[Hammarlund] HQ-180A 60 KHz IF Problem - Suggestions?

[Al Parker]

In the meantime, I've ccd below a text msg from Frank Lester.  It might 
help iin some present situations, but good info all-over.  I'm sorry, I 
don't see a date on it., but early '60's I suspect.
73,
Al, W8UT
---------------------------
Dear OM:

This form is being prepared to provide prompt attention to a complaint 
as a result of trouble that may be experienced in the field.  In 
addition to this we are supplying general information as a result of 
inquiries previously received, that we are sure will be of general interest.
Most troubles that develop in the field can be attributed to tube 
failure in one form or another.  Unfortunately, it is impossible for us 
to eliminate tube troubles completely despite precautions taken by us to 
do just this.  It is well known that tubes sometimes fail or change in 
operation characteristics after a period of operation.  It can 
therefore, be assumed that despite every precaution occasionally a tube 
will develop trouble and cause malfunctioning of the receiver.
The most common complaint we have received is the high order harmonic 
output from the 100 kc crystal calibrator.  This results in the crystal 
calibrator signal being weaker than normal, especially on 10 and 6 
meters.  This is usually due entirely to the 6BZ6 tube being employed in 
the crystal calibrator position.  It is therefore, suggested that this 
tube be interchanged with the 6BZ6 employed in the RF stage which may 
provide the increased crystal calibrator signal.  Switching the two 
tubes in question will usually in no way result in degrading the 
performance of the receiver since the tube formerly employed in the 
crystal calibrator position will usually work perfectly as an RF 
amplifier even though it may not develop sufficient output when used in 
the crystal calibrator position.  If switching the two tubes does not 
provide the desired results it would be advisable to purchase another 
6BZ6 for improved 100 kc crystal oscillator output.
HUM
Excessive hum in the speaker is usually the result of excessively high 
heater to cathode leakage on the part of the noise limiter tube type 
6AL5 or the 6AV6 tube employed as the first audio and delayed AVC clamp. 
  If the hum is only noticeable when the receiver is in the AM position, 
the chances are that this is due to a bad 6BV8.  If the level of the hum 
varies as the audio volume control is advanced, this more or less 
indicates that the hum is due to a tube ahead of the audio gain control, 
such as the 6AL5 or the 6BV8.  If the hum level remains constant 
regardless of the setting of the audio control, this means that the 
trouble is after or behind the audio control and the 6AV6 or 6AQ5 output 
tube should be suspected.

HUM MODULATION OR DRIFT
Hum modulation or hum frequency modulation that will be most noticeable 
on the 10 and 6 meter bands, is usually due to a poor 6C4 high frequency 
oscillator or the first 6BE6 converter V2 in the schematic diagram. 
This condition will be apparent by the inability to obtain a near pure 
DC or T9 note on 10 and 6 meters.  Changing the 6C4 high frequency 
oscillator usually corrects or greatly improves this condition.  If a 
new 6C4 does not result in sufficient improvement, try interchanging the 
6BE6 employed in position V2 with the 6BE6 employed in position V5 or 
the 3rd mixer socket.  Excessive drift which would be most noticeable on 
the high frequency bands, can also be attributed to the 6C4 high 
frequency oscillator or 1st 6BE6 converter.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR TUBE TROUBLES
The first HQ-170 receivers produced employed a 4K 10 watt resistor as 
R-53 or the VR tube dropping resistor.  This was later changed to 3K 10 
watts to improve the voltage regulation.  In some cases when the 4K 
resistor was employed, the VR tube would extinguish at maximum 
sensitivity control setting.  Another noticeable effect would be 
excessive frequency shift as a result of varying _ of the way on. 
Changing R 53 from 4K to 3K at 10 watts will eliminate both of these 
conditions.

