Re: [Drakelist] AC3 vs AC4
Hi Larry. As Garey said you can to an original style rebuild using the Hayseed Hamfest parts. Here is a page I put together showing my AC-4 rebuild: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/ As for the AC-4 documentation, it is available in a number of places on the web. Usually as part of the TR-4 (and probably other T-4.. rigs.) 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] AC-3 Covering
Hi Larry. As Ron said, an AC-3 power supply rebuilt with the Hayseed components will not have any exposed "zap" points. Here is the page for the AC-4 rebuild I did: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/ and the AC-3 is very similar. I'm going to rebuild it as well, I just haven't managed to get the time to do it yet. Anyway, about half way down the page is a top-view picture of the completed rebuild. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] AC3/AC4 Question
Hi Paul. If you take a look here: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/ you can see the rebuild I did of my AC-4; including adding a relay to reduce the power switch current. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] AC-4
Hi John. That I've always done, as suggested by others, is to replace the two conductor cord with a more modern grounded plug and wire. You can see the one I used in the AC-4 rebuild I describe here: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/ BTW, it is a standard "computer" cord, and I cut off the female end with about 6 inches of cord in case I ever want to use it. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Yet another AC-4 rebuild (now :-) completed
Hi Garey. > Absolutely NO denigration of your modification. Well thought and > and perfectly executed. None take. And thank you :-) :-) > Re #1 below, I'm not sure what 'script' is supposed to be?? Me and my fumble fingers. (I was working on a SQL script when I posted the Drake message. :-) I like the idea of individually switched outlets. But I haven't seen any that weren't network/LAN controlled. A little to pricey for me at home. (Although I have used them plenty at work.) 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Yet another AC-4 rebuild (now :-) completed
Hi Bob/Garey. I've used the switched strip as well. Unfortunately I find there are two problems: 1) Finding a place where the script can be conveniently switched on and off. 2) There are usually more things plugged in which would be switched than I would like. Which would probably lead to an over abundance of switched strips :-) So I opted to do the relay. Relatively cheap from DigiKey (under $10; without S&H) especially if ordering other parts. Best of all it is easily reversible if I ever want/need to. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Yet another AC-4 rebuild (now :-) completed
OK, now the rebuild is really complete. Yesterday I added the relay to take the load off the On/Off switch. Here are pictures and a description of what I did: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/#phase2 Before the addition of the relay, I measured a current draw of about 325 mA with the power supply unloaded. This would also be the current on the On/Off switch contacts. Since this was on an unloaded power supply, I would expect this to rise when transmitting. After the addition of the relay, this current (from the relay coil) seen by the switch contacts dropped to just a bit over 10 mA. This is a substantial drop, and should make the switch contacts last much longer. Oh yes, comments, corrections, and suggestions welcome. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Yet another AC-4 rebuild (almost) completed
I just finished rebuilding my AC-4 power supply with the capacitor kit from Hayseed. Here is a page with pictures and a description: http://www.n1vqw.net/ac4rebuild/ The reason for the "almost" is I still have to add a relay in the transformer primary to reduce the load on the On/Off switch. Comments and suggestions welcome. Enjoy. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake AC-3/AC-4 power supply rebuild kits
Hi Bob. > Those paper sleeves are more than ornamental. Very well understood :-) From looking at the cap kits posted on the Hayseed site, it looks as though Tom understands this as well. (As I would expect.) As I understand it, Tom is waiting on some of the caps for the AC kits I ordered, but he told me he expected me to have them by mid-December. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake AC-3/AC-4 power supply rebuild kits
Hi Don. > I sincerely doubt it, other than the looks. Yep. There probably won't be any difference performance wise. But all the extra holes just offended me :-) So I opted to go with Tom's kits. I was thinking about the sleeves as well, but it will depend on the physical characteristics of the new caps. Plus, with all the money I've spent on this and other hobbies, the price difference is really in the "noise" range. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Drake AC-3/AC-4 power supply rebuild kits
