[Hammarlund] SP600 ReCap BBODs

[Joe Connor]

Amen, Richard.
 
With respect to placing the bandswitch between bands, there's a good way of making sure you do so. If you remove the cover on the top of the turret and watch as you change bands, you can see when the pins engage the fingers and when they disengage. When they're completely disengaged, you are between bands and the turret can be removed. You sort of have to see it to understand what I'm saying but once you see it, it should be pretty clear.
 
Another issue is removing the wires that go from the RF deck to the pod on the side of the deck. Originally, those wires were color coded but the colors have probably faded by now so that you can't rely on the color code to know where they go. I found that Testor's model paint came in handy. I would put a dab of different color paint on each one before disassembly and draw a diagram showing which color wire went where. It worked like a charm. Just use colors that are easily distinguishable. The pod has a cover so no one will see any paint on the wires once you get the set reassembled. 
 
That pod on the side of the RF deck is a real pain. You have to remove the filter chokes and the FCU to get at that one lonely cap inside the pod. It's not especially difficult, just tedious. The Testor's paint came in handy again to color code the wires on the bottom of the filter chokes.
 
If you want to make the investment, Chuck Rippel has done a superb DVD on refurbishing an SP-600. I found it to be very helpful. You can buy it from Electric Radio magazine.
 
 
                                     Joe Connor
 


>________________________________
>From: Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>
>To: Mike Cornell <njmikec at hotmail.com>; hro5-2 at cox.net; hammarlund at mailman.qth.net 
>Cc: k5apl at yahoo.com 
>Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 3:30 PM
>Subject: Re: [Hammarlund] SP600 ReCap BBODs
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Cornell" <njmikec at hotmail.com>
>To: <hro5-2 at cox.net>; <hammarlund at mailman.qth.net>
>Cc: <k5apl at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 9:49 AM
>Subject: Re: [Hammarlund] SP600 ReCap BBODs
>
>
>> 
>> If it's not a restuffing job (wax capacitors) which these aren't, then I would clip the leads near the cap and go the 'tiny coils' route.
>> 
>> I wind the tiny coils on a piece of stiff wire, dip them in flux, and solder away.
>> 
>> Going all the way to the lug, desoldering it, unwrapping the old cap lead, etc., etc., will (IMHO) make for a very long job.
>> 
>> Good luck in the turret!
>
>    A warning about the turret. In order to replace the capacitors in the RF deck its necessary to remove it. The main warning is to absolutely sure you have the bandswitch positions _between_ bands, it doesn't matter which. If you leave it on a band the contacts on the deck will be destroyed.  I am sorry to say I know this from experience. Set the bandswitch mid-way when removing and replacing the deck.
>    The heavy ground leads to the tuning capacitor are best removed with a soldering gun. This has the heat capacity along with being small enough to get to the terminals. Small soldering irons do not have enough heat capacity and old style irons will ar too big to reach.
>    There is one cap in the IF can at the side of the tuning unit. There are also a couple of caps in the fixed frequency oscillator box. There have been some articles on how to get it open, its a bit of a Chinese puzzle.
>    You have at least the consolation that once done you will never have to do it again.
>
>
>--
>Richard Knoppow
>Los Angeles
>WB6KBL
>dickburk at ix.netcom.com
>
>
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