Wawasee Blackcat JB-2000 versions: 10-11, 10-80, and 6 'meter'

Описание: Just a vid of some of the pages I have on Blackcat JB-2000's. All dual 3-500z Blackcats were called JB-2000. All versions had the automatic RF sensing keying circuit, no footswitch needed. All versions could be wired for 110v or 220v. All ran a relatively low plate voltage and were 0 bias, grounded grid.
The CB version was called the JB-2000/10-11. It had the built-in driver tube, was 4 watt drive, and 10-11 meters only.
They made a 6 meter version which from what I can gather, was exactly the same as the 10-11 meter version, except the input and output circuitry was setup for 6 meters only. I am guessing, and only guessing, that this version was strictly made to get by the FCC. I have never seen a Ham using one for 6 meters. It was named the JB-2000/6
They also made a JB-2000 that had the full 10-80 meter Ham Bands in it. With this version there was no driver tube, hence it needed around a 100 watts to drive it. Any amp that had 10 meters in it would also work on 11 meters too unless it had some kind of special 11 meter filter or block in it. Back in the day, the Heathkit SB-221 and now seeing that the Drake L7 I am playing with have a special 11 meter attenuator circuit or block on the input side. Both called this 11 meter 'Block' a 'Filter'. Hence, if you didn't know what that ''Filter' really did, you would always be wondering how come I can't get much output out of the amp.
I had a CB bud back in the day that had a SB-220 that he was driving with a Phantom 500 on high, 500 watts in, and getting out only 1000 out the SB-220. It was the block which attenuated most the watts going into that amp. Took out the 'Filter', retuned the input some for 11 meters and away that amp went. Unfortunately, he died of brain cancer some years later. I really think that he got brain cancer because he had that bogus SB-220 driven with that Phantom 500, both right in front of him on his desk, for I think around 8 years.
One more story mentioned in the vid was that I had another bud with a JB-2000. His was acting up and at the time, I was around 17, I had a Palomar 300A that was unstable. I got the 300a from a CB elder who was playing around with it with the cover off and zapped himself. Now he wa scared of messing with tubes, so he sold it to me cheap. Even the mutual friend who came with me when I got the amp from him told him to just keep you fingers out of it and it won't zap you. Nope, too late, fool me once..... So anyway, I got the 300a and rode with Mule Skinner down to Blackcat. His problem was bad tubes and tube filament problems. That had happened before too and Ken at Blackcat had soldered the tube pins directly to the tube sockets. I thought, well that does help with the filament contacts, but what happens when you have to replace the tube? Well, I found out the answer. Since the tubes are bad anyway, you remove the socket with the tube soldered in and replace the whole shebang. New tubes, new sockets, and then he still soldered them in again. Hmmmm. I think nowadays we just add more cooling to the tube pins. What brought that to mind is I was on the net and saw on a Ham site where someone had soldered the pins to the sockets. Of course the Hams went ballistic about that. I have both good and bad thoughts about that, so I'll just take the 5th.