I just finished exchanging emails with Tom over at Hayseed, and it turns out he is going to be adding AC-3 & AC-4 capacitor rebuild kits to their product set. I just ordered two (since I have an AC-3 and an AC-4) as well as a TR-3 kit. With the other TR-3 I picked up, I should have some nice winter projects ahead. Note, these kits are more expensive than the Heathkit Shop board, but if you are interested in keeping as original as possible the Hayseed kits are a good way to go. Also, because of the holidays, lead-time is stretching out. Tom said the kits should be up on their web site this weekend. Here is the information about the kits... 73 - Mark N1VQW P.S., no financial interest, just trying to support those who support our hobby. -- We recently began offering the AC-3 and AC-4 can-caps kits. At the present time they are available as complete kits (with either 4 or 5 can-caps) on an order-out basis. Presently, we are taking orders for mid-December}. There's actually two different ways to go on this. The original kit for the AC-3/AC-4 supply consists of the following cans: 1 - 100 uF @ 160V 1 - 2 x 100 uF @ 450V 1 - 2 x 33 uF @ 160V 2 - 150 uF @ 450V All sections are rated at 105C degrees. The second type of kit is similar to the original, but combines the two (2) 125 uF can-caps in a single can. This configuration allows a significant cost savings. The can is essentially a two-section 125/125 uF @ 450V can, except that each section is isolated from the other and has separate positive and negative terminals. The 5 can-cap kit costs $133.00 + S&H. This is a savings of about $30.00 over purchasing the cans separately. The 4-can-cap kit, utilizing the combined 125/125 uF@ 450V can-cap sells for $113.00 + S&H. ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Deoxit...
I've used Deoxit for quite a while with very good results. (This is the Caig product, not the Radio Shack product with a *very* similar name.) As far as application, I use one of three methods: 1) Wet the sharp end of a toothpick and use that to apply. I use this for tube.transistor sockets usually. 2) Wet a Q-tip (other other similar product) and use that to apply. This I sometimes use for switch contacts. 3) Use a hypodermic needle to apply (usually 25ga or smaller needle). This I also use for switch contacts. The one caution is to be aware that some phenolic compounds can soak up the Deoxit. If the phenolic is part of a switch, this may cause unwanted leakage currents to flow. The only cure I have heard of is to replace the phenolic. (Difficult with older/obsolete equipment.) Also, you should wait until the Deoxit has evaporated. While wet, it is conductive. Just my $.02 :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Slug Tuning Club
Hi Curt. There is an R-390 & R-390A list. This should get you started: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] TR-3 SSB filter question
Hi Garey. No, no sentimental value here... just looking to get the rig fixed up to where it should be. I suppose I could always start "collecting" TR-3s and get one (or more) good examples :-) :-) I actually suspect the issue I'm having is one of alignment. Last time, I went strictly by the manual, and the rig performed OK. This time, I think I'll put some of the test equipment I have to use. I may even take the time to sweep the filters to see just what the response curve looks like. Oh boy... another project :-) :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] TR-3 SSB filter question
I have a TR-3 that I have gone over once, but it looks like I didn't use it enough and a few gremlins have returned. One issue I originally had were possibly marginal SSB filters. I looking at the International Radio site (for other reasons) I noticed they have new 9 MHz USB & LSB filters for a TR-4. I'm almost positive they will work in the TR-3, but I just wanted to double check if I find the filters in the TR-3 are a problem. (I have yet to test them, but wanted to ask as the thought was fresh in my mind :-) Thanks in advance 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] L4B amp
Hi Bob. I can't say for sure as I haven't opened up my L-4B, but I would imagine what you have is a .1uf cap, 25V, +80%/-20% tolerance. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] purpose of the J2 jack on bottom of the tr-3
Hi Dale. As Garey and Al have said it is for the VFO. There are a couple of minor points worth knowing. From the factory, there was an internal (on the inside wiring of the socket) jumper which had to be clipped/removed to be able to use the VFO. So if the TR-3 was never used with the external VFO, the jumper should still be in place. However, if the TR-3 was used with an external VFO, and you do not have one, you will either need to restore the internal jumper or get the appropriate plug to create a plugin jumper. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Setting for 6HS6 tube for TV-7B/U Tester
