[R-390] Autotuners

[Sandy Geiger]

   Lemme 'splain somethin to y'all-I was in NO way casting dispersions on
   the quality of Rick's restoration. Rick knows me, knows that I have NO
   mechanical/electrical  aptitude  atall,he  was  just trying to keep me
   from  possibly  ruining  one  of  these rare gems. I'm just a dumb ol'
   hillbilly  who has a jones for these things called R-3XXs, I can kinda
   tell  you  how  one works, but the finer points are WAY above my head.
   Unlike  a  lot  of  you, I didn't have the benefit of working on these
   things  in  the  Army  or  whatever-I just got into 'em 'cause I think
   they're  kewl  as  all  get-out.  I  don't  know  why we bother w/'em,
   though-broadband  over  power lines is gonna clean our clocks in a few
   years, & shit, there's nothin to listen to anymore anyhow than a bunch
   of mealy-mouth preachers, political kooks, junk like that. But please,
   don't  think  I  was bad mouthin' Rick-I MOST CERTAINLY wasn't. -Sandy
   G.
   C.H.(Sandy)Geiger III
   >From: "Drew Papanek" <drewmaster813 at hotmail.com>
   >To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
   >Subject: [R-390] Autotuners
   >Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2004 19:38:00 -0500
   >
   >Hello,
   >
   >Sandy Geiger expressed misgivings about firing up the autotune on
   >his Mish-restored R-391:
   >
   >>Guys-  I  have  an  R-391,  s/n  282,  that  I  got  from  Rick
   >>Mish.
   >>Electronically,  it is tweaked to the nines,as all Rick's
   >>restorations
   >>are,  but  I've  never  been  brave-or  foolish-enuff  to  fire up
   >>the
   >>Autotune.  Rick  kinda suggested it would be in my-& the radio's-
   >>best
   >>interests  if  I  left  it  alone.  Too  many  tales  of R-391s
   >>eating
   >>themselves have convinced me this is the right thing to do.-Sandy
   >>G.
   >
   >He cited Barry's observations:
   >
   >>It is impossible to walk this gizmo through manually in  steps,
   >>though you can put a bristol wrench in the synch >adjuster,  lock
   >>the knobs down and rotate it.  However,  it's not a complete
   >>simulation as the relay and control unit
   >>aren't doing  their things. It's all hard-wired together --
   >>including the relay -- no socket.
   >
   >I was able to manually operate the autotune and exercise the
   >electrical portion of an ART-13 by mechanically disconnecting the
   >motor from the rest of the autotune.  With power applied and channel
   >selected, the motor would run until I had turned the shaft (many
   >turns!) to operate the limit sensing switch, whereupon the relay
   >would pull in and the motor would reverse; running until I had
   >turned the shaft enough(the other direction) to operate the channel
   >position sensing switch (too lazy to go get the manual and see what
   >they call those switches).
   >
   >Yes, the slip clutches were frozen with gummed-up lubricant and I
   >did not force the movement.  Who knows what damage would have
   >resulted had I tested under motor power.  Disassembly, soaking in
   >lacquer thinner, relubrication and reassembly corrected the problem.
   >
   >I don't think I used a synthetic lubricant; the process will
   >therefore have to be repeated in another 20 years or so.
   >
   >There is a special tool for turning the ART-13 autotune line shaft;
   >I did not have the tool but it was a simple matter to make one up.
   >
   >It would be a simple matter to lower voltage to the motor to reduce
   >the torque for testing purposes (for the R-391, back on topic,
   >whew!).
   >
   >I used an old Telco power supply salvaged from the junkheap for the
   >24VDC - no construction required there.
   >
   >Drew
   >
   >
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