radio receiver "alignment"
 

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:29:26 GMT, (John Crighton)
wrote:

I am the type that likes to use test equipment as laid
down by the alignment instructions in the book. My
workmate always achieved better results than me.
He would say to me "Can't you hear that the tone
just doesn't sound right?" I couldn't hear what
he was on about. So we used to have a good laugh
about my bench having signal generators to cover
455KHz, 10.7 Mhz and the desired UHF channel.
Oscilloscope, noise and distortion meter,
frequency meter and dummy load/power meter,
modulation meter. If there was a spectrum analyser
available I would have a play with that too.
I just liked playing with the gear. My work mate got
far more two-way radios fixed and out the door than
I ever did. He was good. He had the ear for it and
magic hands.

Hi John,

Some people just seem to have an almost supernatural ability to do
this with virtually no technical knowledge. I can't begin to tell you
the extraordinary feats I've seen done IRO radio mods and tweaks by
people who shouldn't, by any reasonable measure, have had an earthly
clue about what they were doing!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:29:26 GMT, (John Crighton)
wrote:

I am the type that likes to use test equipment as laid
down by the alignment instructions in the book. My
workmate always achieved better results than me.
He would say to me "Can't you hear that the tone
just doesn't sound right?" I couldn't hear what
he was on about. So we used to have a good laugh
about my bench having signal generators to cover
455KHz, 10.7 Mhz and the desired UHF channel.
Oscilloscope, noise and distortion meter,
frequency meter and dummy load/power meter,
modulation meter. If there was a spectrum analyser
available I would have a play with that too.
I just liked playing with the gear. My work mate got
far more two-way radios fixed and out the door than
I ever did. He was good. He had the ear for it and
magic hands.

Hi John,

Some people just seem to have an almost supernatural ability to do
this with virtually no technical knowledge. I can't begin to tell you
the extraordinary feats I've seen done IRO radio mods and tweaks by
people who shouldn't, by any reasonable measure, have had an earthly
clue about what they were doing!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:29:26 GMT, (John Crighton)
wrote:

I am the type that likes to use test equipment as laid
down by the alignment instructions in the book. My
workmate always achieved better results than me.
He would say to me "Can't you hear that the tone
just doesn't sound right?" I couldn't hear what
he was on about. So we used to have a good laugh
about my bench having signal generators to cover
455KHz, 10.7 Mhz and the desired UHF channel.
Oscilloscope, noise and distortion meter,
frequency meter and dummy load/power meter,
modulation meter. If there was a spectrum analyser
available I would have a play with that too.
I just liked playing with the gear. My work mate got
far more two-way radios fixed and out the door than
I ever did. He was good. He had the ear for it and
magic hands.

Hi John,

Some people just seem to have an almost supernatural ability to do
this with virtually no technical knowledge. I can't begin to tell you
the extraordinary feats I've seen done IRO radio mods and tweaks by
people who shouldn't, by any reasonable measure, have had an earthly
clue about what they were doing!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:29:26 GMT, (John Crighton)
wrote:

I am the type that likes to use test equipment as laid
down by the alignment instructions in the book. My
workmate always achieved better results than me.
He would say to me "Can't you hear that the tone
just doesn't sound right?" I couldn't hear what
he was on about. So we used to have a good laugh
about my bench having signal generators to cover
455KHz, 10.7 Mhz and the desired UHF channel.
Oscilloscope, noise and distortion meter,
frequency meter and dummy load/power meter,
modulation meter. If there was a spectrum analyser
available I would have a play with that too.
I just liked playing with the gear. My work mate got
far more two-way radios fixed and out the door than
I ever did. He was good. He had the ear for it and
magic hands.

Hi John,

Some people just seem to have an almost supernatural ability to do
this with virtually no technical knowledge. I can't begin to tell you
the extraordinary feats I've seen done IRO radio mods and tweaks by
people who shouldn't, by any reasonable measure, have had an earthly
clue about what they were doing!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art





On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art





On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Sounds almost like a "Leave it to Beaver" episode! I love it. Lou

"art" wrote in message
...
That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art





On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

Sounds almost like a "Leave it to Beaver" episode! I love it. Lou

"art" wrote in message
...
That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art





On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:25:14 GMT, John Hall
wrote:

I remember years ago my dad's friend had been fiddling with his radio
because it didn't work right, he "found some screws loose in those
little cans, so tightened them all down". Strangely, that didn't
improve things.

:-)
It's the first thing a lot of folks seem to do when they get the back
off a radio, isn't it?

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:07:59 -0500, Lou wrote:

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.
--
Best Regards,
Mike

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:07:59 -0500, Lou wrote:

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.
--
Best Regards,
Mike

Or it could be the aftershave you used !

art

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.
--
Best Regards,
Mike

Or it could be the aftershave you used !

art

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.
--
Best Regards,
Mike

Before the walkie talkie disassemble, when I was about four I
found his tape measure. I could not figure it out how it worked,

so I took it apart by removing the four phillips screws that held the
case together. big mistake !

I was lucky and I almost poked my eye out when the spring
released from the case and hit me in the face!