Tube: 6HS6 Fil. Voltage: 6.3 Selector Pos: ET1-5627 Bias: 11 Shunt: - Range: D Press to test: 3 Min value: 28 The file I have indicates this information comes from Dan Nelson (the TV-7 guru :-). 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Ye olde diode
Hi Doc. I thought those numbers rang some bells. They are Motorola numbers. And from my trusty Motorola Semiconductor Data Book (1970) here are the specs: MR1033B Peak repetitive reverse voltage: 300 V Non-repetitive reverse voltage: 400 V RMS Reverse voltage: 210 V Average repetitive forward current: 3 A Peak repetitive forward current: 25 A MR1034B Peak repetitive reverse voltage: 400 V Non-repetitive reverse voltage: 500 V RMS Reverse voltage: 280 V Average repetitive forward current: 3 A Peak repetitive forward current: 25 A Both of these can be replaced by a 1N4722. Actually, the 1N4722 is direct substitute for the MR1034B. The 1N4721 has lower voltage ratings. You could most likely substitute a 1N5403 for the MR1033B and a 1N5404 for the MR1034B. Or as Garey pointed out, a 1N5408 could most likely substituted for either or them. I hope this helps. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Fluke DMM Suggestion
About a year ago, my Fluke 77 (original or mark 0 :-) stopped working. Looking over their current product line, the model 83 and 87 were my choices. I opted to get the 87-5, which is their current model 87 unit. While not exactly inexpensive (I think I paid about $350 for mine) the 77 I had was practically bulletproof, and survived over-current, over- voltage, and over-voltage on the resistance range with only some blown fuses. (These happened several years before the meter finally quit working.) So wasn't really an issue replacing it with another Fluke. I also have a number of other meters (a Wavetek 27XT, an HP 34401m and a bunch of older HP 400 series meters) but I usually use the Fluke. I hope this helps. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] VFO for 2NT
Some observations: It appears the 2NT is using harmonics of the fundamental for 20m, 15m, and 10m. With a VFO, I expect it would have to be designed to provide these harmonics or the actual fundamental frequencies. For harmonics, they would have to be of the appropriate amplitude, and I imagine there would also have to be a fairly reasonable low-pass filter to make sure unwanted harmonics were attenuated. Just some thoughts... 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [Drakelist] Drake (MN-2700) case question
Thank you to all who answered. It seems this unit has the dreaded Drake "sticky" finish :-) This is the first time I've seen it. Now to figure out what to do. Get all my cases refinished, or clean the MN-2700 up as best I can and possibly refinish it myself (using the Drake pages references) and live with it. Maybe I'll just flip a coin :-) :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
[Drakelist] Drake (MN-2700) case question
I just received a MN-2700 I bought to use with my newly acquired L-4B. One thing I noticed is the outside of the case was rather "dull" and somewhat "sticky". Cleaning a part of the lip of the case underneath with your standard isopropyl alcohol, it did seem to clean up quite well using a paper towel. However, there were a couple of things which I noticed and thought I check with the folks here. First, after cleaning the lip, the paper towel was pretty black. Second, while the case lip remained black, it had a smooth finish, rather than the textured finish present on my WH-7. So the questions I have are: 1) what sort of finish did the case have from Drake, and 2) will the alcohol hurt the finish? Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW ___ Drakelist mailing list Drakelist@zerobeat.net http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
Re: [drakelist] Drake Technical Net
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Chuck. > It WAS 3PM, but now it's > 4PM EDT. It figures :-P At least I had the right day. For most of the day I've been going around thinking it was Saturday :-) Thank you for the clarification. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] Drake Technical Net
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Just a question about the time. The WB4HFN Drake home page says the time is 3:00 EST. I listened at 3:00 EDT and didn't hear anything. So the question is, is the time really 2000Z? Did I simply mis it by an hour? Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 Band knob needed
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Well, my TR-3 is slowly getting into shape. I need to find an appropriate microphone to get it on the air. But in the mean time, as I was doing the final alignments, the band knob developed a crack and finally split. Rats. Does anyone know of a source or have an extra one? Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 Getting close
