[R-390] Damaged Pins on Z221 and Z214

[Barry]

Unbelievably enough, I started looking again for that spring-finger and, lo and behold, it was laying on my workbench under where I'd been working on the RF deck.  I don't know how that survived where it is with all the work I've been doing.  Really weird.

On second/third/fourth/fifth look, I think those fingers may have originally been soldered as opposed to a "peened" pin that stick out of the main pin.  I'm going to see about soldering the original one back in place and, hopefully, that's a fix!

Thanks to all for all the feedback.
Barry - N4BUQ

> Jacques,
> 
> I looked in the sockets and didn't see the remains of that spring.  I don't see
> it anywhere on my workbench either.  When I removed all the coils and
> transformers so I could clean the deck and gears better, I remember seeing it
> was missing at that time.  I suspect it was missing before I got the radio.
> 
> I thought about soldering as well.  I don't think there's much left of that
> original "pin" that was used to secure the mini-banana plug's springs.  There
> is enough left, though, that might allow soldering.
> 
> Thanks for the tips,
> Barry - N4BUQ
> 
>> Barry, if the contact spring missing in the Z221 was not left in the
>> matching socket, your best option is effectively to steal the contact spring
>> from the center pin and soldering it to the top left one.
>> Z221 is an essential part of the 1st variable IF (9.5 to 17.5 MHz).
>> 
>> These contacts looks like dwarf-sized banana plugs.
>> All the ones in my own R-390 were found OK, but I remember about another
>> member of the group seeking advice for the same kind of problem few years
>> ago.
>> If you can effectively solder the "liberated" 4 leaf spring contact from the
>> center pin to the left top contact, you only need that Z221 be put back in
>> place to achieve a proper contact.
>> 
>> Other solutions can be tried, like making a new spring from thin brass
>> stock.
>> Or using a small screw in the tiny hole you planned to make.
>> I nevertheless believe that soldering will be sufficient.
>> 
>> Another area that was improved with the "A" version...
>> 
>> 73, Jacques, VE2JFE in Montreal
>> 
>> After thinking about it a while, I'm wondering if I can remove the "riveted"
>> top from that unused center pin on Z221 which would release that
>> spring-fingered mechanism from that pin.  If so, I could move that to the
>> pin that is used and then peen that center part where it would mushroom over
>> the spring fingered part.  There's not much left of the center part that can
>> be "mushroomed" so that might not work; however, I could also drill a tiny
>> hole in the end of that pin and drive tiny rivet-shaped pin in that could
>> hold the spring fingered part in place.  Tedious and fraught with problems
>> but, aside from finding a replacement, it might be my best bet.
>> 
>> Barry - N4BUQ
>> 
>>> (Resending using plain text.)
>>> 
>>> I started reassembling the coils in the RF deck of my R-390 and
>>> discovered some damage the one of the pins on Z221 (upper left pin in
>>> the first image attached).  The spring contact assembly is missing
>>> entirely.  I notice that the center pin is not connected inside the
>>> housing but I think it would be a significant effort to try to remove
>>> both pins and replace the bad one with the good one.
>>> 
>>> When I disassembled Z214, I noticed one of the small fingers had
>>> broken off (second image attached).  The finger was left where the
>>> coil plugs in and I saved the finger.  I may have rocked the can just
>>> a little too much (it was very difficult to remove) and that may have
>>> broken that finger.  While I think that pin will still make sufficient
>>> contact, I may still try to solder that finger in place.
>>> 
>>> What are my possible options for Z221?  I presume there's not a stash
>>> of those coils (Z219, Z220, Z221 as I think they're all the same?)
>>> somewhere.  Any ideas?
>>> 
>>> Something tells me the combination of the broken slug I repaired and
>>> getting
>>> Z221 properly connected (and a fresh alignment) will make quite a
>>> difference for this radio.
>>> 
>>> Thanks,
> >> Barry - N4BUQ