[Heathkit] SB-303 - 3

[Greg]

The dial lamps are wired series. When one blows they all go dark.

You may have an electrolytic (the two big ones) going out on the audio board 
too. That's a common problem with the aged 303. Muffled or fading audio is 
the symptom. FYI If the s meter reads high then you're 303 is just like 
everyone elses.  They all do that.
Another job worth doing is to make sure the bandswitch shaft turns thru the 
band wafer switch positions correctly and make sure the wafer contacts are 
squeaky clean. Mis-alignement of the band switch shaft and wafers is common 
due to Heath's mechanical design.  Deoxit should get the attenuator back 
into health. Can't help you with front panel issues.
The SB 303 is the most sensitive receiver I own and I really enjoy using 
mine with an old Eldico SSB 100F transmitter.
73's.
Greg
WA7LYO
Kinston NC
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <kiyoinc at attglobal.net>
To: <heathkit at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 8:37 PM
Subject: [Heathkit] SB-303 - 3


>
> Switched to 40 meters and  AM, foreign broadcast sounds muffled but one 
> Spanish station was clear.   This might be the instability in the LMO. It 
> definitely needs to be cleaned
>
> CW was muffled but that may be the LMO instability.   Could be a BFO 
> crystal slightly off frequency.   It could also be the AF frequency 
> response.  I need to check the caps in the AF circuits.
>
> The attenuator control is intermittent,  Deoxit should fix this problem.
>
> There is 24 volts AC on the dial lamps.  Something wrong there?
>
> The cabinet looks good except for paint chips. The knobs all look good.
>
> Overall build quality is good.   This radio needs a good cleaning more 
> than anything else.  The metal to metal, electrical contacts are dirty.
>
> Picked up a book on silk screening over the weekend and checked on the 
> possibility of making a screen for the SB-303.   Somewhere I've seen a 
> high-resolution picture of the SB-303 front panel lettering, perhaps in 
> the manual.
>
> The 303 front panel is larger than I can print, unless someone makes 
> overhead projector material in legal size.  If they don't, it should be 
> easy enough to print the right and left sides of the SB-303 separately and 
> tape the two pieces together.
>
>
> de ah6gi/4
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