[Heath] Heath Digest, Vol 94, Issue 7
Al Skierkiewicz
markaren1 at att.net
Sat Oct 20 16:31:51 EDT 2018
Guys,
I have just finished restoring an AR-3. It was a labor of love as I my
first ham receiver AR-3. I had purchased it used for $15 from George at the
Radio TV Lab in Chicago. I saw this one at the hamfest in Oak Creek, Wisc
for $25 and just wanted to get it going. My cap was not frozen but very
stiff. I just shot some Lubriplate white grease into the ball bearings that
make up the reduction. I waited for a day and just started moving the shaft
until the grease got distributed. Worked wonders.
I had more problems with the fact that the kit wasn't fully correctly wired
and that the silver mica caps in the i.f. transformers were all noisy.
(Thunder syndrome) If you tap on the cans and you hear tons of crackling
and thunder, then you have the same problem. I removed the mica wafers and
replaced the caps with dipped silver micas. I calculated the values from
the area of the mica that was plated with silver. The fact that there were
wiring errors meant that the radio had never been aligned. A RF signal
generator is kind of necessary for alignment of this box. Although I got it
working, I also bought a Q multiplier that wouldn't work at all. Turns out,
that the i.f. was 50kHz low. Once I got everything correctly tuned, the Q
mult worked great as well.
Al
WB9UVJ
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: AR-3 issues (Gordon Gwillim)
2. Re: AR-3 issues (Charles Milton)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2018 03:57:18 +0000 (UTC)
From: Gordon Gwillim <ve5uj at yahoo.com>
To: ChrisIwata via Heath <heath at puck.nether.net>, "Kenneth G. Gordon"
<kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
Subject: Re: [Heath] AR-3 issues
Message-ID: <480690440.499151.1540007838330 at mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
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, 73Gordon, 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
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Heath mailing list
> >> Heath at puck.nether.net
> >> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/heath
> > _______________________________________________
> > Heath mailing list
> > Heath at puck.nether.net
> > https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/heath
>
>
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2018 08:14:13 -0400
From: Charles Milton <cemilton at aol.com>
To: Gordon Gwillim <ve5uj at yahoo.com>
Cc: ChrisIwata via Heath <heath at puck.nether.net>, "Kenneth G. Gordon"
<kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
Subject: Re: [Heath] AR-3 issues
Message-ID: <BE1BF0D5-CAEE-417E-ADA2-5B17E482D60C at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
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
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Heath mailing list
> > >> Heath at puck.nether.net
> > >> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/heath
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Heath mailing list
> > > Heath at puck.nether.net
> > > https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/heath
> >
> >
> > ---
> > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
> > http://www.avg.com
>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Heath mailing list
> > Heath at puck.nether.net
> > https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/heath
>
>
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