[Heathkit] Hamfest find - VTVM

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi,

This past summer I went to a reasonably local hamfest and, among other 
things, a Heathkit IM-28 Vacuum Tube Voltmeter followed me home. I got 
it really cheap "as-is". Screws missing - in fact there was only one 
screw holding it together. Lots of dust and dirt.

After a couple of weeks I cautiously plugged it in and turned it on. It 
wanted to work but the needle oscillated and wobbled/wandered a little 
around zero. Lots of TLC seemed to be in order. Today I took it apart 
and cleaned the switches and pots. I found the ground connections for 
about half of the VTVM were loose/no screws at all! The C cell used for 
the ohm meter function was completely shot and fortunately did not 
splatter/dribble/ooze onto anything important! It's been idling and 
stable now for a couple of hours while I work on other things. I have to 
build a probe for it but I already know what is needed and I have most 
of the materials.

I have two benches and so now I have two VTVMs and won't have to chase 
the Simpson 312 around any more (after the probe gets made). So far I 
have about five bucks into it.

73,

Bill  KU8H