[Milsurplus] RCH...

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

I just aquired an RCH receiver yesterday in trade for a Heathkit 
HW-16/HG-10 combo. (I am trying to get the other fellow interested 
in becoming a ham and the HW-16 was a "spare").

In any case, this is a nice receiver, other than the fact that it is 
pretty deaf. The dial is smooth as silk, the audio is really nice, the 
calibration is pretty good considering its age, and it is a real boat 
anchor at 70 lbs.

I found that the previous-previous (not a typo) owner had been 
messing with it a bit. The cover was missing from the RF input coils 
and the RF alignment was WAY WAY off. After going through the 
alignment. Things are much better on bands 1, 2, and 3, and pretty 
good on band 4 (5-12Mhz), but band 5 (10-24 Mhz) is dismal.

There seems to be very little gain contributed by the RF amp stage 
to the overall receiver gain, and the RF amp tube, a 6K7, is running 
VERY hot to the touch, especially in comparison with all the other 
tubes, even the rectifier.

This receiver has less sensitivity than my Hallicrafters S-41G when 
connected to the same antenna listening to the same station/signal!

I have not yet started to run a resisance and voltage check, but that 
is next on my list. Then I intend to check the capacitors with my 
Heathkit C-3 and replace those which are leaky.

In the meantime, have any of you had any experience with the 
RCH or its cousins, the SLR-F or SLR-H? I had an SLR-F once 
and, as I remember it (45 years ago) the RF gain was pretty low in 
that one too, although not THIS bad.

I have a schematic and a resistance/voltage chart, and will be 
getting a manual as soon as I can.

Suggestions? Comments? Hints? Just curious...

Ken Gordon W7EKB