[Boatanchors] VTVM rebuild

[William Cromwell]

Hi,

Stories about maintaining and rebuilding/restoring or scratch building 
legacy radios are interesting. I am now taking on restoration of three 
VTVMs. I have a Simpson model 312 that only needs a replacement power 
transformer. I will just go ahead and pay the new price for a new 
transformer from someplace like Mouser. I got that one when it was new 
in a sealed box and have used it extensively over the years.

I acquired an RCA VoltOhmist Senior for shipping costs. It Looks pretty 
from the outside but the power cord and the negative lead have been cut 
off. Inside has some corrosion where the D cell battery had leaked. The 
electronics do not appear to be damaged. Some of the corrosion is near 
the bottom where it may have been stored in a damp area like a basement. 
It has tags that indicate use by our military. I think it deserves a new 
life.

There is a Heathkit VTVM IM-13. It looks rough but it works well. I 
intend to make it pretty again.

I have a Radio Shack FETVM, a solid state version of a VTVM. But that is 
heresy. I have one or two DMMs (more heresy) and couple of V-O-Ms. The 
VTVMs have a lot of advantages over the more modern DMMs and almost 
everything beats a V-O-M. When I finish my projects with the VTVMs I may 
have to move one or two to a new home.

73,

Bill KU8H

-- 
bark less - wag more