There is a kilowatt version and a 275-watt version of the matchbox.  I own a
275-watt Johnson Matchbox, but haven't used it probably since the time I
lived in a tenth-floor apartment and was loading up a 40-foot piece of wire
hanging from a fishing pole out the window.  While I lived in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, as K0DDA, I used it to feed a 135-foot dipole connected with open-wire
line, and could run 500 watts PEP through that balanced configuration.  You
can't run that much power through it if you are feeding a 50-ohm antenna
through its single-wire terminal.  Mine had a relay (or at least a terminal
strip) but I never used that.  It was always ready to use with a transceiver
or transceiver and amplifier.

I would bet you could find a version of the manual on the BAMA (boat anchor
manual archives) website, but it will be in PDF images and you will have to
OCR it, or more likely print it and go over it with a fellow sighted ham.

If you need to compare notes, write back off-list and I will bring it over
to the computer and we can compare notes.  It's a good unit, but not so
valuable in this era of rapid band-switching and mostly coax-fed antennas.
My wife thinks it is taking up valuable space on a shelf, but I want to hang
onto it.
73,
Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Wheaton, Maryland
Home:  http://lras.home.sprynet.com
Work:  http://www.loc.gov/nls
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Pat Byrne
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 9:19 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Johnson Matchbox
> 
> have any of you had experience with the old Johnson Matchbox antenna
> tuner?  It works 80 - 10 and has fixed coil and two variable caps.  I
> have one but no documentation.  Since it is from the old
> transmitter/receiver days I understand that there is an antenna
> changeover relay inside that has to be bypassed - don't know if that
> has happened to this one yet.  It had a really good rep. in the stone
> age!!
> Look forward to responses.
> Thanks.
> Pat, K9JAU