How to fix Vintage Johnson Messenger 1 tube type CB No modulation or audio Yep another stupid cap!

New project. Back in the day (1962) Johnson sold the Messengers. They were used for base or mobile operation. The messenger 1 was a 5 channel crystal controlled 27Mhz CB. Many of them were converted to the "Business band" and utilized in Taxi cabs, plus other small business applications. When used in a vehicle, the Messenger used a vibrator power supply, switching the vehicles 6 or 12vdc system to generate the CB's power requirements. These days, the radios are pretty much worthless, since there are so many new small transceivers on the market. So, my friend Scott and I brainstormed the subject. He has one that we will be converting to 10 meter AM band, utilizing a DDS VFO. His will run as a transceiver using the offset function of the fancy VFO. The offset is required to shift frequency 455kc's for the receive section. I am changing mine over to the 40 meter band, AM and CW. My Messenger will only be a transmitter. With some tweeking, this little guy can put out 10 watts! Heres another fun fact, The messenger oscillator does not multiple frequency. Therefore when it was a CB, the transmit crystal was cut for the actual channel, ex: 27.085 (channel 11). So, as a 40 meter transmitter, it will use the direct frequency from the VFO. Ex: 7.290 Mhz. Using the Johnson VFO-122, this transmitter could be used on the 40 or 80 meter band. A cool monobander transmitter! I will be playing with this project and posting more info. Yes, this is far from a guitar amp, but gives you some insight on modification of old obsolete electronics!

[@patrickwall8517]

I love your videos. Thank you for keeping vintage amps, radios, and AM alive.

[@mackfisher4487]

Thank you for not converting it to a guitar amp, Terry your restoring of the messenger to 10-meter will be an interesting topic for on air ten QSOs. It's always good to see old gear live on.

[@tomschupbach2200]

The only thing Johnson did to put these on 11 meters was to put a large resistor in the plate circuit of the final (They were originally designed as a 10 watt business band radio) to cut the output to 4 watts. We used to "strap" that resistor with a piece of wire and voila! !0 watt CB rig! Later we used them as a 10 watt 10 meter rig. Ke4io

[@Zoompipes]

I had 1 of these as a kid it was a lot of fun with the d104 mic

[@Tom-W7TMD]

Very cool! I hope to hear it on 10m or 40m!!

[@RA-Arg]

I wish to take a plane (9 hours or more) just to talk with you 1 hour.
Cheers from Argentina - LU8ARM

[@PlanetaryThoughts9861]

The tubes are probably worth more than $12.00!

[@jwdevine]

Shucks, I was hoping we could see it become a resurrection with neon pinstripes, perhaps some fancy powder coating, and have it drive 4 transducers and has a input for a standard guitar and another for a straight key or microphone, switched. So it can be used @ Radio club for training.
Rock a Billy, CW, PA modes...
😢

[@steveb6371]

As a punk kid I had the opportunity to work on a black face messenger. I also experienced the wrath of the 360 volts which knocked me across the room! Since that time I learned to respect electricity and became a very successful technician servicing industrial equipment. Nice video which brought back many memories.

[@bobs1345]

I have one of these old Johnsons. The original mic was wired in. If you find one of those old electronics magazines or Popular Mechanics from the 60's you will find that the mic was long and slim with a square end that you spoke into. I'm old enough to remember when they were new. There was a factory 10M version so it might be advertised in QST magazine from back then. Many decades ago I actually contacted E. F. Johnson about how to convert it to 10M.

[@bebo5558]

All these old Johnsons were built like a tank, to fill a need for cheap reliable communications, they first came with a "banana" microphone! They would take the vibration of mobile use, taxi's, schoolbuses, semis, police cars, tractors and combines on the farm, etc.! Put in a jumper or replace the 12AX7 with solid-state diode tube for a couple extra watts and hook to a 102" whip you were flyin high!

[@Valerifon1]

Hello Terry,
I love your channel! Would you mind me asking, how can I contact you with a question please? I have a Heathkit IO-12 Oscilloscope that I want to get running again. I think it has an issue with the power transformer... thanks and best regards! Luther