New to me FT-101B
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Tom,
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Nowhere do I see where he sets the idle driver current to 50 ma initially. My hope is that passes muster first, then I can go through with the other adjustments. The steps in the manual won’t be a hard thing for me to do. And honestly, this rig can stand the actual run through of some of those procedures based on my inspection and swap of components that are slightly different in value than their original components.?
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Regards,?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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Today was a big day for the radio and I.?
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I can NOW adjust to 50 milliamps idle driver current. THIS IS HUGE for me!?
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And the radio will tune up on 80 (hot) 40, 20, 15, and 10A.?
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The power out seems to not be all that linear across the spectrum. I don't have exact PO levels but they were a bit over the place. I am surmising that tuning will make the difference here. ?I will need to wait for a couple crystals and my RF Signal Generator (Pony Express Ponies are slow walkers apparently.). It should now be here by the end of the week.
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Once again, when that gets here the alignment will be made and hopefully that will bring the power levels more in line with each other.?
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I'M STOKED! ? ?I could put this on the air right now... Not gonna, but I could! ? ?ping.....ping.....ping....... happy dance.?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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Dave,
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Everything that I have posted in this thread is how I finally got to this point. I believe the biggest thing was that I had some bad cap components that were changed out.?
During my initial inspection of each card and several components within the rig, I found some additional capacitors that had split. Those were identified and replaced along with all the electrolytic capacitors.?
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Capacitors on PB-1314A that control the Bias adjust were changed. Very good chance the originals were bad. All the capacitors in this radio were born before January 1975. So, replacing them was the best way to go for me.?
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If you look at the schematic on 1314A pin 4. That is the -20 VDC control voltage for the driver tube bias and the adjustment circuitry associated with it. There are a couple of electrolytic caps as well as a number of mylar caps that I ended up replacing as they were split. Reasonably sure that was where the driver bias adjust. problem I had ended up getting fixed.
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Now as I listen to the rig, I am ~2.5 k off (down) in frequency. So, an alignment is most definitely the next thing on my list to accomplish.?
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And that is gonna happen after I do the tube neutralization steps.?
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Regards,?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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I performed the rx and tx alignment by watching The Radio Shop video #142 on YouTube.?
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I am now .5 KHz off, down from 2.5K off. !!!!?
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Man, this is fun.?
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Sorry if I am bugging anyone with my posts. But I want to capture as much as I have done.....somewhere in case someone else new starts down this road.?
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Regards,?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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On Fri, Feb 7, 2025 at 10:58 AM, Alistair GM4ENF wrote:
Any questions you may have, I will certainly reply.
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Best of luck....It has been fun. Slow and Steady has been my mantra. And lots of pictures.... ; - ) ?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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My turn for questions to the greater group as to what to do first.?
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I am pretty much at the last phase of my refurbishment of the FT-101B
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I have one issue to where the frequency on the rig and the actual frequency are off by a bit. I figure this will get remedied with the overall tuning up and alignment of the radio.?
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Thing is, what to do first, second, next, last.?
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Should I neutralize the tubes first or get the voltages right first then do the neutralization? (I have done it once with new tubes already, should I do it again?)
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Are there preliminary steps (ref section 7 of the Service Manual) to do prior to the TX Mixer / Driver and RX Front end stages??
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I'm happy to hear inputs from the community as to your approaches here.?
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I am in the home stretch and am ready to get this sweet lady back on the air.?
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Regards,?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
开云体育Hey – that’s pretty cool!? I have a colleague that had the original FT-101E manual, the schematics, the sheet with the authorized service centers AND- - - da da ta!? A manual for the freq counter.? Not that I have that acceory, but I will go to FedEx office and get a high-rez scan.?? Whether or not the group wants me to share that or not. ? ? |
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Well,?
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So close and now not so close. I was checking voltages on PB-1315A and heard a POP. 2 caps C11 and C12 blew. I replaced them and they blew again.
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Now I am in a fallback position as I can go no further in my testing until I figure out what blew C11 and 12. Thankfully, I did not have the heater switch on. At least I hope that is a good thing.
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Anyone experience this condition, I am happy to hear your results. So far, maybe T12 is bad..dunno yet. Gonna let the rig set for a bit before I dig back in. ?I’m bummed as I was so very close in getting this rig back on the air..
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Bummed in Nevada…..
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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I just added some additional schematics to the file section.?
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I have the FT-101B schematic blown up to 54x18 and I got a copy laminated. Now I can mark all over it and wipe it away when I am done signal tracing.?
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I got three other schematics enlarged as well and added them too.?
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Enjoy,?
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Butch - KA?WWT |
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I have run out of ideas at this point as to where the problem lies with the 101B. I'm at a point to where I need someone a whole lot smarter than I to resurrect this old lady.?
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I have reached out to FT101repair.com but have not heard back from the gentleman and am wondering if he still repairs 101's.?
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Soooooo, If anyone can recommend a person that does repair them, I would be grateful for their contact information. I so very much want to get this radio back on the air.?
I was so close a week ago and now much further from the end than the beginning.? Regards,? --
Butch - KA?WWT |
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Dave,
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Lee had me check the diodes on the rectifier board (PB-1076B). Both D6&7 were cracked. They control the 13.5vdc circuit. So, replacements have been ordered. Hopefully this will fix the problem and this rig can be back up and running again very soon. ?I checked all the other diodes on the board and they all checked out good.?
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Thank you again for Lee's contact information. He was/is very quick to reply and I greatly appreciated that!
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Regards,
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Butch - KA?WWT |
Butchie_T - KA?WWT
Tom ai4th
Alistair GM4ENF
Chris (MRW) Johnston