[Hallicrafters] Contact Cleaners & other tales

[TC Dailey]

Back when I worked in the avionics industry [sic], we used some stuff called CRAMOLIN... yeah, we thought it sounded bad, too... it's resembles sewing-machine oil, and is not only a contact-cleaner, but also an enhancer.  Story from Cramolin was that it left a molocule-thick layer, which actually conducted.  I must admit - nothing cleaned & resurrected old Narco and King radios better, AND it didn't dry out after a while.   BUT - CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!!!!

The stuff conducts at higher-power RF!  I cleaned the bandswitch on a SWAN 500C, and that sucker took off and "flew".  Self-0scillated on 15m and 10m... [they don't call 'em SWAN's for nuthin'!]   Cramolin is still around (developed for high-flying B-47's and B-52's!), but ONLY use it on RECEIVING gear!

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fired up the SX-17 with the variac (took the 5Z3 out, first).  Good "lights"... stuck it back in, and at 10% per hour increase, it came to LIFE!  Resoldered a loose wire to a grid-cap, and although it's pretty deaf, it LIVES!  Copied 75m CW with it, and some Foreign Bcst on 12mc... Turns out, it does NOT have the NL switch, so must be an early one.  Anybody got a spare dial pointer for an SX-17?

Thanks to all - 73 - Tom / WAØEAJ