[ARC5] An unusual cure for a short in a tuning gang.

[Robert Eleazer]

Back in the early 80's I bought a 1.5-3 MHZ Command Set at the monthly TRW Swap Meet near LAX.  I paid maybe $1.50 for it and since it was missing a cover and a tube planned to dismantle it to use in building a VFO.  But when I found that by plugging in a replacement tube the set worked fine and I got a cover for it off a mint condition (but externally corroded) BC-453 I picked up for little or nothing.

Then, as I was proudly demonstrating the set to my girlfriend, I found it had stopped working.  I suspected the oscillator, since there was static but nothing changed when I turned the dial.  I finally (after I took my girlfriend to dinner)  traced the problem to a cold solder joint at one of the chassis pins that plugged into the oscillator coil.

And as far as tuning knobs, I have found the best solution is a suitable sized pull-off knob from an cheap AM/FM radio - most of them have extended shafts designed to slide down through the front faceplate into the post and caps.  Check out thrift shops for those radios.

Wayne