No way could I put it all back in the case so I just shoved all
of it inside the toolbox and replaced the lock (easy to open with a bobby pin).

About a week later when he opened up that toolbox is when I got my butt whipped
!

So I guess the om cut me little slack with the walkie talikes.

art


Paul wrote:

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

Before the walkie talkie disassemble, when I was about four I
found his tape measure. I could not figure it out how it worked,

so I took it apart by removing the four phillips screws that held the
case together. big mistake !

I was lucky and I almost poked my eye out when the spring
released from the case and hit me in the face!

No way could I put it all back in the case so I just shoved all
of it inside the toolbox and replaced the lock (easy to open with a bobby pin).

About a week later when he opened up that toolbox is when I got my butt whipped
!

So I guess the om cut me little slack with the walkie talikes.

art


Paul wrote:

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

In article , Active8
writes
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:07:59 -0500, Lou wrote:

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.

Draw a parallel with the medical profession.
They dont design the product just repair it.
How many have a natural diagnostic ability or a good technician.

--
ddwyer

In article , Active8
writes
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:07:59 -0500, Lou wrote:

"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:13:35 -0500, "Lou"
wrote:

I have a bench full of equipment and use it only to get me out of the
dark,
if no signal at all. Once I get past that, I use my own ears. I get far
better audio.
Instruments just don't cut it for "listening" audio. Lou

A aging G3 friend of mine would agree with you here. He seldom resorts
to anything more than a DVM and a capacitance bridge to carry out
quite difficult repairs. I, OTOH, am totally stuffed without a full
schematic, my 'scope, signal generator, frequency counter, spectrum
analyser and just about anything else you can think of. I once knew a
totally blind guy from Hastings who repaired radios without *any* test
equipment or schematics, seemingly by 'feeling his way around' the
circuit board and listening for appropriate responses. No way I could
ever do that: incredible. And I've met many others who have similar
abilities, too, over the years.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

The blind do have a good sense about them. They have to! It is really
amazing what they can do. Lou

Reminds me of the blind guy who'd say to me, "Good morning, Mike,"
just from the sound of my footsteps.

Draw a parallel with the medical profession.
They dont design the product just repair it.
How many have a natural diagnostic ability or a good technician.

--
ddwyer

He could have figured the walkie talkies were your loss, since you now
couldn't use them. But to play with his tools, now that was personal. Lou

"art" wrote in message
...
Before the walkie talkie disassemble, when I was about four I
found his tape measure. I could not figure it out how it worked,

so I took it apart by removing the four phillips screws that held the
case together. big mistake !

I was lucky and I almost poked my eye out when the spring
released from the case and hit me in the face!

No way could I put it all back in the case so I just shoved all
of it inside the toolbox and replaced the lock (easy to open with a bobby
pin).

About a week later when he opened up that toolbox is when I got my butt
whipped
!

So I guess the om cut me little slack with the walkie talikes.

art


Paul wrote:

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for
people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

He could have figured the walkie talkies were your loss, since you now
couldn't use them. But to play with his tools, now that was personal. Lou

"art" wrote in message
...
Before the walkie talkie disassemble, when I was about four I
found his tape measure. I could not figure it out how it worked,

so I took it apart by removing the four phillips screws that held the
case together. big mistake !

I was lucky and I almost poked my eye out when the spring
released from the case and hit me in the face!

No way could I put it all back in the case so I just shoved all
of it inside the toolbox and replaced the lock (easy to open with a bobby
pin).

About a week later when he opened up that toolbox is when I got my butt
whipped
!

So I guess the om cut me little slack with the walkie talikes.

art


Paul wrote:

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for
people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

Personally, I'd have been a little miffed to say the least, but it's
great for you that you had a relationship like that with your father.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

art wrote:
That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art


So you turned it into a Heathkit!
Did you every try to put it back together?

I used to find old AA5's in the trash and gut them for the parts.
I later built a brand new one using the best of the parts from
the dead ones. So I guess that was my 'Frankenstein' radio.
The chassis was a frame from an old radio that had held a pc
board. I just slipped a piece of galvanized steel where the pc
card had been and then drilled and punched it out for my chassis.
It was actually a very good radio, and doubled as an amplifier for
a photograph turntable (also found in the trash).

art wrote:
That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art


So you turned it into a Heathkit!
Did you every try to put it back together?

I used to find old AA5's in the trash and gut them for the parts.
I later built a brand new one using the best of the parts from
the dead ones. So I guess that was my 'Frankenstein' radio.
The chassis was a frame from an old radio that had held a pc
board. I just slipped a piece of galvanized steel where the pc
card had been and then drilled and punched it out for my chassis.
It was actually a very good radio, and doubled as an amplifier for
a photograph turntable (also found in the trash).

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art

Too crude. I've been into radio and electronics since I was about 15
years old. Back then, my main source and supply were the WWII surplus
electronics stores and the garbage bin at the local radio/TV repair
shops. Fishing tubes out of the trash and retesting them in the tube
tester was my main source of tubes. Henry Radio's dumpster supplies
much of collection of RF related items.

