Hi Kevin,
I don't know about other transmitters which were as easy as the Knight 
sounds, especially
which run more power.  I'd think some of the old heathkit rigs might 
work though,
but don't know about tuning as never actually owned one.
Regarding the setting of drive,  what I did with my rigs which were 
primarily viking
transmitters was to start with the drive level pretty low and dip the 
final which
actually meant peaking for highest tone with the tuning aid.
Then I'd advance the drive which usually changed the pitch again.  I'd 
retweak the
plate and jockey those two back and forth until I got to maximum output. 
  Then I'd
back the drive off just a little so it was a tad below what gave the 
highest pitch.
Finally I'd peak the output of the final one more time.
If you got the drive level too  high, the pitch wouldn't increase 
anymore, so I just
left it at a very slight bit below where it leveled off at max pitch.
If this sounds veally vague, it's because it was.  <smile>  But, I have 
to say I
never flattened any tubes by too much drive.
Don  w6smb
On 1/25/2010 7:25 PM, Kevin Nathan wrote:
Hi All,
Yes, as the subject suggests, those of you that don't know the double
meaning of 807 probably cant help me here.  For the rest of you old farts
like me, I need to address a question to you.  As a few of you may know, I
am in process of setting up a vintage AM and CW station.  I have a
Hammarlund HQ-110 and a Knight Kit T-60 transmitter.  While the T-60 has
some sentimental value since I ran one like it as my first real novice
transmitter, I am not saddled with this.  Part of its appeal though is its
simplicity.  To tune it up, all you need do is put a tuning aid on and then
tweak drive tune, plate and load for maximum pitch.
But here's the question and my dilemma.  I am going to a swap fest this
weekend for old time radios.  I wouldn't mind landing a transmitter with a
little more power.  But, I can remember with some of the bigger
transmitters, the Heath Kit DX-100 for example, having to set a particular
level of drive current which would not be indicated by a tuning aid.  So,
based on that, my question is how did you guys who used these bigger
transmitters deal with this need to set a specific level of drive current if
you were too blind to read the meter on the transmitter?  Secondly, were
there other transmitters that were as simple as the T-60 to tune up and
which ran more power?
I would appreciate any discussion or recommendations any of you might have.
Very 73.
Kevin
:)
Amateur Radio:  K7RX