Doing It Yourself (repair and maint)

[KG4CGC]

So I asked a member here if he knew of any alignment videos already posted on the web and I went and looked on YouTube first.
[youtube:3kb9si76]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IaUEhz17o[/youtube:3kb9si76]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IaUEhz17o

Pretty old school, pretty simple.

I'd like to start a place here where we can share regular maint advice and anyone can add anything they have run into or just feel would be helpful. Video of the procedure is a plus.

[N8YX]

This stuff is Your Friend:

http://store.caig.com/core/media/media.nl?id=2139&c=ACCT113328&h=489a7c7b6e3436c485f1

A large number of "intermittent" problems (especially with older sets) can be traced to dirty potentiometers, switches and contacts.

As with Brylcream, "...a little dab'll do ya".

[N4VGB]

This stuff is Your Friend:

http://store.caig.com/core/media/media.nl?id=2139&c=ACCT113328&h=489a7c7b6e3436c485f1

A large number of "intermittent" problems (especially with older sets) can be traced to dirty potentiometers, switches and contacts.

As with Brylcream, "...a little dab'll do ya".

More like a tiny dab. A guy at the Dalton,GA 'fest was telling me about his Drake R-4C problems and what he'd already done to "restore" it.

So I ask him how red his 'glass wafer switch sections had turned after he "sprayed" them with Deoxit, he said pretty red. :roll:

[kf0rt]

I was always told to use a swab and stay away from the sprays.

http://store.caig.com/core/media/media.nl?id=1502&c=ACCT113328&h=cb07a233edb460d234f8

Tiny 7.4ml bottle - $17.95.

[N8YX]

The spray is for flushing potentiometers and the needle-based applicator is for switch contacts, edge connectors and the like.

That stuff has bailed me out of a LOT of problems.

[N4VGB]

DeoxIT is good stuff, if used properly.

Never let the stuff touch a 'glass switch wafer section at all, especially on the edges where the 'glass fibers will soak it in like a sponge. It will clean off a ceramic switch section with little problem.

Newbs generally cause themselves as many problems as they cure with DeoxIT.