[AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
Hi everybody, I recently had a DX-100 fall into my lap. Cosmetically it is immaculate inside. Outside needs a little soap & water but there are no scratches or wear marks. AND... No hack jobs or "extra" holes drilled into it. It came to me with the enclosure too. My questions: 1 - Has anyone created a "recap/mod" kit for this? The radio needs a recap plus the mods that are posted on the Intraweb. :-) 2- Any good sourced for tubes? 3 - Are there any suggestions as to what the caps or other key components should be replaced with? (modern day equivalent) Thanks for reading this... 73, cul... Bob de k2ki __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
Recently someone was offering DX-60 recap kits but I have not seen anyone offer one for the DX-100. I did mine the usual way by researching the mods, creating a parts list, and ordering them from Mouser. Tom K3TVC __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
GM Bob, Congrats on scoring a nice DX-100. I don't know of any "kits" for recapping but there may be some. I've restored two over the past few months including the one I have on the air right now. I bought the HV caps from MOUSER electronics in Texas. Don't expect to replace the electrolytic "cans" with new ones. I used a couple of "radial" lead ones for the HV side. Just glued them to the existing wafers (after removing the old caps) and they look very nice and professional. The 20mfd and 40mfd can was left in place and new axial lead caps were used below the chassis. Same for the pair of 20mfd ones in the bias supply. There are those who will say that NOS (new old stock) caps, if re-formed, will work just fine. IMHO, do yourself a big favor and go with new, fresh electrolytics. Chokes and transformers for the old gal aren't cheap if one of the old ones decides to give up some smoke and ash. Tubes? Try ANTIQUE ELECTRONIC SUPPLY in Tempe, Arizona. As for modifications? I'd try the rig in stock condition first. Use a good, non-amplified D-104 or other crystal microphone and give it a try. Then, if select modifications are needed..your choice. While many of the mods will improve the overall performance of the rig, you suddenly won't have a DX-100 any more. And not all published mods work anyway. I've left mine stock, but did use one of the Harbach step-starts and did away with the two-fuse plug and line cord. Replaced with a 3-wire line cord and a single fuse in the hot side of the cord. I get good reports with it and it easily puts out 115 watts of carrier. Hope some of this helps.. Gud luck 73 de W4MIL Chuck -Original Message- From: Bob Bruno - K2KI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: amradio@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 12:13 pm Subject: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100 Hi everybody, I recently had a DX-100 fall into my lap. Cosmetically it is immaculate inside. Outside needs a little soap & water but there are no scratches or wear marks. AND... No hack jobs or "extra" holes drilled into it. It came to me with the enclosure too. My questions: 1 - Has anyone created a "recap/mod" kit for this? The radio needs a recap plus the mods that are posted on the Intraweb. :-) 2- Any good sourced for tubes? 3 - Are there any suggestions as to what the caps or other key components should be replaced with? (modern day equivalent) Thanks for reading this... 73, cul... Bob de k2ki __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body. __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
Mike Sawyer wrote: > Bob, > Other than the mods you spoke of, I don't know of any better ones than > those posted on the AM Window (http://www.amwindow.org/). If I were to > replace one thing, it would be that wimpy driver transformer. AES > (www.tubesandmore.com) has the Hammond equivalent for the Viking II and > works just as nice on the DX-100. Also, they are a very good source for > tubes but I would suspect you can find what you need at hamfests for a > pittance of on-line prices. 1625's were made by the gross and are still > found in pretty good supplies. BTW this is a question that should have been > posed on the AM reflector instead of the AMSWAP list. > Mod-U-Lator, > Mike(y) > W3SLK Mike, Can you elaborate on your comment regarding the driver transformer being "wimpy". This is the first I've heard any comments regarding that part of the DX-100. 73, Tom K3TVC __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
