKII had the best receive of the three, but I had nearly $250 just in replacement xtals. The MKIV was the biggest disappointment....a friend found it in his uncle's basement and offered it to me for $50. It looked like it just came out of the box from the factory and I gave him $100. Getting it on the air darned nearly required replacement of everything but the knobs, covers and chasis.
Don't get me wrong....Brownings are fine, even outstanding rigs, and I'm probably just the unluckiest person in the world who chased them. I often see what appears to me to be a good deal on one and I'm sorely tempted to hit the hip....but the old bad memories just won't let me do it yet. I find one at a good price from someone I know who tells me it's in fine operating shape, I might leap.
The current D201 doesn't hear as good as the MKII did, but it out talks all three and outhears the III and IV. I shied away from tube CBs for several years after the Browning experience, but the Tram has me back in the game and makes up for all the bad stuff from before.
73,
Sam |
Waverider
Member
Username: Waverider
Post Number: 57
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 1:24 pm: |
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Ah yes I love those glowing tubes! I have a very well restored Mark III and a Mark IVA I've owned since it was new. I also have a Model T that has some serious audio! Have never owned a D201 but if I find the right one it could happen. Some of the newer radios are hot stuff too. Have two Magnums that I thought had poor ears cause the receiver was so quiet. Wrong, the receivers are that quiet but sensitivity is also very good. Also as others have said these radios work just fine with the stock mics. We are lucky that we have a lot of good equipment to choose from. If only I had the $$$ to get all of the toys I would like to have!!!!! 73's all............ |
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