[Heathkit] Trouble Shooting Techniques

[Kevin J Ward]

Ben -

Here's another idea to try in your search for that "crackle/frying" sound
in the HW-101:  check the screen bypass capacitors in the IF and audio
stages.  

Years ago I worked in avionics and we serviced tube-type aircraft radios.
 Occasionally, we would get a unit on the bench and you couldn't check
the S/N ratio because the noise was so bad.  One possibility was leaky
capacitors, but which one?  

A technique we used to find the culprit was to grasp the body of the
suspect capacitor with a pair of duckbilled pliers and gently give it a
squeeze.  If the noise increased or went away we replaced that capacitor.
 Most of the time it was one of those screen bypass caps.  Please
remember to wear your shoes and keep one hand in your pocket.  On second
thought, make up a non-conducting pliers with an old pincher style
clothes pin.  Throw away the spring, saw off a half-inch of an old BIC
pen for a fulcrum, and tie it together with a rubber band.  Works just as
well and the rest of the family will breath easier.  Oh, use the slim,
flat ends on the caps.

Good luck!

Kevin  N2IE

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