Regardless, something is jacked up related to the meter circuit. The pointer should rest at zero when power is off. It should never go below zero in normal operation.
Look at the front of the radio. You will see two buttons marked FIXED, one RCV and the other XMIT. These are for use with the fixed frequency crystal option provided by the AUX-7 accessory board. You will probably never use them and they should be normally out. If you push one in the PLL will unlock for either receive or transmit, depending on which one you push, because there is no fixed crystal installed for the PLL to lock to. If one of the switches goes intermittent because of non-use it would have the same effect. The usual fix is to exercise the switches until they work again. It is easy to see PLL unlock. The frequency display will track the VCO as it free runs and you will see it drift until it settles somewhere that you don't expect it to be. This is in fact a service check in the alignment section to ensure the VCO is aligned about where it should be. See the first paragraph of section 3-7 of the Alignment Procedure.
73
-Jim
NU0C
On Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:03:31 -0800
"Bill NZ0T" <nz0tham@...> wrote:
Thanks Jim,
Just to be sure the meter is going full scale left on transmit as in below zero.? My dummy load is a Heathkit HM-2103 old but in great shape.? It is a wattmeter with a big dry dummy load.? But I use an LP-100A for a wattmeter which is very accurate and the old Heath as a dummy load tho the wattmeter in it is usually close to the LP-100A.? I hadn't thought of PLL unlock as I figured that would cause RX to go to and it hasn't.? What is a FIXED switch.
73, Bill NZ0T
--
73
-Jim
NU0C
Jim Shorney