[Boatanchors] HQ-180 Need Help

[Jim Wilhite]

John your journey with the HQ 180 reminds me of my troubles with an NC 183D. 
Lots of voltages off and sensitivity not what it should be, but workable for 
me.

I corrected many ills and then found the load resistor for the Voltage 
Regulator was the wrong value.  Many of the screen resistors had drifted 
high and, Oh Well I could go on and on, but will not cry any more.

When I finally found the resistor in series with the VR tube, things fell 
right into place.  Oh yes I had to realign but once completed, the 183D 
works great.

The one thing I have learned over the years of working on these things is no 
matter who owned it, no matter what it looks like, no matter how it works, 
one should completely go through the electrical.  Don't rely on reformed 
electrolytics to last and whatever you do, don't trust much of what you are 
told about a piece of equipment.

Now this isn't to infer people tell you lies but they just may not know. 
The equipment worked great when they got it and continued for several years. 
No telling how many people have worked on a particular radio.  It just picks 
you to crap out on.  Congrats for all the fine work on that receiver.  You 
will probably want to keep it forever now.

73  Jim
W5JO



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Page" <k4kwm at hotmail.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 7:09 PM
Subject: RE: [Boatanchors] HQ-180 Need Help


> Update on the HQ-180.
>
> As the ameco pre amp helped so much, I have been checking the front some 
> more. This is what I have found so far.
>
> The local osc 6c4 grid was at about -10 volts. should be around -6. The 
> darn thing must have been almost cut off. The grid resistor was at 100k as 
> it was supposed to be. I had to put in a 47k to get the grid at -6 volts. 
> This in turn got the grid of the 1st mixer from -1.5 up to -3 where its 
> supposed to be. Also the screen of the 1st mixer was at 90 volts and the 
> screen resistor was correct at 6.8k. Had the go to a 2.7k resistor to get 
> 110 volts on the screen. The receiver will blow you off the chair now on 
> the broadcast bands and signals were heard on bands 3 and 4 also. Bands 5 
> and six are a whole lot better now also.
>
> I guess I am wondering why I am having to re-engineer this thing?
>
> I suspect a total re-alignment will also be in order. Setting up the 60kc 
> IF is a pain in the tush.
>
> If I have found all this stuff so far, there has got to be some more wrong 
> with it. So I will "keep on truckin' ".
>
> Thatnks for all the support guys, John
>
> John Page K4KWM
> Hollow State since 1953
> (ex W8PKU,N8BLB,NA8O)
>