[Milsurplus] ATA ARA RX Alignment Question

[Jim Whartenby]

Ray, I've had good luck putting moderate torque with a plastic tool and just holding it for a minute or two.  9 times out of 10 it will turn with a snap and then rotate feely.  Patients is key.
I noticed in the video that you didn't adjust the signal generator output down as you adjusted the IFTs.  I have found that you get a well defined IFT peak at low RF inputs where the AGC is not controlling gain.  At what output level was your signal generator set?  
The other silly thing I noticed is that you clean the soldering tip before you store it in the holder.  I always leave a bit of solder on it to prevent oxidation of the tip.  I have never lost a soldering iron tip but I can't say the same for the Weller TCP heating element!Jim
Logic: Method used to arrive at the wrong conclusion, with confidence.  Murphy 

    On Monday, August 18, 2025 at 09:13:05 AM CDT, Ray Fantini via Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net> wrote:   

  
Be careful when doing alignments! Eighty year old slugs ten not tb be limber. Also unless someone has messed with the slugs at some point I would not think they need to be cranked on. Poor sensitivity can often be found in locations like high leakage in screen bypass capacitors in the IF or RF stages on old receivers, one or two Ma of leakage can result in little or no voltage on the screen grids and low performance on the IF stage.
 
  
 
Ray F/KA3EKH
 
  
 
  
 
From: mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net <mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net>On Behalf Of Mark K3MSB
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2025 9:21 PM
To: ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>; List Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>; Military Radio Collectors Association (mrca at mailman.qth.net) <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [MRCA] ATA ARA RX Alignment Question
 
  
 
I'm thinking of aligning my  500 to 1500 Kc receiver.
 
  
 
Page 41 of the manual says to raise the protruding bakelite rods (of the 3 IF transformers) until they snap into the up position.
 
  
 
Delicately playing with one of them, it seems rather fragile, and I have to use a small pliers to move it -- I'm not sure what tool they used back then.
 
  
 
It didn't want to move either way, and I was leery of giving it a good twist for obvious reasons.  The other two seem just as delicate.
 
  
 
The radio plays but it a bit lethargic -- i was thinking of just doing an alignment with the rods as they were (although the manual frown on that)
 
  
 
Comment from anyone that's done an alignment on this RX before?
 
  
 
73 Mark K3MSB
 
  
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