[AMRadio] D104 element Rebuilding

[Jack Schmidling]

Jim Candela wrote:
> Many years ago my Astatic 'Rochelle salt" crystal element died from
> prolonged exposure in my garage. The output from it was low, and
> distorted. With a burst of curiosity, and desperation I took the bad
> element apart.

Feeling I had nothing to lose, I did just that yesterday but used sili 
glue to hold it all together.  It was an interesting learning 
experience.  Unfortunately, it didn't help my problem but mine was 
working; just not to my satisfaction.

It still works about the same so I ordered two new cartridges from 
Mouser to see if it's me or the cartridge.

I had been wondering how age/time/humidity could have the slightest 
effect on a quartz crystal millions of years old.

Turns out they are not quartz at all but Rochelle salt which, like all 
salts, are very hygroscopic and turn to mush in time.

js

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