FTDX 401 transceiver restoration
project.
project.
This radio needs to be cleaned up. Quite a bit of residue on
the circuit boards. The tube sockets look a bit oxidized. I
have just started on this project.
This radio is mostly all tubes. I will be testing all of them.
There are two sweep tubes in the final compartment. They
are 6KD6s I believe. They can put out 200 watts of RF.
That was one of the selling points of this radio back in the
seventies. It was about double the power of most radios.
At first I thought the finals were no good. The transmitter
would not put out a signal. I got a borrowed a better tube
tester from a fellow here in Elliot Lake and these final sweep
tubes seem to be OK.
the circuit boards. The tube sockets look a bit oxidized. I
have just started on this project.
This radio is mostly all tubes. I will be testing all of them.
There are two sweep tubes in the final compartment. They
are 6KD6s I believe. They can put out 200 watts of RF.
That was one of the selling points of this radio back in the
seventies. It was about double the power of most radios.
At first I thought the finals were no good. The transmitter
would not put out a signal. I got a borrowed a better tube
tester from a fellow here in Elliot Lake and these final sweep
tubes seem to be OK.
LINK Back to my main home page of earlandrews.com (VE3AB home page) click here
| Contact cleaner and Cleaning the wafer switches. |
Dirty oxidized contacts need to be cleaned. RECENTLY ..my tube tester stopped working. Actually the GAS/Short indicator lamp stayed on all the time. I took
the tube tester cover off and behold..the contacts on the switches were real dirty. I cleaned it up with contact cleaner and it worked once again.
You want to use as little as possible and still get the job done. You dont want to spray and have overspray and have dirty residues being spread around
either. I did some contacts with a q tip and a bit of spray on it. Because some of the contacts are in such cramped conditions..I will have to spray the
switch..BUT..I plan to catch the residue dripping off with small wadded up paper towel and I also plan to do an alcohol rinse (with pure alcohol). I have read
where the contact cleaner will deteriorate plastics and other materials. It is therefore best to rinse it off if possible. I will be rotating the switch when wet
with the cleaners in order to clean off the oxides. You can see a dirty q tip in one of my pictures. This is just after a wee bit of cleaning of the metal parts of
the rotary switch. These switches seem to be moderately dirty. (This ftdx401 is fairly old now). It was given to me. I dont know its history but I do see some
oxide that has formed on the inner chassis. The rig might have been stored in a garage or basement. I suspect the tube sockets need cleaning as well. I do
see some traces of oxide. I have sprayed a wee bit of contact cleaner on the fine end of a wooden tooth pick and have worked it gently in some of the tube
sockets to see if that might do the trick. I have also gently swabbed the tube pins with a bit of cleaner and a q tip as well.
the tube tester cover off and behold..the contacts on the switches were real dirty. I cleaned it up with contact cleaner and it worked once again.
You want to use as little as possible and still get the job done. You dont want to spray and have overspray and have dirty residues being spread around
either. I did some contacts with a q tip and a bit of spray on it. Because some of the contacts are in such cramped conditions..I will have to spray the
switch..BUT..I plan to catch the residue dripping off with small wadded up paper towel and I also plan to do an alcohol rinse (with pure alcohol). I have read
where the contact cleaner will deteriorate plastics and other materials. It is therefore best to rinse it off if possible. I will be rotating the switch when wet
with the cleaners in order to clean off the oxides. You can see a dirty q tip in one of my pictures. This is just after a wee bit of cleaning of the metal parts of
the rotary switch. These switches seem to be moderately dirty. (This ftdx401 is fairly old now). It was given to me. I dont know its history but I do see some
oxide that has formed on the inner chassis. The rig might have been stored in a garage or basement. I suspect the tube sockets need cleaning as well. I do
see some traces of oxide. I have sprayed a wee bit of contact cleaner on the fine end of a wooden tooth pick and have worked it gently in some of the tube
sockets to see if that might do the trick. I have also gently swabbed the tube pins with a bit of cleaner and a q tip as well.
Its spring 2009 and I'm spending alot less time indoors..but every once and
awhile I do go down to the shack and putter. Here is a project that is currently
on my work bench.
awhile I do go down to the shack and putter. Here is a project that is currently
on my work bench.
