Patrick -

Yes, "spun aluminum inlays" for knosb are available from a number of amateur individuals for the Collins, Drake, National, Hallicrafters and various boatacnhor radios.  There are regular selelrs on eBay offering varius inlay sizes.

You can contact K3ICH and see if he can help.

Charlie Talbott
13192 Pinnacle Lane
Leesburg, VA 20176-6146.
Phone: 540-822-5643
Email: k3ich@arrl.net

Morris -

Crystals and electronic can age .. and then change in value.  The FT-840 featured a TXCO as an option.

In your case, MODS.DK has reports from W5ZIP of slight frequency drifting -- as the temperature of the FT-840 heat sink changes (as the fan kicks on and off).
http://www.mods.dk/view.php?ArticleId=2115

You might be tempted to adjust the trim pot.  DON'T .. without a calibrated frequency standard.
A service manual is invaluable for provding equipment needed and step by step instructions -- ifthat is required.

w9gb

.. and the 9[in external VFO plugs are still available from Kenwood, or purchase from Leeds in Brooklyn, NY

gb

John -

For this part of the hobby (baotanchor restoration), it takes "teamwork" and likeminded amateurs to get the "job done".  This has been sucessfuly perfomed by the Collins Collectors association for a number of unobtainium items (e.g. including new transformers and chokes to be wound).  

Some amateurs have taken their own money as "seed capital" for these intial investments .. but few have come out breakeven in these situations.

w9gb

Brad -

As an Icom 756Pro owner, you should familiarize yourself with the unofficial Icom page by Adam Farson, VA7OJ / AB4OJ. Good Icom information and insight from both sides of the Pacific.
http://www.qsl.net/ab4oj/icom/icom.html

Some of Adam's information cam from George T. Baker, W5YR(sk), "Yellow Rose" who unfortunately passed away in March 2005.

Matt Erickson also has a good web page with Icom and amplifier specific information.
http://www.qsl.net/kk5dr/

w9gb  
       

Mark -

MODS.DK

Articles on the Yaesu FT-301
http://www.mods.dk/view.php?ArticleId=1195

Yaesu Manuals on MODS.DK
FT-301 owner manual is listed.
http://www.mods.dk/view.php?ListManuals=yaesu

WB3CEZ sells a numebr of manuals (high qualtiy) on eBay.  FT-301 eBay Item number: 5843354851

W7FG manuals ($18)
http://www.w7fg.com/manuals.php?manufacturer=Yaesu&center=

BTW, Steven “Melt Solder” Weber, KD1JV has a digital dial .. maybe you can convince him to design a replacement kit for all of the FT-301AD radios out there !
:-)
http://www.qsl.net/kd1jv/Ddial.HTM

w9gb

Mark -

Regarding your Display issue (third one I have read on Internet this week):

The digital display on the FT-301D series is basically a frequency counter.  The 10MHz and 1MHz digits are fixed for each bandswitch position, set by a diode matrix in the Counter Mixer Unit.  The other digits are controlled by the frequency counter, and are driven by the VFO and an offset for the band (for the .1MHz digit).  The three leftmost digits use TIL 308, the three rightmost are TIL 306.

The FT-301AD display runs hot and often burn out segments. The cure is to reduce operating voltage which typically runs > 5 VDC.  
From the voltage regulator Q2 on the main chassis install a 1N4001 diode in series with the output of Q2 .. this will drop the supply voltage.  If the displays work OK with this reduction, they will run cooler.  Some owners have removed red plastic lens for better ventilation.
http://www.radiomods.co.nz/yaesu/yaesuft301.html

The integrated logical & display modules used for this radio TIL306 or TIL308 (Texas Instruments) are now obsolete (discontinued) - but parts are available - with some hunting.  

TIL306 Datasheet here:
http://download.siliconexpert.com/pdfs/quickdata/txn/slbs001.pdf

TIL308 Datasheet here: http://download.siliconexpert.com/pdfs/quickdata/txn/slbs002.pdf

Here is one to look at:
http://www.sierraic.com/stocklist36.htm

Search for the TIL305 tunred up parts here:
https://www.sierraic.com/pnresults.asp?navpart=TIL306

Fox Tango parts bin (Yaesu graveyard)
http://foxtango.org/radiograveyard.htm

John -

When you measure the filament (AC) voltage - also measure your local line voltage.  Tom didn't ask - but I will - what meter (e.g. brand, type) are you using for measure the AC voltages??

[I use my Fluke 87 - which is a true RMS multimeter]

Greg
w9gb

Rezky -

Norm's Rotor Servcie only works on US mfg rotators (e.g. Cornell-Dubilier, C.D.E., Telex, Hy-Gain and Alliance manufacturing companies).
http://www.rotorservice.com/

The KenPro rotators were purchased by Yaesu/Vertex Standard several years ago.  
You might wish tto contact WiMo (Germany) - who may have the schematic on file:
http://www.wimo.de/cgi-bin/verteiler.pl?url=rotyaesu_e.htm

KenPro/Yaesu G400 and KR500 manuals
http://www.g4dmf.co.uk/rotatorinfo/rotators.html

G400 schematic diagram
http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/MICRO/ROTATOR/KR-400%20Schematic.gif

PA0PLY G-1000 work
http://www.mods.dk/view.php?ArticleId=2230

MODS.DK artcile on KenPro/Yaesu repair
http://www.mods.dk/view.php?ArticleId=3115

 

Ed -

The HW-16 is a great transceiver for 40 meter CW.  
We had one in our high school club station that was used on 40 meter and 15 meter CW.  

