[Hallicrafters] Need Advice on HT-32A Meter

[Rocco Lardiere]

Greg,

One thing to do is to rotate the meter compression control through its full
range when transmitting into a dummy load  (you should try some DeOxit on
the pot first).  Use a real dummy load and a power meter (ditch the light
bulb!), and make certain the power output is being peaked - if you transmit
for more than a few seconds without being in resonance, your finals will not
last long.  If the transmitter loads normally with reasonable power out
(50-90 W is adequate), the meter compression control should allow the meter
to be set to full scale.   The meter compression control is used to set the
output meter to full scale at full output, so the circuit works like an
older SWR bridge in the forward position and indicates relative, not
absolute power out.  If there is no meter indication, measure the voltage
across the meter when the transmitter is putting out power using a high
impedance multimeter.  Rotate the "meter compression control" through its
full range while you do this.

Check all connections to and components associated with the original meter
by tracing out the circuit from the schematic.  The connections at the rear
of the meter are not easy to tell apart - it may not be connected properly.
Check for poor soldering or other evidence that someone has been there
before you.  Viewed from the rear, you should see the 5.6 K resistor between
the top terminal and the right bottom.  You should also see the .01 cap
between the two bottom terminals.  The schematic diagram shows the rear of
the meter correctly with respect to left/right and top/bottom, and you
should be able to trace everything.

If something requires checking the components at the back of the meter
connection screws, remember to loosen only the OUTER nut on the meter
connection screws through the bakelite - sometimes the screw is soldered at
the back, and rotating the screw can break the connecting wire inside (where
you can't see it).  Components are not always where they should be.

If the HT-32A meter is, indeed, bad, you will need to fix it or replace it.
One of my HT-32B's has a meter that won't mechanically zero, and I found a
replacement via this list that is ready to install, when I have a few
minutes).  So they may be a bit delicate, and if yours is truly bad, it
could be a shock-induced problem.  There a few meter rebuilders out there -
but I have not used them and can't recommend one.  If you are absolutely
certain that the meter is bad, you can try to disassemble it - but that is
not a job for the faint of heart.  There have been articles on that over the
years - it is delicate work and complicated to describe.

Let us know what you find.

73,

Rocco N6KN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <WA1KBQ at aol.com> . . .


> Before I dig in to trouble shoot a non-working front panel "DB" meter on
an
> HT-32A has anyone run into this before on one of these? Is there a
previous
> history for any common faults on HT-32A meters? The transmitter lights a
light
> bulb dummy load on all bands but the meter is totally inoperable for
registering
> RF.
>
> Thanks, Greg
>