From: "Al Parker" 
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] New TR-7A - SOS


Hi Rocco,
    Don't despair so quickly.  I'm not an expert on them, but have had a
TR-7 & still hv a TR-7A, and have seen similar problems.  The -7's are even
more susceptible than the tube Drakes to contact problems in switches & also
have the ckt board plug-in pins .  You may have a bandswitch contact
problem, or board pins.  The Display board is particularly suspect, try
wiggling it in & out a bit, particularly at the rear corner.  I bought a set
of extender boards from Bob abt 2 yrs ago, I think I've only used the one
that allows operating with the display board removed.  If moving the display
board doesn't help, you might try removing & reseating each of the boards,
using DeOxit on teh pins, and DeOxit on the bandswitch.
    These radios don't need periodic alignment, the best advice I've heard
is that if it's working, leave it alone.  Your problem sounds more
mechanical than alingment related.  There are a few voltage adjustments that
can easily get screwed up, particularly when removing the display board or
changing dial lites - the pots at the right front.  Don't brush them while
you're in there.
    There's some good info on TR-7s in DrakeMods (download free from Thom's
fine website), and also in John Loughmiller's great book.
    Maybe somebody else can chime in with more specifics, my mind needs to
be refreshed often to retain stuff.  I"ll get the books out if you need more
help.
73,
Al, W8UT
New Bern, NC
BoatAnchors appreciated here
http://www.thecompendium.net/radio/
http://www.hammarlund.info


----- Original Message -----
From: "Rocco Lardiere" 
To: 
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: [Drakelist] New TR-7A - SOS


Gents,

I received a TR-7A yesterday and have been exercising it to see if there are
any problems - and I found one.  This is my first TR-7, and I am not
familiar with them, although I have a bunch of older Drakes.

When the unit it cold, the VCO locks ok on all bands except 20 and 10.  When
switched to those, the counter/VCO sweep up slowly from approx 13/30 MHz;
the VCO itself is sweeping, and I can hear it passing through stations.
After a few minutes of warmup, switching to 20 and 10 results in the VCO
sweeping up within a fraction of a second to the correct frequency, and
operation is otherwise normal.  This would suggest that some adjustment is
just barely marginal and drifts a bit with temperature.

I note that the high bands use a separate VCO range.

Before I tear into this radio, which is otherwise pretty nice, has anyone
encountered something like this before?  I see in the service manual that an
extender board is required to align L502 (high VCO) per Section 3-7.  Anyone
have a source for the extender boards?  Or is this likely to be the problem?

Any thoughts/hints much appreciated. This is a beautiful radio, and I want
it to operate up to spec's.

73,

Rocco Lardiere N6KN




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