FAILURE OF THE HIGH FREQUENCY BANDS
Failure of the receiver on any or all of the triple conversion bands can 
usually be attributed to trouble in the second 6BE6 converter V3 in the 
schematic diagram.  This is usually the result of low injection of the 
2.580 MC crystal oscillator.  Obviously, the first suggestion is to try 
interchanging 6BE6's or at least a new 6BE6 in this position.  If this 
fails to produce the proper performance, a good VTVM that will not load 
the circuit, should be employed to measure the voltage developed from 
pin 1 to ground.  A reading of 3 to 4 volts negative indicates proper 
performance or injection.  Less than this voltage exceeding10, may be 
the cause of the trouble.  This can usually be attributed to a defective 
38uh RF choke L8 in the diagram, which may be open or have shorted 
turns.  This trouble seldom develops but is a possibility that should be 
investigated.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Whenever the 500 cycle or .5 kc selectivity switch position is employed, 
for best results the side band switch should be employed in the upper 
side band position.  Since this band width is only employed and usable 
on CW, the BFO pitch or frequency control should always be employed plus 
or minus approximately .5 kc for best CW performance.
The headphone jack results in a deliberate mismatched to high impedance 
phones in order to reduce the level supplied to them.  The lower the 
impedance of the phones, the more volume will usually be obtained.  If 
it is desirable to increase the headphone volume, an inexpensive line to 
voice coil transformer is suggested.  This transformer is connected 
backwards with the voice coil connections to headphone plug and the 500 
ohm line connections to the phones.  The resultant impedance step up 
will provide higher headphone volume.  This procedure should only be 
resorted to when absolutely necessary such as when a person may be hard 
of hearing.  It should be remembered that as a result of increasing the 
headphone level any residual hum will also be increased, which the hard 
of hearing person will not find objectionable, whereas a person with 
normal hearing may.

VOX CIRCUIT REQUIREMENTS
In the event that the vox circuit in your transmitter may be designed 
for 500 ohm input and in the event that sufficient gain in this circuit 
may not be available to provide proper performance from the 3.2 voice 
coil winding, the matching transformer referred to in the headphone 
paragraph may be employed.  Under these circumstances, the voice coil 
winding should be connected to the speaker terminals with the 500 ohm 
line winding to  the Vox circuit. Such a matching  transformer may also 
be required or useful for phone patch operation, depending, of course, 
on the design of the phone patch.

GRID BLOCK BIASING FOR VOX CIRCUITS
Many of the single side band transmitters being produced today provide 
100 volts negative bias which is switched from the transmitter to the 
receiver by the Vox circuit.  The Hallicrafter HT 32 transmitter is a 
good example. As a result of the voice control operating the relay in 
the transmitter, the 100 volts of negative bias available in the 
transmitter  is made available to silence the receiver. When this type 
of receiver  silencing is desired the relay receptacle on the rear of 
the HQ-170 is not employed. In order to adapt your HQ-170 for this 
operation it is suggested that the two leads that are now connected to 
the relay receptacle be removed and each one taped up so that they are 
insulated from one another and the chassis. This may be dressed 
conveniently out of the way. A 5 megohm ½ watt resistor and 15" of 
insulated shielded lead is now required.  One end of the 5 megohm 
resistor should be connected to pins 5 or 6 or tube socket V16 or the 
6AV6. The other end of this resistor is then connected to the inner 
conductor of the insulated shielded lead with the shield left floating 
at this point insulated to prevent shorting  to the resistor, inner 
conductor, or any part of the wiring. The other end of this   insulated 
and shielded lead should have the center conductor connected to one or 
both of the relay terminals with the shield connected to any convenient 
ground or chassis connection.  The bias lead from the Vox circuit is 
then connected to one or both of the relay receptacle terminals, a 
standard AC plug may be employed in the relay receptacle. It is now 
necessary to employ a common ground connection between the HQ-170 
chassis and the transmitter chassis in order to complete the biasing 
circuit. Making changes will result in the 5 megohm resistor being in 
series with the bias lead to the AVC bus in the HQ-170. The 5 megohm 
resistor isolates the bias supply and prevents this lead from affecting 
the AVC circuit.  The shielded lead is recommended to prevent RF pickup 
and is really a precautionary measure. It may also advisable a shielded 
lead the receiver and the transmitter.
This system in no way implies that the antenna changeover relay or a 
suitable TR switch will not be required. Failure to employ one or the 
other may result in burning out the antenna coils of the receiver, or 
other possible damage.
Lab tests indicate that minus 75 volts will silence the receiver  when 
one volt of RF is applied to the antenna terminals.  75 volts negative 
bias is therefore, the suggested minimum value for complete silencing. 
The full bias voltage is not applied to the grids due to a voltage 
division which takes place as a result of the 5 megohm resistor and the 
other resistors, employed in the AVC system.

DIAL CALIBRATION ACCURACY
Please remember that we do not claim frequency meter accuracy.
Our production tolerance on this receiver is plus or minus « a dial 
division.  This tolerance is necessary as a result of working to printed 
dial scales.  The band edge markers are held to very close tolerance, 
usually plus or minus the thickness of the dial marker.  The total 
runout or what is often referred to as tracking error, will usually be 
within the plus or minus « a dial division as previously specified.  It 
is for this reason that the adjustable dial marker and the 100 kc 
calibrator is provided for the correction factors.

