[R-390] Damaged Pins on Z221 and Z214

[Barry]

After cleaning the silver oxide from the spring-finger and the post, I was able to solder it back in place.  It works just fine now.

I tried to solder the one finger that had broken off of the other pin on Z214 but it just didn't want to stay soldered.  There isn't very much surface to do that and I decided that three fingers were good enough.

I was finally able to get all the parts back together on the RF deck and ready to reinstall it and then give it an alignment.

Thanks again,
Barry - N4BUQ

> 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
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