[Hammarlund] SP-600JX14 problem - main tuning capacitor sync

Sat Nov 16 15:31:38 EST 2024

Richard,

You have interpreted my problem correctly, I 
believe. The previous owner did not move any of 
the gear train, but merely refaced the dials. 
However, the person he bought it from was known 
as a "Golden Screwdriver" and may have had a hand 
in it. There is also a couple of screws and a 
threaded plate missing that secure the case and 
variable capacitor, suggesting someone may have 
had the capacitor out. The drive link and spring 
for the capacitor you referenced are installed correctly.

So what I feel must be done is to figure out how 
to move the drive gear on the capacitor a few 
degrees to allow it to fully mesh, and not effect 
the synchronization of the dial drives and stops. 
I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks es 73 Bill N4LG

At 01:36 PM 11/16/2024, Richard Knoppow wrote:
>    I interpreted your problem as saying the 
> capacitor did not fully mesh. The dial position 
> is adjustable as stated but that won't change 
> the stop points for the cap. It should fully 
> mesh regardless of the dial alignment. Its been 
> too long since I was in the tuning drive and I 
> don't remember how the stops are arranged but, 
> if the former owner worked on the gearbox he 
> might have gotten the gears misaligned.     The 
> cap is driven by a crank with a spring 
> coupling. The spring is to take up any 
> overtravel. Make sure the drive crank is 
> fastened to the lever on the capacitor 
> correctly. If you have to get into it be very 
> careful the spring doesn't go flying off to be 
> lost.      If you get it running right I an 
> give you some detail on getting the dial and 
> moving pointer aligned mechanically. On 
> 11/16/2024 9:34 AM, Bill Cotter wrote: > 
> Thanks, Al. I will remove the front panel and 
> check the relationship > between the dials, 
> stop pin and three-screw slots. > > 73 Bill 
> N4LG > > > At 10:34 AM 11/16/2024, AW wrote: >> 
> Hi Bill, >> Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  It sounds like the 
> previous owner didn't get the new paper >> 
> dials on properly, or didn't move the dial to 
> correct the error.Â  The >> dial has 3 slotted 
> holes at it's center, and is held on place by 
> 3 >> screws thru a disc.Â  They can't be 
> accessed unless the panel is off, >> or at 
> least possibly loosened and moved back.Â  (I 
> hope that makes >> sense.) There might be 
> enough adjustment available to get it right. >> 
> Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  At the lower end of the band, 
> the dial should indicate zero on >> the logging 
> scale, with the freq. dial right on the left 
> end of it's >> scale. And the stop pin on the 
> stop. >> Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Shouldn't have to 
> (don't) mess with any gearing. >> Â Â Â Â Â Â 
> Â  Take a look at Andy Moorer's 
> instructions.Â  As he says, re: >> the manual, 
> "The instructions are often more confusing than 
> helpful. >> 
> Â 
> <https://www.hammarlund.info/GearTrainAlignment.html>  
>  >> 73, >> Al, W8UT >> >> >> >> On 11/16/2024 
> 9:59 AM, Bill Cotter wrote: >>> Hello 
> everyone, >>> I have a nice SP600JX14 I am 
> restoring to work with my globe King >>> 500A 
> transmitter. I have the RF deck and side porch 
> recapped with >>> 0.01 600VDC disc ceramics and 
> all out of tolerance resistors >>> replaced. 
> After reassembling the RF deck on the chassis, 
> I noticed >>> something strange. >>> When the 
> main tuning dial is set to the bottom of the 
> band and the >>> logging scale is set to zero, 
> the main tuning variable capacitor is >>> not 
> fully meshed. It is all but about 10-15 degrees 
> meshed. The stop >>> pin is resting against its 
> stop, as expected. When I rotate the main >>> 
> tuning to the highest frequency, the dials do 
> not reach the expected >>> end point and the 
> stop pin does not reach its stop. I assume the 
> main >>> tuning variable capacitor has reached 
> its end point. >>> It appears that the main 
> tuning variable capacitor is out of sync >>> 
> with the dial indicators. The previous owner 
> refinished the front >>> panel and applied new 
> dial scales to the dial plates, but he 
> never >>> disturbed the gearing behind the 
> dials. >>> Any thoughts on how to correct the 
> not-fully-meshed main tuning >>> capacitor 
> problem? I have all the digital copies of 
> manuals with gear >>> set exploding diagrams 
> and tear down/reassembly directions, but I >>> 
> haven't come across the synchronization 
> procedure. >>> Thanks in advance. >>> 73 Bill 
> N4LG >>> 
> ______________________________________________________________  
>  >>> Hammarlund mailing list >>> Home: 
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund  
>  >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> 
> Post: mailto:Hammarlund at mailman.qth.net >>> 
> List Administrator: Gary Harmon, K5JWK >>> ** 
> For Assistance: gharmon at idworld.net ** >>> >>> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> 
> Please help support this email list: 
> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > 
> ______________________________________________________________  
>  > Hammarlund mailing list > Home: 
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund  
>  > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > 
> Post: mailto:Hammarlund at mailman.qth.net > > 
> List Administrator: Gary Harmon, K5JWK > ** For 
> Assistance: gharmon at idworld.net ** > > > This 
> list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please 
> help support this email list: 
> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- Richard 
> Knoppow Los Angeles WB6KBL SKCC 19998 
> ______________________________________________________________ 
> Hammarlund mailing list Home: 
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund 
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: 
> mailto:Hammarlund at mailman.qth.net List 
> Administrator: Gary Harmon, K5JWK ** For 
> Assistance: gharmon at idworld.net ** This list 
> hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help 
> support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html