[ARC5] ARC5 Digest, Vol 86, Issue 39

Sun Mar 20 13:09:44 EDT 2011

Dave, many thanks for your advice added to Ken's. This is clearly quite a 
fiddly job.
As this Rx is umoddified (apart from the damage!) and I want to keep it 
good, I might practice first by dismantling a previously hammed example so I 
know what I'm looking for.

This forum is a fount of knowledge!

Andy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <arc5-request at mailman.qth.net>
To: <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 4:47 PM
Subject: ARC5 Digest, Vol 86, Issue 39

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> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please! (David Stinson)
>   2. Re: Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please! (Andy Young)
>   3. Re: Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please! (Kenneth G. Gordon)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:09:43 -0500
> From: "David Stinson" <arc5 at ix.netcom.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please!
> To: "ARC-5 List" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <A2CA3D31D02C4295B09B9198A23045BA at DaddyPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> To add to Mr. Gordon's excellent guidance:
>
> Close the cap fully before starting.
>
> Mike Hanz can give the best guidance on
> getting the metal straight.  IMHO, I'd remove
> the cap completely.  Not too tough to do.
> Just disconnect all the wires, and the little
> cap that connects to the antenna post,
> remove the screws and lift it out.
>
> While you have it out, look for corrosion or
> oxidation at the stator connection strips
> which are pressure-fit on the end of
> the stator elements.  If it looks "hinky,"
> you'll need to clean and solder across
> the junction, being careful not to over-heat
> and melt the stator mounts.  This is getting
> to be a big problem with these, as well
> as the transmitter caps.  I've fixed a couple
> by using 6 volts worth of batteries and
> some soft copper wire to "spot weld"
> across the junction.  Worked well.
>
> Be careful not to lose the small pin that aligns
> the dial with the capacitor mechanicals.
>
> If the antenna post nut is hard to get off, don't force it.
> It will strip.  Soften the glyptol with some paint remover.
> Clean it well before reassembly.
>
> Let me know if the antenna post or insulators are broken;
> I have replacements.
>
> GL OM ES 73 DE Dave AB5S
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:13:28 -0000
> From: "Andy Young" <andy-young at supanet.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please!
> To: <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
> Cc: Arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <44605972AE174B7C87A6EEC2B6B0CEB3 at AndyPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> HI Ken,
> Many thanks for your quick reply and the detailed advice!
> Just what I wanted, I knew nothing about the pin, and was thinking I would
> have to remove the capacitor completely.
> I'll give it a go.
> Andy
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kenneth G. Gordon" <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
> To: "Andy Young" <andy-young at supanet.com>
> Cc: <Arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 3:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please!
>
>
>> On 20 Mar 2011 at 15:09, Andy Young wrote:
>>
>>> I have a BC-946 whose antenna connector has been bent down by 45
>>> degrees in transit, distorting the front panel.
>>
>> A common problem.
>>
>>> I have concluded that
>>> the only way to straighten the panel will be to remove the tuning
>>> capacitor.
>>
>> With that large of a bend, probably that will be the only way.
>>
>>> Can I have some advice on its removal from someone who has
>>> done it before, please, before I break something!
>>
>> I just did that yesterday.
>>
>>> In particular, I
>>> assume I need to remove the dial by getting a socket on the big nut on
>>> the front
>>
>> Correct. They usually aren't all that tight, and usually are more-or-less
>> sealed
>> in place with black paint.
>>
>> BUT!!! Be very careful NOT to turn the dial itself when you do this. 
>> There
>> is a
>> very small pin that aligns the dial correctly with the capacitor. To
>> remove the
>> dial, once you have removed the large nut, CAREFULLY pry up on the
>> edges of the dial by sliding something thin between the dial and the 
>> front
>> panel and prying up at several points around its circumference. The dial
>> will
>> come loose fairly easily. Watch for the pin and the corresponding hole in
>> the
>> dial. That hole is usually covered with paint and since the pin is so
>> small, it
>> can be hard to find.
>>
>>> - what will react the torque I apply, I don't want to strain
>>> anything. Apart from unsoldering the wires, is there anything other
>>> than the screws on the front panel holding the capacitor in place?
>>
>> There are four largish screws that hold the cap to the front panel, but,
>> once
>> you have removed those, there is also a small tubular ceramic capacitor
>> that
>> is soldered to the antenna post and to a connection on the tuning cap. 
>> The
>> leads on this cap are very short. You will have to remove at least one of
>> those leads in order to tilt the tuning capacitor far enough to the rear
>> of the
>> radio in order to give yourself enough room to work on the bend.
>>
>> In MOST cases you do NOT have to entirely remove the tuning cap.
>>
>> Once you have unsoldered one end of that antenna-to-tuning cap cap, you
>> SHOULD be able to tilt the tuning cap to the rear enough to give you the
>> necessary room.
>>
>> The aluminum of the front panel is very soft, and you shouldn't have to
>> work
>> very hard to get it all back in place.
>>
>> There is a small nut, usually with red glyptol sealing it, on the rear of
>> the
>> ceramic antenna connector. You should remove that, then remove the
>> antenna connector in order to straighten out the front panel, then
>> reinstall.
>>
>> The antenna connectors are somewhat easy to break.
>>
>> Red nail-polish will suffice to hold the nut securely once you put it 
>> back
>> on.
>>
>> Let us know how it goes.
>>
>> Ken Gordon W7EKB
>>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 09:47:46 -0700
> From: "Kenneth G. Gordon" <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Tuning Capacitor Removal - Help, please!
> To: "Andy Young" <andy-young at supanet.com>
> Cc: Arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <4D862FB2.5496.27675627 at kgordon2006.frontier.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> On 20 Mar 2011 at 16:13, Andy Young wrote:
>
>> HI Ken,
>> Many thanks for your quick reply and the detailed advice!
>> Just what I wanted, I knew nothing about the pin,
>
> That pin is VERY tiny and easily lost. Be very careful of that. It is 
> usually
> fixed pretty solidly in the hub, but take care of it.
>
>> and was thinking I
>> would have to remove the capacitor completely.
>
> As Dave Stinson says, it is probably easiest to remove it. It is not 
> difficult.
> Nor is it difficult to reinstall it.
>
> Also, as Dave says, make sure the tuning cap is at full-mesh before doing
> anything. I had forgotten to mention that. Sorry.
>
> Dave knows FAR MORE about these matters than I ever will, so follow his
> advice if anything I suggest conflicts with his.
>
> Ken W7EKB
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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> End of ARC5 Digest, Vol 86, Issue 39
> ************************************
> 