[Heath] AR-3 issues

Sat Oct 20 08:14:13 EDT 2018

Ken (and others)....

Try KROIL to loosen the vernier drive on the Heath receiver.  Very good stuff.  I found it at the local NAPA store.

73
Chuck 
W4MIL 

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 19, 2018, at 11:57 PM, Gordon Gwillim via Heath <heath at puck.nether.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Ken.  I am not that familiar with the AR-3 but the integral reduction drive was part of many tuning caps on old broadcast and all wave receivers in the 30s to the 50s. Once rim drive and string drive dials came along the reduction drives began to dry up. I have had to soak items of that sort for maybe a month before the old grease "let go." On the farm we usually use petroleum solvent for the purpose. I am sure there are more effective solvents available.  Heat works well as long as the cap doesn't suffer from a direct flame heat source. Careful heat application and patience may do the job much more quickly. Most of those reduction drive caps are far from "worn out." Once re-lubed with modern grease, they will be good as new. 
> 
> Interesting comments on the "old receivers." I used a S-77A which was the transformerless version of the S-40B, for my first year on the air. No voltage regulation on the oscillators and no way to provide that amenity.  I did build a regulated 105 volt supply for all but the tube heaters which helped considerably but when I was able to acquire a BC-348, life got much better .... 
> Keep us posted Ken and good luck, 73
> Gordon, VE5UJ.
> 
> On Friday, October 19, 2018, 6:51:41 p.m. CST, Kenneth G. Gordon <kgordon2006 at frontier.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> THanks, Chris. Makes sense. I'll see if it is worth the effort. Maybe I'll just leave it 1:1
> 
> Ken
> 
> On 19 Oct 2018 at 14:43, ChrisIwata via Heath wrote:
> 
> > 
> > If you are hell-bent on getting your AR-3 working, you can buy a 
> > reduction drive from Dan's Small Parts.  These are good quality Jackson 
> > Bros NOS and can stand quite a bit of torque.  I've used them on many 
> > rigs I've built.  They're  in the $15 category plus shipping.  I used 
> > one on my SB-104 VFO.
> > 
> > This requires surgery.  You'll accept that your AR-3 variable cap is 
> > 1:1.  You'll cut the shaft, add the reduction drive, then connect the 
> > dial-cord wheel and knob on the other end.  You'll have to also figure 
> > out how to mount the reduction drive so it is stable.
> > 
> >  Lotsa work, but you'll be back in  business
> > 
> > Chris, KL7DM
> > 
> > On 10/19/2018 11:42 AM, Fred wrote:
> > > I had this problem with an AR-2. At first I thought it was supposed to be 1:1. I removed the tuning cap and soaked the shaft with Liquid Wrench. It took a lot of working it free by hand but it works smoothly now. It´s a planetary drive with three small ball bearings. There´s no way I  see  to  disassemble it without destroying it.
> > > Unfortunately, I need the vernier dial for my AR-3 also. I have the brass shaft bushing but the plastic disc is cracked in half. I hope to try and fashion one.
> > >
> > > Fred
> > > WA3KIO
> > >
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >
> > >> On Oct 19, 2018, at 1:05 PM, Kenneth G. Gordon <kgordon2006 at frontier.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> I want to restore at least one of the two AR-3s I have here since my very first Novice
> > >> receiver in 1956 was an AR-3. I couldn't afford a cabinet for it.
> > >>
> > >> Previous to that, I had worked all summer for my step-father's construction company to buy
> > >> a DX-35, which I used subsequently for many years.
> > >>
> > >> The BFO in my first AR-3 never worked and due, at least partially, to that problem, I made
> > >> exactly two contacts my entire Novice year, one of which was a local about 2 miles away.
> > >>
> > >> I subsequently studied hard and passed my Conditional Class license test the next year,
> > >> 1957, at which time a sub-contractor for my step-father's general construction company
> > >> gave me a Hallicrafters S-41G which he had found abandoned in the basement of the home
> > >> he had recently bought. At least the BFO in that thing worked.
> > >>
> > >> I made many contacts with that almost-useless piece of junk receiver. Subsequent to that,
> > >> my Mother took pity on me and bought a BC-348 for me. Then I was in heaven.
> > >>
> > >> Now, I want to restore an AR-3 mainly to see just how bad it really was/is when it is working
> > >> at "peak efficiency".
> > >>
> > >> The main problem I am having with BOTH of these two AR-3s is that although the
> > >> main-tuning capacitor in the AR-3 normally has a built-in 5:1 vernier, BOTH of mine are
> > >> frozen solid and are now a simple 1:1 dial.
> > >>
> > >> I propose to remove the capacitors and soak them in a jar filled to the brim with PB-Blaster
> > >> in hopes that the stuff will soak down into the mechanism and loosen at least one of them
> > >> up.
> > >>
> > >> But, does anyone here have anything which might work better to do this?
> > >>
> > >> Ken W7EKB
> > >> _______________________________________________
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