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- > Do you know what kind of diodes are used for the balanced > modulator? Never mind. I just looked at the schematic and see they are 1N270 diodes. You know, if I could read... I'd be dangerous :-P 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 Getting close
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Garey. > The power output is OK, but a little low, should be up in the > 180 - 200 W range on the low bands. The finals are probably > a little soft. That could very well be. I expect the finals are original. Just in case, however, I have another set of finals I can try. > The balanced modulator can't get too far out of balance. If > the carrier suppression is reasonable, I listen on an external > receiver and adjust those controls using the receiver S-meter. OK. I having a little trouble visualizing this. Do you mean you transmit normally and listen to the transmitted signal on another receiver? And use the other receiver's S-meter to monitor the TR-3 adjustments? > If the suppression is NOT reasonable, you may have a bad pot, > or possibly diode(s). The diodes are inside T-14, and it's > very tight in there. The pot, as far as I can tell, is a multi-turn pot (about 5 or so) but it would be easy enough to unsolder the connections to make sure it is really OK. Do you know what kind of diodes are used for the balanced modulator? Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 Getting close
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Well, I'm almost there. After replacing the 9 MHz crystal and aligning the receiver, I tackled the transmitter. There was only one minor issue, but I'll get to that in a moment. Transmitting into my dummy load, I get the following: 80m 125w 40m 150w 20m 150w 15m 140w 10(1)m 125w 10(2)m 120w 10(3)m 120w All in all, this doesn't look too bad. BTW, this was CW as I need to get a microphone. The only minor issue I ran into during the transmitter alignment was getting the carrier balance adjustment done. The carrier balance control, along with T14 and C127, didn't seem to have any effect. Can anyone shed some light on what might be going on? The only final adjustment I *might* is the VFO. With everything aligned and the crystals all working, the VFO seems to be a bit on the low side. Low enough that sliding the window all the way over to the left still doesn't line things up. Has anyone done a VFO alignment? The manual says to return the transceiver to the factory if it needs adjustment. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 continuing tale
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Thanks to another kind list member I was able to get a replacement for my ailing 9 MHz crystal. I clipped the original one out and soldered in the new one. When I turned the TR-3 on and put the 'scope probe on the oscillator I was delighted to see a very strong 9 MHz sine wave. I hooked up the antenna and was also rewarded by some strong amateur signals on 40m. So one to finishing the receive and transmit alignment and then dummy load testing. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting stronger :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 crystals needed (was:TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions)
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Well, I think it may have been a bad user on device :-) :-) At Rich's (KE1EV) suggestion I measured the oscillator voltage and frequency at V1a. In particular, on the common crystal connection with only R3 and C2 between where I measured and the plate (pin 1) where Rich measured. Here is what I got: 80m 0.0v 40m 5.2v 21.496 MHz 20m 0.0v 15m 4.1v 35.496 MHz 10(1)m 4.1v 42.495 MHz 10(2)m 4.0v 42.994 MHz 10(3)m 3.6v 43.592 MHz Since there are no crystals for 80m and 20m, the 0V reading is understandable. These reading were taken after adjusting L1, L2 and L5 for the maximum negative voltage at the test point. I could get the frequencies closer to the specs but the T.P. voltage was not at the max. So it would seem the band crystals are, in fact, OK. I'm still puzzled why the readings are so strange looking at V1b pin 3. I'm going to have to think about this one for a while. I'm getting there, and learning/remembering a bunch along the way :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 crystals needed (was:TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions)
