[Boatanchors] The URM-25D, a testament to AMERICAN QUALITY!

[Philip Atchley]

Hi All,

I was the recent recipient of a Navy URM-25D signal
generator.  Now, this unit had/has no lid, the unit
appeared to have been through the Battles at Normandy,
The Bulge, Korea and Vietnam and also dropped from an
aircraft "sans-parachute" a few times.  I'm not
exaggerating.  No feet, some missing lid snaps and BIG
dents in the case testified of that.  It had to take
some mighty BIG BLOWS to put it in this condition. The
man I got it from said the edges of the case were so
badly bent that he had to beat it out with a hammer
before it could be removed from the case!  He said it
appeared to have a bad (open) power cord.

Yesterday I pulled it from the case, inside the unit
was immaculate (except for the case dents).  I tested
the tubes, ALL were good and even 'looked' new.  Then
I replaced the Micamold capacitors in the audio
section, all the .1, .2 and .01 capacitors tested
leaky well below rated Voltage on the Heathkit checker
and several had oil leaked out.   Then I replaced the
power cord, opened up the RF compartment and cleaned
the switch contacts, tested tubes etc.  All looked
GOOD.

This morning I powered it up and was pleasantly
surprised to discover that it not only worked well,
BUT the frequency calibration was "spot on".  This
puppy probably hadn't been powered up for anywhere
from 20-40 years It has a '64 BEMO sticker.
Using my DVM at 20KC (meter is supposed to be good to
1MC) the level meter calibration on the 2 Volt output
was off by perhaps 50mV!

Now, let me ask you.  Is this a testament to AMERICAN
QUALITY or what?


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73 de Phil,  KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!  Merced, Central
California

THE BEACONEER'S LAIR:  http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/
QSL GALLERY: http://photobucket.com/albums/y123/KO6BB/
Merced, Central California,    37.3N  120.48W  CM97sh

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