Forget the 2 meter J-pole (20 higher in frequency -- and shorter in wavelengths).  
When you move to the HF bands -- the wavelengths are LONG (that is why its called 40 meters - in reference to the length of the radio wave produced).

A single dipole is VERY EASY to build for these 2 bands - 1/2 wave on 40 meters and a 3/2 wave on 15 meters.
Takes about 66 feet of stranded 14 AWG wire, 2 end insulators, a center insulator and coax to the HW-16).  Easily under 15 dollars in parts - almost free if you are a good scrounger.

w9gb

Doug DeMaw reviewed the Yaesu FT-102 when it was first introduced -- and stated it had the finest commercial receiver he had tested (in 1981).  The Yaesu designer for the FT-102 went on to design the Yaesu FT-1000 series.

It uses readily available 6146 RF (final) tubes and you just have to remember that it is a 25 year old radio - so you will have issues (e.g. just like anything that is over 25 years old .. automobiles, houses, marriages) .. you will have issues from time to time.  I view it like a 1957 Chevy ... that you don't drive for the daily commute (grind) but bring out every weekend for pleasure driving.

w9gb

Basic soldering guide
http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm

Sodlering tutorial - Tom, N0SS
http://www.elecraft.com/TechNotes/N0SS_SolderNotes/N0SS_SolderNotesV6.pdf

Elecraft has a numebr of good reosurce documents for the builder.

http://www.101science.com/radiopage2.htm#6.  SHOP PRACTICES

http://www.epemag.com/solderfaq/default.htm#howsol

John -

Very Good question! W9NUP restored a butchered Dentron a couple of years ago and he found no center tap for the filament transformer (a Dentron save a penny decision). He found that the filament voltage was too high.  He used the  same trick that Roy Norgard, KL7FM outlines in his Heathkit SB-200 Rebuild Notes (which also uses 572B tubes).
http://home.gci.net/~rnorgard/ampnotes.html

Here's what KL7FM did: The 572-B tubes recommended filament voltage is 6.3 VAC +/- .3 VAC. This means that the tubes should put out full rated power with 6.0 volts on the filaments.
When Bob measured his, they had 6.76 volts on the filaments. This was more than the maximum recommended voltage.

EIMAC did a study and found that for every 3% above the minimum filament voltage required for full output reduced tube life by HALF.
That could, in fact, be why I'm not getting as much power out of mine as yours. The heaters are getting weak. You probably don't have much time on your tubes. That's why you've got the extra power.

It's hard to find resistors to do the job. Each tube draws 4 amps filament current. That's 8 amps total. Each of the two coils of wire is about 30 inches long. They're made of 22 ga. Teflon wire. The resistive coils drop the extra voltage for me. I started with two 36 inch lengths and kept shortening them until I measured about 6.05 to 6.1 volts at the tube sockets. When I got the length right, I just coiled them up and hold them down in the corner with a stick-on and a ty-rap.

Now, how much wire to add?  
The wire I supplied will drop about 10 milli-volts per inch.
So, take the voltage reading you just got and subtract 6.00 from it.

Here is an example:
You read: 6.76 Subtract: 6.00 You get: 0.76
Divide this by 0.01: .76 / .01 = 76
You need 76" of wire. But, half goes in each leg, so that's two pieces 38" long.

So... for the above example, you need two coils of wire 38" long. The wire will heat slightly when in use, and in so doing will increase in resistance, dropping more voltage. To compensate for this, use about 8% (4") less wire. Use two pieces about 34" long. Of course, you will have to figure this out with the voltage reading YOU take.
==================================

Give your Dentron a longer life!

w9gb

DPT: The other popular one is Wen, but they won't work for this without a lot more work. On a Wen, the tips extend into the gun body. When you remove the tip, there is no metal exposed, so you would have to build some rods to go into the gun body.

Weller purchased Wen Electric (which was based here in Chicago) in late 1970s. I used the Wen 75 watt pistol iron (sold at Coast to Coast hardware stores) to assemble my first Heathkit code oscillator and HR-10B receiver.
The tips are no longer made by Weller – and are a bit scarce (from time to time they appear on eBay)

As you said, it was a nice design -- dropped mine on the basement floor a few too many times and I retired it around 1976 --  when I discovered the Weller TCP series (surplus from Collins plant in Cedar Rapids, IA). I have not looked back since -- have used a number of other mfg stations -- and I keep coming back to simplicity and reliability!

Greg
w9gb

Weller Electric started with the "Weller Gun" soldering iron.  The original wood prototype model was donated to the Smithsonian a few years ago.  The first soldering iron station, which offered true “temperature control” was the TCP series (acronym for “Temperature Controlled Pencil”) in the early 1950s.  Using a "Maginstat" switch and tips with a metal alloy in tip base changes its magnetic properties at a specific temperature.  (It helped that Weller started in Easton, PA and some of the best metallurgy knowledge at that time was just down the road in Bethlehem, PA (1950s - largest steel mill in world)

I have a wide selection of Weller TCP series units that I have restored.  These are easy to repair and used units are readily available from a number of sources.

Read the Product Reviews here on eHam.net .. look under Ham Workbench/Test Equipment.

w9gb