More for Bernie on SB102

[Chuck]

Speaking as one bitten by the crass act watch out for rigs that have been modified for use on 11 meters. 


I had a SB-101 purchased at a hamfest and it was a bear to align. Made it but it was hard and the upper frequency inductors in the rf amp chain where at the extremes. (10, 15,20) Output power was around 70 watts at 28.3 MHz, 85 watts on 15, 90 watts on 20, 50 watts on 40 and 90 watts on 80. 

I put the rig on the air and searched but found no cw at the low end of 10 meters. I called CQ a few times, with no response. Tuning around a little more I heard AM Voice which seemed odd. Listening closer I heard "Break 19, this is the Phantom, anyone have a bear report". 

That had me scratching the head for a moment as I had never experienced intermod problems from CB on the SB series of rigs. In a few seconds it dawned on me that the nice shiney crystal on the HFO board was not just a replacement for a bad crystal but likely a different frequency. Checking the crystal verified that the 28.0 to 28.5 band crystal had been changed to allow operation on 11 meters. 

Replaced the crystal, unbuggered the coilmods and realigned the rig. Problem solved.

Beware!

Chuck



>From: W5EUQ <w5euq at VERIZON.NET>
>Date: 2006/10/03 Tue PM 06:37:13 CDT
>To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
>Subject: [HEATH-TEMPE] More for Bernie on SB102

>One thing that concerns me is that Bernie says he's performed the 
>alignment fastidiously(spelling?) and feels it has to be something 
>else.  This is one may be one of those "dogs" that one gets and has real 
>problems finding the problems.
>
>Bernie,   MORE TO SUGGEST
>> In my case,  if this happens to me, I then go back and get some Radio 
>> Shack P5 or D5 DeoxIT and spray it on a cue tip and clean all the 
>> switches again, making sure they make good contact.  Then I clean all 
>> the pots.  Then I make sure all the "grounds" go to ground.  Sometimes 
>> it takes using some 1/8" to 1/4" braid and jumper all the grounds to a 
>> good ground and things seem to clear up then. Then go back through 
>> alignment again and the radio magically works....
>>
>> These rigs are a victim of OLD AGE and deterioration. Replacing or 
>> re-conditioning the main parts like switches, pots and in some cases 
>> Xtals, coils and don't forget to go through the resistors and replace 
>> any that are over 15% out of specs.  Swap tubes, ground tube shields, 
>> replace the final RF choke, check the variable caps for "uniform 
>> plates" on both stator and rotor plates.   Check caps on a cap tester. 
>> Even Disc ceramics change or open up.  All that's left is the VFO... 
>> that's another subject.
>> I'm sure there is more but my wife just called me to dinner....
>>
>> Bob 
>> PS when you find the problem(s)... if you don't let us know what 
>> youfound then we will disconnect your connection to the Heath List 
>> Server.... HI...
>>
>
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