[Boatanchors] [Heathkit] UPDATE Re: Heathkit HW-100/101 S-meter trouble

Wed May 9 09:03:11 EDT 2012

Dick,

I'm glad you finally got the rig working.  Did you ever find any RG-62 
coax to connect the SB-610 to it.  If you didn't, get some RG-6 TV 
coax.  It is low capacitance, almost the same as RG-62 and a lot lower 
than RG-58/RG-59.  That's what I'm using with mine.

David
KW4DH

On 5/8/2012 11:47 AM, Dick KF4NS wrote:
> Hey guys, this a halleluiah message. It may have taken me 6 weeks but after much diligence and attention
> to detail, I have solved all problems and rig is working GREAT! I found that the cap from the crystal
> filter output was connected wrong (pilot error while testing) and resoldered so many connections that I
> am putting the iron away far out of sight. Of the 19 connections resoldered, 8 were wires on the chassic
> bottom that after just a wiggle, pulled right out. When I built the rig in '70 I used Heathkit solder and
> little flux except for heavy duty ground connections. Not sure if the solder or the wires or the flux was
> the cause. I think some of the factory wires were not acceptive to solder and I should have sanded the
> ends before soldering. On the final run test I heard some popping and found the last fault, it was a
> small bridge of solder which was caused by the short I  caused in the beginning and was the hardest to
> find. It left a pit in the circuit board mask so what can I use to add insulating to that section next to
> the trace?
>
> The most important fix was wiring for the ALC and AVC. Those solved the most of the troubles.
> Thanks for all the support as I went along with my testing. One huge lessen learned was when probing with
> the rig hot, be very vigilant and remove the probes with caution.
>
> 73, Dick KF4NS
> St Petersburg, FL 33714 USA
> Keep The Glow!
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dick KF4NS"<kf4nsradio at verizon.net>
> To: "Dick KF4NS"<kf4nsradio at verizon.net>;<heathkit at mailman.qth.net>; "Heath puck list"
> <heath at puck.nether.net>
> Cc:<boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 9:09 AM
> Subject: UPDATE Re: Heathkit HW-100/101 S-meter trouble
>
>
> | Gentlemen,
> | One problem is solved, the constant S9+20, it was due to the replacement of the 2nd IF plate tap I made
> | to connect to the SB-610. I removed the coax and changed the coupling cap to a 10pf but left the loose
> | end floating on the bottom of the circuit board and that caused an interaction in the IF circuits and
> the
> | S-meter to jump up.
> |
> | If only that had been the end of it. After the cap removal I found a new problem. Now I get no AVC
> | S-meter
> | reading at all. Rotating the RF Gain pot swings the needle top to bottom so the meter&  RF gain pot is
> | good. I did all the voltage and resistance tests on all tubes that might affect the AGC/ALC and found
> | most very  close to spec. I did not dig into xmit-only circuits. Tubes all tested good. Soldered
> several
> | connections that looked suspicious. Relay 2 is working fine and cleaned contacts&  tested for
> continuity.
> | CAL signal goes through on all bands (USB&  LSB) as well as my sig gen signal at the antenna input.
> |
> | I will now concentrate on tracing the AVC circuit back from the IF. If anyone has any idea what I
> should
> | see as a level of AVC voltage compared to increased signal level, please let me know. Heath does not
> | cover that bit of info. All I know is the level now is insufficient to move the needle on the S-meter.
> |
> | Thanks and 73, Dick KF4NS
> | St Petersburg, FL 33714 USA
> | Keep The Glow!
> |
> |
> | ----- Original Message -----
> | From: "Dick KF4NS"<kf4nsradio at verizon.net>
> | To:<heathkit at mailman.qth.net>; "Heath puck list"<heath at puck.nether.net>
> | Cc:<boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
> | Sent: Friday, March 16, 2012 10:24 AM
> | Subject: Heathkit HW-100/101 S-meter trouble
> |
> |
> || Ok guys, I am my own worst enemy lately. I can't seem to control my probe. While doing some testing in
> || the IF section of my 100 for gain problems feeding my SB-610, I had my DMM probe on the B+ and while
> || sweeping it away from the test point I caught it on a wire which caused me to lightly touch ground and
> || heard a pop.
> ||
> || Now the S-meter is messed up. Turning on the rig the meter swings to full then back down to zero
> | (normal)
> || then immediately followed by a swing back up to 9 +20 and stays there.
> ||
> || With all the settings adjusted according to the receive voltage chart I read -.8-15.8vdc (variable
> with
> || the RF gain pot)  at the grid of V3 6AU6 1st IF and 289vdc on the plate, all normal. I read .52vdc at
> | the
> || cathode. Swapped V3, tests good.
> ||
> || At the meter pins on any band I read .25vdc on one side .32vdc on the other with no antenna attached.
> | If
> || I touch the grid with a probe there is a loud squeal, no change at the meter. Meter and meter switch
> | are
> || fine. CAL sig ON shows no change is meter reading (maybe cuz it would not normally read that high). No
> || burned resistors in the circuit.
> ||
> || What the H_E double L did I do this time? It has to be in the AVC circuitry.
> ||
> || 73, Dick KF4NS
> || St Petersburg, FL 33714 USA
> || Keep The Glow!
> ||
> |
>
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