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Rich. > Where did you measure? Pin 6 of V1b? The mV measurements I got were taken, using my scope, from pin 3 of V1b. I wanted to try and pick a spot as soon after the oscillator with the least likelihood of loading from the scope probe. I wasn't too concerned about the absolute amplitude of any particular band, but was more interested in the relative comparison. All three 10m crystals were quite a bit above the 40m and 15m crystals. I also took some additional measurements at the junction of R13, R15, and C24. R15 is connected to the grid (pin 9) of V3a and R13 is connected to the cathode (pin 8) of V3a. Again, looking at the relative amplitude the 40m and 15m oscillator output through the cathode follower it was obvious the 40m and 15m signals were down more than the 10m signals. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 crystals needed (was:TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions)
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Gary (W8PU) was kind enough to measure the output of the 9 MHz osc on his TR-4. (The TR-3 and TR-4 are very similar in this area.) He said he was seeing about 1 V p-p. Looking at the same place, the signal I saw was about 30 mV. Clearly something isn't right :-) Before I tried injecting a 9 MHz signal from one of my signal generators, I figured I'd measure the signals with the band crystals switched in. Here is what I got: 40m 21.5 MHz 125 mV 15m 35.5 MHz 200 mV 10(1)m 42.5 MHz 500 mV 10(2)m 43.0 MHz 600 mV 10(3)m 43.6 MHz 600 mV Looking at this, it seems the 10m crystals are OK. However, the 40m and 15m crystals are off a bit :-) So I guess before I can go too much further I need to find: 1) 9.00 MHz crystal 2) 21.5 MHz crystal 3) 35.5 MHz crystal Does anyone have some spares they might be willing to part with or know where I can get some replacements? Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Gary. > But to be sure one would need to check the carrier oscillator > frequency with a frequency counter. It should be set very close > to 9 mHz. That is what I attempted to do, when I noticed the 20 mV 9MHz osc signal. (I'm using an HP 53132A counter.) My next attempt is going to be to pull the 6GX6 osc tube and inject a 9 MHz signal from my HP 33120A generator. I'll probably use an attenuator so I can see just what injection signal level is needed. (The 32120A will only go down to 50 mV.) 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] Microphone impedence
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Rich. > What is more frustrating is there appears to be no information > about what the drake transceiver wants for mic impedance. On page 4 of the TR-4 manual under the transmitter specs it says the mic is high impedance. If I remember correctly, and this is digging back about 35 years or so :-) so take it with a grain (lump?) of salt, low impedance meant 600 ohms or lower and high impedance was anything greater than 1000 ohms. Although most of the hi impedance microphones I remember were on the order of 10K - 15K ohms. Using a mismatched mic will really reduce the signal available. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Gary. > I am getting into the tail end of this conversation but either 1/2 > of the soup can filter is bad or your 9 mhz carrier oscillator is > off frequency. I could believe either. When I feed a modulated (1000 Hz) AM signal from my signal generator into the TR-3, switching between USB and LSB I see different signal strengths. So it might be 1/2 is bad or going. The other anomaly is when I do switch, I have to turn the main dial to get the signal. So this may indicate the 9 MHz oscillator is not quite right. This may be tied to the issue where the amplitude of the 9 MHz signal is only 20 mV P-P. I'm not sure this is enough drive. Looking at the signal on the 'scope, it is also *not* a clean sine wave; as I would expect to see from a crystal oscillator. Still scratching my head. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Rich. > The 40M band is reversed. It defaults to USB. You have to change > the SB selector to X to get LSB. Yep. I tried both USB and LSB. The SWBC stations, I could hear using either USB or LSB; as would be expected. However most of the amateur broadcasts sounded garbled/muffled on one (usually LSB for 40m) and pretty much unintelligible in the other. > Do you have the VFO connected or the jumper in place? At the moment, I have the VFO connected, but it is turned off. So the only thing which could be an issue are the Jones connectors and the switch contacts in the RV-3. I may wind up replacing the jumper in the TR-3 just to get the RV-3 out of the picture; so I only have to worry about the TR-3 :-) :-) > The low signal strength issue might be similar to what I'm chasing > on 40M. I think mine might be different. Using the calibrated output from the signal generator (8640B) the S meter agrees with it. Although I haven't looked at the schematic to see just how the S meter is driven. What I seem to be experiencing is low audio. I'm going to poke around the audio section to see if I can figure out what is going on. > Check the alignment voltage at the test point for the 21.5mhz > crystal to see if it is still working. I checked the test voltages for all the bands and adjusted the three coils for maximum output. Unfortunately, I didn't see anything in the manual which what sort of voltage I should see. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 9 MHz osc & alignment questions