RF FEED BACK
In the event that RF feed back is experienced when the relay terminals 
on the rear of the HQ-170 are employed, this usually indicates that the 
relay leads between the receiver and antenna relay are picking up RF. 
This may be due to the particular lead length or a high standing wave 
ratio on the antenna system.  The solution is of course, to prevent the 
RF pickup of the relay leads from getting into the receiver.  Adding a 
pair of .01 disc ceramic capacitors from each of the relay terminals to 
ground will usually eliminate the feed back condition.  These extra .01 
capacitors should be installed using as short lead length as possible, 
and preferably mounted inside of the receiver bypassing each of the 
relay terminals to ground.
We have recently received a few complaints advising that the slot depth 
control on the HQ-170 receiver is apparently inoperative.  This we can 
assure you is decidedly not the case, since from all indications, too 
much is being expected insofar as the effect of this control being very 
noticeable is concerned.
The slot depth control is actually a very gradual vernier adjustment. 
In view of this its effect will not be very noticeable unless the proper 
procedure is employed.  The suggested procedure is as follows:
Tune in an AM signal on any band or any other strong constant carrier of 
similar nature, such as crystal calibrator.  Whenever the receiver is 
being tuned for normal reception  be sure to first rotate the slot 
frequency control to the extreme clockwise or counter clockwise 
position.  In other words, never leave the slot frequency control at or 
near the zero setting.  If this procedure is not followed it is obvious 
that the center of the pass band will be slotted out, in some cases this 
being quite obvious by producing 2 spot tuning or 2 peak S meter readings.
After tuning in the constant carrier and peaking the S meter, taking the 
above precautions, rotate the slot frequency control.  It will be 
noticed that upon approaching the zero setting, the S meter reading will 
be effected.  A very definite null or minimum S meter reading will be 
obtained with the slot frequency control adjusted at or near zero. 
Observe this S meter reading.  With the slot frequency control set at 
the minimum S meter reading position, the slot depth control should be 
rotated very slowly throughout its range, observing the S meter.  It 
will be found that one particular spot throughout the range of the slot 
depth control a further reduction in the S meter reading will be 
obtained.  Once this setting has been obtained, the slot depth control 
may be left permanently in this position, and all future slot filter 
adjustment made by the slot frequency control only.  A check of the slot 
depth control setting may be advisable periodically.
It is hoped that the above information will prove of interest and 
assistance.  If after following the various suggestions, trouble cannot 
be eliminated, please write to us supplying as much detailed information 
as possible in order that we may endeavor to be of further assistance or 
authorize return of the receiver for repair.  Please refer to terms of 
our warranty on the inside rear cover of your instruction manual which 
will apply under these circumstances.
Erratic performance in the triple conversion bands, such as a temporary 
loss of gain after a period of transmission or stand-by operation, which 
is cured by rotating the band change switch or turning the receiver off 
and then on again, usually involved the second 6BE6 converter of V3 in 
the schematic diagram.  If changing this tube does not permanently cure 
this condition, changing the value of R10 from 22K to 47K is recommended.
If a new 6BZ6 in the crystal calibrator does not result in improving the 
output of the crystal calibrator to your liking, additional output may 
be obtained by increasing the screen voltage, this is accomplished by 
merely adding an external « watt resistor from 47K to 100K across 
terminals or leads 3 and 4, of the couplate Z1 in the schematic diagram.
If upon checking the 100 kc calibrator against WWV using another 
receiver it is not possible to zero beat the calibrator by means of the 
adjustable trimmer, and the crystal appears to be low in frequency, the 
frequency of the crystal can be raised by substituting an external 470K 
« watt resistor, for the one in the couplate Z1.  This is accomplished 
by unsoldering lead /7 of the couplate from one side of the trimmer and 
connecting the external 470K resistor across the trimmer terminals. 
This change will usually make it possible to zero beat a crystal that is 
too low and out of the range of adjustment provided by the trimmer.
Please remember that the low frequency response of the receiver is 
increased when the audio gain control is employed at the lower end of 
its range.  This is the result of the auto response circuit.  Increasing 
the audio gain control setting to a position past straight up and 
reducing the RF gain will make it possible to obtain the same volume 
level with less low frequency response and usually better 
signal-to-noise ratio.  If it is desirable to reduce some of the low 
frequency response at the lower settings of the audio volume control, 
the auto response feature may be dispensed with by merely short 
circuiting resistor R47, 47 ohms.  This results in removing the feedback 
which provided the better low frequency response.
Very truly yours,

THE HAMMARLUND MFG. CO., INC.
Frank I. Lester, W2AMJ
Sales Manager