Circuit boards were often found with the parts I needed, but
unsoldering was tedious. Eventually, I hit upon the proper method. I
clamped one edge of a circuit board into the bench vice on my fathers
workbench, heated the solder side with a propane torch, pulled back on
the board to apply tension, and released the board when the solder
sorta melted. Parts, pieces, and solder would spray all over the
place. I could empty a board full of IC's in about three tries.

The problem was that I wasn't very careful about where the solder
"spray" went. When my father arrived to use his workbench, there were
components and solder blobs imbedded in just about everything. We
spent all day cleaning up my mess. I was later informed that I could
have burned the garage down (but I doubt it). I also wasn't into
wearing safety glasses and was lucky not to have blinded myself. At
the time, extracting parts for projects was deemed more important than
simple survival.

On orders from the high command, the propane torch became off limits,
and I was back to tediously removing components one at a time.

When I eventually went to college and later employment, I again used
the propane torch and springy circuit board method to extract
components en mass. I wore safety glasses and caught the parts in a
large cardboard box.

However, as components and boards became smaller, the method no longer
worked. Small thin boards just don't have the spring in them, and SMT
parts just don't have mass to be easily launched. Components on both
sides means that one side gets ruined in the process.


--
Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
(831)421-6491 pgr (831)336-2558 home
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 19:22:18 GMT, art
wrote:

That's nothing. I got a better story..

Dad bought a pair of walkie talkies back in 1964 when I was 5 yr old,
I found the soldering iron (always watched him fix the tv sets for people)

and removed every part on the pc board from one of the wt !

When he got home, I thought he would whip my butt but instead
he gave me a big pat on the head and was proud of my work !

art

Too crude. I've been into radio and electronics since I was about 15
years old. Back then, my main source and supply were the WWII surplus
electronics stores and the garbage bin at the local radio/TV repair
shops. Fishing tubes out of the trash and retesting them in the tube
tester was my main source of tubes. Henry Radio's dumpster supplies
much of collection of RF related items.

Circuit boards were often found with the parts I needed, but
unsoldering was tedious. Eventually, I hit upon the proper method. I
clamped one edge of a circuit board into the bench vice on my fathers
workbench, heated the solder side with a propane torch, pulled back on
the board to apply tension, and released the board when the solder
sorta melted. Parts, pieces, and solder would spray all over the
place. I could empty a board full of IC's in about three tries.

The problem was that I wasn't very careful about where the solder
"spray" went. When my father arrived to use his workbench, there were
components and solder blobs imbedded in just about everything. We
spent all day cleaning up my mess. I was later informed that I could
have burned the garage down (but I doubt it). I also wasn't into
wearing safety glasses and was lucky not to have blinded myself. At
the time, extracting parts for projects was deemed more important than
simple survival.

On orders from the high command, the propane torch became off limits,
and I was back to tediously removing components one at a time.

When I eventually went to college and later employment, I again used
the propane torch and springy circuit board method to extract
components en mass. I wore safety glasses and caught the parts in a
large cardboard box.

However, as components and boards became smaller, the method no longer
worked. Small thin boards just don't have the spring in them, and SMT
parts just don't have mass to be easily launched. Components on both
sides means that one side gets ruined in the process.


--
Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
(831)421-6491 pgr (831)336-2558 home
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

"Jeff Liebermann" wrote in message
...


....I've been into radio and electronics since I was about 15
years old. ....


Circuit boards were often found with the parts I needed, but
unsoldering was tedious.

... I
clamped one edge of a circuit board into the bench vice on my fathers
workbench, heated the solder side with a propane torch, pulled back on
the board to apply tension, and released the board when the solder
sorta melted. Parts, pieces, and solder would spray all over the
place. ...
Jeff Liebermann

Too Cool!

Torch and pliers with through-hole. Just pull off what you want.

When I was pre-teen I needed some wire. I found some...it was on the coil
of my dad's T/R relay...on the rig he had been using! I think it was a
common "telephone" relay, so not a really big deal to replace the coil, but
he had a fast break-in system using these relays and it probably was
carefully adjusted to sequence the contacts for Rx, Tx and antenna
switching. Don't remember the consequences. Maybe the concussion wiped
out that memory (just kidding).
--
Steve N, K,9;d, c. i My email has no u's.

"Jeff Liebermann" wrote in message
...


....I've been into radio and electronics since I was about 15
years old. ....


Circuit boards were often found with the parts I needed, but
unsoldering was tedious.

... I
clamped one edge of a circuit board into the bench vice on my fathers
workbench, heated the solder side with a propane torch, pulled back on
the board to apply tension, and released the board when the solder
sorta melted. Parts, pieces, and solder would spray all over the
place. ...
Jeff Liebermann

Too Cool!

Torch and pliers with through-hole. Just pull off what you want.

When I was pre-teen I needed some wire. I found some...it was on the coil
of my dad's T/R relay...on the rig he had been using! I think it was a
common "telephone" relay, so not a really big deal to replace the coil, but
he had a fast break-in system using these relays and it probably was
carefully adjusted to sequence the contacts for Rx, Tx and antenna
switching. Don't remember the consequences. Maybe the concussion wiped
out that memory (just kidding).
--
Steve N, K,9;d, c. i My email has no u's.