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- The saga of the TR-3 continues ... :-) I'm in the process of going through the receiver alignment and I've come across some "weird" things. The first concerns the 9 MHz oscillator. It does seem to be working, but the 9 MHz signal seems to be only about 20 mV P-P. (As measured on my Tek 7904 with a 7A26 vertical plugin. I.e., a high impedance load.) There isn't anything in the manual which gives the amplitude, so I don't know whether this is correct, too low, or too high. Also the adjustment variable cap (C-130) doesn't seem to have any effect. Any words of wisdom? The second problem is a bit stranger. Just after I finished the alignment I hooked the TR-3 up to my Cushcraft R-7 antenna to see what I could hear. I was able to receive a number of stations in 80m and 40m. The 40m stations were mostly SWBC. The amateur stations I could receive seemed to be a little "garbled". Similar to what you would hear when you listen to an SSB signal in AM mode. You can tell someone is talking but it sure doesn't sound right. This may be related to the 9 MHz oscillator issue. But that wasn't the end, it gets even stranger. I shut off the power so I could put the cabinet bottom on. When I turned on power, the audio was there but it was as though the audio gain was way down; and the control(s) were at the max. The s-meter seemed to be reading fine. (A 60 uV signal from my HP 8640B registers almost exactly S-9 on the meter.) Sometimes the audio is completely gone and only reappears if I switch the RV-3 on and off. Oh yes. All of the alignment I did with the chassis on its side. The strange audio problem started after I put the cabinet bottom on and oriented the chassis in the normal operating position. I do have one other thing to test. I did the alignment with the 9 MHz osc tube (6GX6) in a test socket, so it was about and inch and a half above the chassis. When I put the cabinet bottom on, I took out the test socket and put the tube in the normal socket. I want to put the test socket back in and try again. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Well, it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel. Here's what I've done: 1) Cleaned up the grime and dust using Q-tips and alcohol. 2) Applied DeoxIT to all switch contacts, tube sockets, and the T/R relay. 3) Checked all the tubes on my TV-7A to make sure there were not any obvious problems. 4) Checked all resistance measurements against the table in the TR-3 manual. The first time through, several of the measurements were way out. It turns out the T/R relay contacts were in dire need of cleaning; beyond what DeoxIT was able to do. 5) Installed a grounded cord in the AC-3. 6) Checked the power supply voltages. All were within spec, and the AC ripple was less than 175 mA on all the supplies. All parts on the supply are original! I plugged the radio and power supply together and tried to receive any signals. Nothing. Rats... !! Here is a major DUH!!! It seems I needed to plug in the RV-3 to make everything work. Out of the box, there is a jumper installed in the TR-3 to allow it to work without a remote VFO. If you add the remote VFO, you need to remove the jumper. So without the remote VFO plugged in, the receive section was effectively disabled. Once I got everything put together correctly, I was finally able to receive a 40m broadcast. Next on the list is to check all the voltages against the table in the manual and then go through the alignment procedure. Unfortunately, that will probably have to wait until the weekend :-( Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Carl. > That is very normal. x is transmit either x cw or x am. > x cw is also the tune up portion. OK. I didn't get that out of the manual when I read it. I guess it is time to sit down with it and really *read* it :-) :-) > By your wordage you do have a schematic, am I to assume that is > part of a manual ? Yep. I have a PDF copy as well as a real paper copy. Although the paper one is well used. I need to do some work on it to make sure it doesn't fall completely apart. