[ARC5] A hardly relaxing oscillator

[Mike Hanz]

Success!  I've been looking a long time and finally found a term that 
yields no results in google - "Almanox"!  Must be the down-under 
equivalent of Italian regional liqueurs - made within a 20 mile radius 
of Brian's QTH...heh, heh...

A more widely available equivalent in North America might be Noalox or 
Burndy's Penetrox, which *will* yield google results on this side of the 
planet.  But I think the difficulty here is in the two different forms 
of the English language.  Tweek (or tweak) - to me - means loosening the 
screw counterclockwise a half turn or so and then retightening it to its 
former tightness.  Unless your shack is under an open cabana with a salt 
spray environment, it's unlikely that you will need more.  It will also 
tell you whether there is potentially a need to do more - if there is a 
white powder emanating from under the screw, some investigation is in 
order.

If the screw head breaks off completely, you will *definitely* need to 
do more...:-)

           73,
  - Mike  KC4TOS

On 2/3/2015 5:20 AM, Brian wrote:
> Giving all the screws a little tweak may solve a present problem, by 
> biting through an electrolytic corrosion cell that has developed 
> between aluminium (chassis), steel (lock washer) and brass (screw). If 
> you or your inheritors continue to give little tweaks, the screw will 
> eventually break.
>
> The better, and more permanent solution is to remove each screw, dunk 
> it in Almanox (or similar conductive, anti-corrosive grease) and then 
> return it, tightening it to its required torque. If the set has had an 
> inadvertent swim, remove the screws, clean between the pieces (ie, 
> remove any corrosion) being held together and then apply a smear of 
> Almanox.
>
> 73 de Brian, VK2GCE.
>
> On Tuesday, February 03, 2015 3:12 AM , Dave said:
>
> <snip> If the receiver is motorboating, two most likely suspects are 
> either a bypass cap open or, more and more common, you have a Hi-Z 
> ground point somewhere.  Any chassis connection or screw is suspect.  
> In the last 5 years I have cured many  problems by finding every screw 
> or binder that grounds something to the chassis by giving it a little 
> "tweek." Last one was weak receive in a Mackey Marine receiver.  It 
> was the screws fastening the front panel.  I normally go over all such 
> screws and bolts first thing but forgot these.  One fractional tweek 
> and the problem was cured.