[Boatanchors] Received my BC-342, IT LIVES!
Philip Atchley
beaconeer at elite.net
Wed May 12 23:20:15 EDT 2004
Hi all,
Today the BC-342-N that I was expecting walked in the door (with a little
help ;-). This being the first one I've seen I wasn't too sure what to
expect, though I'd been studying the downloaded manual of it.
First thing one looks at of course are the cosmetics. Hmm, not too bad.
Front panel kind of dirty, appears pretty clean inside. Notice that
somebody has replaced the standard antenna connector with a SO-239 female
UHF connector. Did a nice job, that's good. Hmm, somebody installed two
red phone tip jacks on the front panel between the fast tuning knob and AVC
switch. Wonder what these do?
This one arrived with a damaged fuseholder on the power supply and the ONLY
fuse cap that it had was on the spare fuse (??). First thing I did after
examining it was to install a new fuseholder in the PS. While in there I
replaced the filter capacitors, with new axial lead units (on a terminal
board mounted to the power transformer, no new holes needed). Somebody had
previously replaced the can with a double unit in a cardboard tube but it
had blown it's seals. Notice that there is a 5Y3 tube installed in place
of the 5W4.
While in the power supply I notice that somebody lifted the center HV
winding from ground and ran it to the send/receive toggle switch on the
front panel, another wire from the same switch comes back to ground in the
power supply. Guess somebody wanted a "real" standby switch. Discovered
what the red phone jacks are for. They are tied across the standby switch,
I
guess so somebody could connect it to a TR relay in a transmitter or
something. Odd way to do it.
Then I rounded up fuses and some fuse caps borrowed from another unit and
gave it some "fire". Didn't use a variac as the one I usually use was in
service at it's owners home. I figured it'd be fairly safe with new filter
capacitors.
Turned the power switch on, rectifier tube lit up, no dial lights, no audio
of any sort. After probing and checking for awhile I turned it off. All
tubes were cold, not even filament heat. Spent a half hour or so probing
and chasing wires and couldn't find anything. Then it came to me like a
bolt out of the blue. No telling how many years this thing had sat with no
fuse caps, possibly facing up to catch all sorts of dirt. Sprayed the
fuseholders and swabbed them with Q tips. Again I gave it some fire. This
time I had pilot lamps and after a few moments noise filled my headset!
Put an antenna on it, tuned it up to the 31Meter SWL band and all I can say
is, wall to wall SW broadcasters! Tried the next band, 12MC, same thing.
The band switch was somewhat erratic as was the Xtal Phasing control but
"What Me Worry"?
I didn't leave it powered up for a long time as I didn't want to tempt fate.
Next step is to start the long procedure of going through it stage by stage,
replacing capacitors, checking resistors etc. At least I know that I have a
"live one" to start with. Sounded pretty good too!
73 from the "Beaconeers Lair".
Phil, KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!
Merced, Central California
37.18N 120.29W CM97sh
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