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Rich. All the plastic shaft pots I have are either 5K or 5Meg. Sorry I can help. - Mark -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Rich. > Anyone have a 100K trim pot they can part with? I might have a suitable replacement in my stash taken from old TV sets. I'll check. > There are no labels on the side controls. As far as I can tell, > Drake didn't label them on the TR-3. There are supposed to be labels for the controls. At least, there are label on mine. They are done in the same manner as the labels for the tubes. Some of mine were pretty rough. By looking at the chassis through a lighted magnifier I was able to see where the original "ink" was on the chassis. I then took a fine point "Sharpie" and touched up the lettering. It didn't come out too bad. As for the TR-3 relay link, I did find a couple of links on various pages but they all pointed to a nonexistent page. So I guess email is the way to go as Carl pointed out. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- HI Carl. > Yep, go to http://mysite.verizon.net/halo.net/ click projects > ...TR3 relay same board Looks nice. I'll definitely keep it in mind. I finished another round of resistance measurements after cleaning the relay contacts and they are now all reasonable; except for the VFO pin 7; it still reads as open. One thing I did notice was when I power up the TR-3, if the mode switch is in either the CAL or SSB position, the T/R relay is not energized. However, when I switch the mode switch to either CW or AM, the T/R relay is energized. I haven't looked at the schematic yet to see if I can puzzle this one out. (Although it may be normal; this is all new to me :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Carl. > Look into a John Kriner relay board kit (original Drake stuff, > abt $25) ... I'll have to keep this in mind. The relay in my TR-3 is an open frame relay screwed down to a small metal base where all the feed through caps are. I believe the later TR-4 changed this; but I'm not sure as I don't (yet :-) have a TR-4. Earlier this morning I ran some 1500 grit W/D sand paper through the contacts and every thing seems to be fine. Under a lighted magnifier, I was also able to see some cotton fibers sticking around one set of contacts. I removed them :-) I just started doing another resistance check on all the tubes to see what has changed. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] TR-3 refurbishing
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Greetings all. I have managed to find some time to work on my TR-3 and have made a fair amount of progress. The first step was to clean off most of the grime, dust, etc. with Q-tips and (isopropyl) alcohol. Followed by DeoxIT on the various switch contacts, tube socket contacts, and T/R relay. BTW, I discovered the blue coloring on the blue filter can be removed with the alcohol. Fortunately, the bluing was on the white backing no the actual blue filter. Be careful. After that came doing all resistance checks. Anything more than 10% off the table in the manual I investigated. I found two very curious things. First, pin 7 (6AU6A - VFO cathode) is shown as 7 ohms in the table, but my meter (Fluke 875 with needle probes) showed it as open. The original manual I have (from a different owner) also shows this. I'm not sure if this is OK. I'm not sure I really want to pull the PTO to trace the circuit. Second, the first time through, the cathode and grid resistance measurements of several tubes were vastly different (in both directions: high and low). Looking into this further, the tubes all appeared to be in the receive chain. On a hunch, I played around a but with the T/R relay contacts while measuring the cathode resistance of V12 (IF amp). It would go from 105 ohms to 29.7K. What was curious was it wasn't up and down motion of the relay contact but side to side. So it looks like my T/R relay needs some serious attention. I can think of a several of things to try: 1) Clean it again with DeoxIT (by pulling soaked heavy paper through the contacts). 2) Use a burnisher or very fine grit (1000+) wet/dry sandpaper. (Like Mark Gilger's "Relay Care" Tech Tip on WB4FHN's site.) 3) Find a replacement relay. I'm not sure if this is possible. Since my TR-3 has an open frame T/R relay, it isn't too surprising it is dirty. I'm just not sure if I will be able to adequately clean the contacts. I'm preparing myself to have to remove the relay to really clean it. I'll also check the armature string tension as well. All comments and suggestions welcome. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] Starting on my TR-3
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- I finally made some time to start looking at my TR-3. The first thing I wanted to do was check out all the tubes. Of all the tubes I could test (all but the 12JB6; I don't have the adapter... yet :-) I found four marginal tubes: 2 6EA8, the 13DE7, and the 6GX6. These were all tested on my TV-7A/U, and the marginal tubes all had a transconductance less than half the recommended minimum. Now I've started to clean up the chassis. Thanks to the the info on the WB4HFN site (thanks Ron) I've got a good idea of what I would like to do. The biggest question I have is how to best clean the chassis. In Ron's refurbishing article, he mentions steam cleaning the chassis. This sound like a real good way to go, but I'm not sure what to use for a steam source. (I have an air compressor, so getting rid of the moisture won't be a problem.) Also, the (a?) previous owner W8MBH etched his call and SSN on the chassis. I don't mind, but it would be interesting to see if this ham is still around. The call does not appear to be currently in use. Thanks in advance for all comments and suggestions. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] ac4 write up
