[Milsurplus] BC-375/191 adjustment tool needed

[Mike Hanz]

On 5/29/2010 12:43 AM, Laura and Jim wrote:
> Mike - I cleaned off the relay contacts using thin strips of 400 grit 
> wet/dry paper and straight DeOxIt (from the needle applicator). Now I 
> get 100mA at 500VDC w/final dipped and antenna at resonance into 50 
> ohm dummy load.

That's great news, Jim.  If you plan on working on these old sets more 
in the future, you might want to consider getting some contact 
burnishing tools.  Makes the job a bit easier than using sandpaper and 
they don't remove as much material in the process.  They're quite 
inexpensive and are useful on other projects around the house, like heat 
pump contactors, etc. - something like these:

http://www.unicornelex.com/subcategory.php?cat=E24J02&

or, if you want the best, get these:

http://www.pkneuses.com/www.pkneuses.com/cont.htm

Just don't touch the burnishing surfaces (skin oil inhibits the 
burnishing action), and clean them frequently with rubbing alcohol.

On 5/28/2010 9:58 PM, ROLYNN PRECHTL K7DFW wrote:
> Forget the drilling and put away those needle-nose pliers.
>
> Get a snap ring / retaining ring plier with interchangeable tips. Mount the
> 90 degree tips toward each other and it will give the same result as
> modifying those needle-nose with opposing pins.
>    

Rolynn, I tried using two different kinds of snap ring pliers as you 
described way back when I started doing this stuff, and they're a bit 
too large to fit between the contacts on the back of the BC-375 where 
the relay is mounted.  Look at figure 22 at 
http://aafradio.org/docs/BC-375_&_BC-191_antenna_relay_tool_plans.pdf 
and you'll see the problem.  I suspect the associated GE engineers went 
on to design car engine compartments in the 1980s... :'(

73,
Mike