[Heathkit] SB-102 drive belts

[Drew P.]

Jim Shorney wrote:

"I reworked my HW-101 years ago to use string because I got tired of belt
slippage. I would stick with the dial cord, it's a better solution IMO."

Paul Kraemer, who originally asked the question, seemed to indicate that the preselector/driver tune control on his unit tends to bind at one end of the travel.  If the binding is not in the tuning capacitors, then I would suspect that the stringing job was done poorly or that there is excessive runout in one or more of the pulleys.  Removal of the dial cord and rotating each shaft in turn would soon confirm this.  

I don't know what size o-ring to use, but a piece of string wrapped in belt fashion around the pulleys then cut to length could be used as an o-ring selection aid. It is said that the plumbing section of almost any hardware store would have suitable o-rings.

I don't care for the rubber o-ring belts as used on my SB-101.  They seem to introduce a bit of backlash which makes tuning on 10 meters much more touchy.  It could be that the belts have hardened with age and hence have developed a "memory".  One of these days I will replace them with dial cord.

Drew