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Mike. > the only way I could come up with would have been a system that > deprives the transformer of it's primary voltage, shutting down > the supply. Sounds like a perfect job for a magnetic starter or an equivalent. An out of range bias supply checker could remove power and then the magnetic starter would keep it from being applied without manual intervention. Just my 2 cents worth :-) 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] Somewhat OT: Experiment
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- > Your seller is rippng you off. Actually, in this case he was just about dead on. Which is not to say other sellers may be gouging. I just ran the numbers through the UPS site and given the dimensions and weights of the two packages, the cost comes out to just over $100 for UPS ground from California to New Hampshire. BTW, the TR-3/RV-3/AC-3/WH-7 tipped the scales at just under 50 pounds and was packaged (very poorly) in two boxes. So all in all I think my little experiment was worth while for me, and a little enlightening. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] Somewhat OT: Experiment
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Thank you all very much. Here was the motivation for the experiment... I just recently purchased a TR-3/RV-3/AC-3/W-7 on eBay, and the the shopping costs were shown as $44.00. I assumed, since I had know reason to think otherwise, this what what the seller specified for shipping charges. I was a little surprised when the actual shipping charges came in at $120.00. (I have always sold items specifying the buyer will bay the actual shipping charges.) We agreed to split the difference (of $44 and $120) and all went well. However, I got to thinking the shipping costs might be generated by eBay. It appears this is the case. So I just sent the seller the remaining shipping amount to make sure everything was square; and he did not get the short end of eBay's "friendly" shipping cost "estimate". So I guess the bottom line is to make sure, if it is not explicitly stated in the auction, to confirm with the seller what the actual shipping costs are. Thank you all for your time and help with my experiment. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] Somewhat OT: Experiment
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Greetings. I'm looking for a kind soul, with an eBay account, to look up the following: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190182360471 which just happens to be a Drake TR-7; to keep things somewhat on topic. I am interested in what you see shown for shipping costs. I'm in NH and it shows $48.66. Thanks in advance. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
Re: [drakelist] New TR-3 owner
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- Hi Garey. Thank you for the suggestions. They are certainly quick and easy to do. I'm sure I'll be back here as I dig deeper into these pieces. 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
[drakelist] New TR-3 owner
Mark Pilant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang -- After spending a while deciding, I am now the proud new owner of a TR-3/RV-3/AC-3 set. (Also a a W-7 meter, but I'll probably see if I can trade it for a more appropriate W-4 at some point.) In any event, there was some minor shipping damage but nothing major; just some bent cabinet sheet metal. But the real issue is the set seems to be pretty deaf. I haven't even tried to transmit into a dummy load yet. (I have a Palstar DL2K so I should be all set in that area.) If I hook it up to me HP-8640B and set the TR-3 to receive SSB, I can find the signal on all bands, but the (AM) modulated signal is really down in the mud. If I switch the set to AM, I am unable to find the signal at all. I also tried to see if I could pick up a 40m signal which was booming in on my Icom-725 + Cushcraft R7. Using the same antenna I couldn't hear anything. So I expect there is also some electrical damage; probably one or more tubes. My next task is to test all the tubes on my TV-2/C tester. From there, I'll do all the voltage and resistance checks. I was wondering if you kind folks might have some other suggestions? 73 - Mark N1VQW -- Submissions:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net --