- Original Message - From: "Bob Bruno - K2KI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 11:13 AM Subject: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100 > Hi everybody, Hi Bob, > > I recently had a DX-100 fall into my lap. > My questions: > > 1 - Has anyone created a "recap/mod" kit for this? The radio needs a > recap plus the mods that are posted on the Intraweb. :-) > > 2- Any good sourced for tubes? Umm here are a couple of places I've used: A. RF parts - http://www.rfparts.com/tubetran.html the only downer - $25 minimum order B. Radio daze - http://www.radiodaze.com/ click on the "components" box, and scroll down to the "vacuum tubes/valves" line and click on that C. Antique Electronic Supply - http://www.tubesandmore.com/ click on the "vacuum tubes" line on the left. > > 3 - Are there any suggestions as to what the caps or other key > components should be replaced with? (modern day equivalent) Many capacitor values may not be available anymore. But, typically by the "20% rule", you can get away with a value that's off by about 10 or 20% with no problems. Just make sure it has the same or better voltage rating, than the one you're replacing. You can try it with the original paper electrolytics in it, but more than likely, they're dried out/shot, and will need replacing. BTW, you'll be surpised just how much smaller than the originals, todays electrolytics are - as much as 50% smaller! As for the carbon comp resistors in your DX-100 - it depends upon how much they've been subjected to heat. They may still be good. If they are bad, in most cases, today's metal film resistors will be fine. Once again, they will look puny, compared to the old ones. Places I've used for components: Mouser Electronics - http://www.mouser.com/ Digikey - http://www.digikey.com/ Newark Electronics - http://www.newark.com/ > > Thanks for reading this... > > 73, cul... > Bob de k2ki 73, Ellen - AF9J __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
K4TAX addressed this issue last year with sources for the various parts(with prices).If I can find it in my files, I will forward. I need to do that to my DX-100B(another project). Joe W4AAB - Original Message - From: "Ellen Rugowski" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service" Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 12:19 PM Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100 - Original Message - From: "Bob Bruno - K2KI" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 11:13 AM Subject: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100 Hi everybody, Hi Bob, I recently had a DX-100 fall into my lap. My questions: 1 - Has anyone created a "recap/mod" kit for this? The radio needs a recap plus the mods that are posted on the Intraweb. :-) 2- Any good sourced for tubes? Umm here are a couple of places I've used: A. RF parts - http://www.rfparts.com/tubetran.html the only downer - $25 minimum order B. Radio daze - http://www.radiodaze.com/ click on the "components" box, and scroll down to the "vacuum tubes/valves" line and click on that C. Antique Electronic Supply - http://www.tubesandmore.com/ click on the "vacuum tubes" line on the left. 3 - Are there any suggestions as to what the caps or other key components should be replaced with? (modern day equivalent) Many capacitor values may not be available anymore. But, typically by the "20% rule", you can get away with a value that's off by about 10 or 20% with no problems. Just make sure it has the same or better voltage rating, than the one you're replacing. You can try it with the original paper electrolytics in it, but more than likely, they're dried out/shot, and will need replacing. BTW, you'll be surpised just how much smaller than the originals, todays electrolytics are - as much as 50% smaller! As for the carbon comp resistors in your DX-100 - it depends upon how much they've been subjected to heat. They may still be good. If they are bad, in most cases, today's metal film resistors will be fine. Once again, they will look puny, compared to the old ones. Places I've used for components: Mouser Electronics - http://www.mouser.com/ Digikey - http://www.digikey.com/ Newark Electronics - http://www.newark.com/ Thanks for reading this... 73, cul... Bob de k2ki 73, Ellen - AF9J __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body. __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
Yep, That little driver xformer on the bottom of the chassis, is about 1" X 1". It is usually the bain of the audio section in the DX-100. I had one short to ground and I ended up scratching my head until I did a systematic removal of items from the LVPS. If you don't use negative feedback then you can just replace the transformer. But if you decide to do resistive coupling to the grids of the 1625's then you can eliminate the transformer altogether. Like I said, its the weak spot in the DX-100 audio chain. Mod-U-Lator, Mike(y) W3SLK - Original Message - Mike, Can you elaborate on your comment regarding the driver transformer being "wimpy". This is the first I've heard any comments regarding that part of the DX-100. 73, Tom K3TVC __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
Re: [AMRadio] Recapping a DX-100
I rcapped mine about 4 years ago; everything is easily obtained from Mouser. Read the upgrades on the AM Window; and use the updated cap specifications for the power supply and audio section. 73 Mark K3MSB __ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/amradio@mailman.qth.net/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:AMRadio@mailman.qth.net To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.