These are great radios. You got a nice clean find, too, which is rare. If you really want to make that radio scream, wire up an amplified D104 to it but make sure that you put a 1000 uF resistor in series or it will squeal. I was told that this setup rivaled the Browning Golden Eagle III I had at the time. 73, 943 around Chicago
Early radios shared the circuits for xmit and receive. I loved I could hear myself. xmit and receive xtals always have different frequency's marked. You are very lucky
Yes the messenger 1 and 2 are very good radios i have been collecting and servicing them for many years and yes change out that main ac filter cap before it goes off like a 22. Its ok to replace the rectifier tube with diodes but in doing so it raises the dc voltage so you are going to want to install a cap with a voltage rating of 500 volts i always bump the stock 80 mf rating up to 100 also. Over the years i have bought dozens of these radios including quite a few of the 223 many still new in their original boxes but even the used ones i chose to purchase are mint i never was one to buy used torn up stuff. I had a family member that worked for Johnson and left me with numerous nos parts, tubes, crystals front bezels etc. I still service them for customers but so far i can't get myself to sell any of them. I also service and have a huge collection of the Robyn 123 and awesome yellow 240D that have the very reliable panasonic chassis as well as other names that it came with like Gemtronics, Lafayette etc i have a few of those new and mint lightly used and still collecting. If anyone needs service on any of these message me.
Nice find. I've heard good things about the receive on the Messenger 2 radios as well. Somewhere I recently read that the Messenger 1 has a single conversion receiver but the 2 has a dual conversion. I haven't verified that yet but it does have me curious about the receivers in each.
Looks like the 12bw4 rectifier tube was replace with silicon diodes. That is what gives you more power. Also there is a resister in the bottom that can be changed to give you even more power out.Great radios have had mine since 1964.
Yes you can change the rectifier tube to diodes but you also need to change the main cap to a higher voltage as the DC power supply voltage also goes up. On the 10 watt resistor some use a jumper but i never go below 5 OHMS
I seriously doubt that you fixed it that radio was a disaster somebody had hacked the hell out of it. if you could have fixed it you wouldnt have sent it to me in the first place. Wow some people LOL
Bull crap. It was NOT hacked, you just didn't feel like fixing it because it took time to do and wasn't a simple "peak and tune" job....I'll be posting a video on it soon. And YES i fixed it myself. I bought a VCO block for it from a chap in England. The VCO block was bad. Why you didn't see that is beyond me. But its okay its all good now,.
Eric 12374 whatever you say I guarantee it won't be the same radio as i had here and yes I fix and align radios everyday. I have dozens of people that are very happy with my work but there's always one in the crowd that tries to start trouble but it doesn't phase me at all.
Im laughing so hard right now at this and some of the stuff people try and pull. Thats exactly why i left facebook all it is is a place for people to start trouble. The only way you have that radio up and running is if you changed the board out and if you are capable of that then you didn't need me in the first place. I smell a rotten fish. You have fun and comment all you want i have customers radios to fix.
These are great radios. You got a nice clean find, too, which is rare.
If you really want to make that radio scream, wire up an amplified D104 to it but make sure that you put a 1000 uF resistor in series or it will squeal. I was told that this setup rivaled the Browning Golden Eagle III I had at the time.
73,
943 around Chicago
Early radios shared the circuits for xmit and receive. I loved I could hear myself. xmit and receive xtals always have different frequency's marked. You are very lucky
love my 1 and 2
Yes the messenger 1 and 2 are very good radios i have been collecting and servicing them for many years and yes change out that main ac filter cap before it goes off like a 22. Its ok to replace the rectifier tube with diodes but in doing so it raises the dc voltage so you are going to want to install a cap with a voltage rating of 500 volts i always bump the stock 80 mf rating up to 100 also. Over the years i have bought dozens of these radios including quite a few of the 223 many still new in their original boxes but even the used ones i chose to purchase are mint i never was one to buy used torn up stuff. I had a family member that worked for Johnson and left me with numerous nos parts, tubes, crystals front bezels etc. I still service them for customers but so far i can't get myself to sell any of them. I also service and have a huge collection of the Robyn 123 and awesome yellow 240D that have the very reliable panasonic chassis as well as other names that it came with like Gemtronics, Lafayette etc i have a few of those new and mint lightly used and still collecting. If anyone needs service on any of these message me.
Oh you're the guy i sent my Truetone CB to and you couldn't fix it. Well i fixed it myself and it works great. LOL
Got one at a antique store, when I leave it on for long, it get REAL hot
These radios love a d104
Nice find. I've heard good things about the receive on the Messenger 2 radios as well. Somewhere I recently read that the Messenger 1 has a single conversion receiver but the 2 has a dual conversion. I haven't verified that yet but it does have me curious about the receivers in each.
Looks like the 12bw4 rectifier tube was replace with silicon diodes. That is what gives you more power. Also there is a resister in the bottom that can be changed to give you even more power out.Great radios have had mine since 1964.
Yes you can change the rectifier tube to diodes but you also need to change the main cap to a higher voltage as the DC power supply voltage also goes up. On the 10 watt resistor some use a jumper but i never go below 5 OHMS
beautiful! i just got mine off ebay. has a D104 hardwired. was thinking of a plug. i like where that one is at. so cool to watch the tubes light up.
Ive always wanted one of these...my older brother had one back in the early 70s.....he talked all over the world on it.
Good radio, one of the best, for what it is. I own 5 of those, one has a Demco modulator hooked up to it.
hey has anybody seen the crystals for these things? havnt been able to find 14 and 40
Try Ken's Electronics.
thanks will do
WTF is wrong with your camera........clicking away!!.
Superb Radio for sure.
@m0ogy The hard drive. Im just too cheap to buy a new one, LOL. I did find a tripod to take better vidoes without the jerkyness...
The keyboard noises in the background are annoying AF
Time for a new camera......
If you ever want to sell it....let me know.
I have a Johnson messanger white face for sale
+splifion is it clean and working as it should...or a fixer upper?
+Nordland796 a fixer upper
+splifion I want something in good shape that is working.......already bought too many non working radios off rip-off bay
+Nordland796 he doesnt want to sell it sorry....
I seriously doubt that you fixed it that radio was a disaster somebody had hacked the hell out of it. if you could have fixed it you wouldnt have sent it to me in the first place. Wow some people LOL
Bull crap. It was NOT hacked, you just didn't feel like fixing it because it took time to do and wasn't a simple "peak and tune" job....I'll be posting a video on it soon. And YES i fixed it myself. I bought a VCO block for it from a chap in England. The VCO block was bad. Why you didn't see that is beyond me. But its okay its all good now,.
Eric 12374 whatever you say I guarantee it won't be the same radio as i had here and yes I fix and align radios everyday. I have dozens of people that are very happy with my work but there's always one in the crowd that tries to start trouble but it doesn't phase me at all.
Im laughing so hard right now at this and some of the stuff people try and pull. Thats exactly why i left facebook all it is is a place for people to start trouble. The only way you have that radio up and running is if you changed the board out and if you are capable of that then you didn't need me in the first place. I smell a rotten fish. You have fun and comment all you want i have customers radios to fix.