23 June 2009. I made room for the radio at my main operating post in my shack. It had been transmitting and receiving OK into a dummy load on
the bench. At first..the rig was being stubborn and did not want to go into transmit mode. I went under the top of the rig and tightened the tubes
into their sockets and flicked some of the wafer switches and the rig did start going into transmit! I guess there still might be some connections
that need cleaning..BUT ..the rig was working and I was getting fine audio reports. I was on 75 meter SSB using the FTDX401, a high impedance
hand mic that I used previously with my Argonaut 509/515 and for an antenna I was using my rebuilt BUTTERNUT HF2V.
I was comparing signal reports on nets with another Elliot Lake amateur who had an inverted V on his tower. I was about on par with Dave
VE3SUT's station reports on 75 locally around Ontario (say 500 mile radius)..so both the rig and the antenna are working well.
I actually enjoy using the FTDX401 because back in 1973, I had bought a similar style radio (the Yaesu FRDX101 receiver). It was my main receiver
for CW operating. I only had CW privlidges on HF. The transmitter I used was an old Collins 32V2 boatanchor.
I actually enjoy using these old rigs more than the newer modern solid state rigs. I guess I'm being old fashioned but it is Amateur Radio afterall
and we don't have to be "state of the art" necessarily.
the bench. At first..the rig was being stubborn and did not want to go into transmit mode. I went under the top of the rig and tightened the tubes
into their sockets and flicked some of the wafer switches and the rig did start going into transmit! I guess there still might be some connections
that need cleaning..BUT ..the rig was working and I was getting fine audio reports. I was on 75 meter SSB using the FTDX401, a high impedance
hand mic that I used previously with my Argonaut 509/515 and for an antenna I was using my rebuilt BUTTERNUT HF2V.
I was comparing signal reports on nets with another Elliot Lake amateur who had an inverted V on his tower. I was about on par with Dave
VE3SUT's station reports on 75 locally around Ontario (say 500 mile radius)..so both the rig and the antenna are working well.
I actually enjoy using the FTDX401 because back in 1973, I had bought a similar style radio (the Yaesu FRDX101 receiver). It was my main receiver
for CW operating. I only had CW privlidges on HF. The transmitter I used was an old Collins 32V2 boatanchor.
I actually enjoy using these old rigs more than the newer modern solid state rigs. I guess I'm being old fashioned but it is Amateur Radio afterall
and we don't have to be "state of the art" necessarily.
When I used the electrical contact
cleaner spray, I would lay down or
stuff pieces of paper towel around
the spray areas to absorb
over-spray.
Q tips were used to scrub areas on
wafer switches and circuit boards
that needed cleaning.
Sometimes I would just spray the
whole switch and then flick it
through its settings then spray it
again.
cleaner spray, I would lay down or
stuff pieces of paper towel around
the spray areas to absorb
over-spray.
Q tips were used to scrub areas on
wafer switches and circuit boards
that needed cleaning.
Sometimes I would just spray the
whole switch and then flick it
through its settings then spray it
again.
I am not a qro operator BUT the
FTDX 401 does put out close to 200
watts and I hope to use it to work
some SSB dx on 75 and 40 this
winter.
The other rig is an FT301d and the
FT 221 with a Ten Tec transverter
which goes from 2 mtrs to 6 mtrs.
Older solid state stuff and tube
radios from the 60s and 70s.
This is what I work on.
Recently, I bought a Ten Tec Argo
556 which is almost the same as
the Ten Tec Scout.
You might say I am definitely not
state of the art..BUT HEY! Someone
has to use this old stuff..otherwise
it would be worthless!!!
FTDX 401 does put out close to 200
watts and I hope to use it to work
some SSB dx on 75 and 40 this
winter.
The other rig is an FT301d and the
FT 221 with a Ten Tec transverter
which goes from 2 mtrs to 6 mtrs.
Older solid state stuff and tube
radios from the 60s and 70s.
This is what I work on.
Recently, I bought a Ten Tec Argo
556 which is almost the same as
the Ten Tec Scout.
You might say I am definitely not
state of the art..BUT HEY! Someone
has to use this old stuff..otherwise
it would be worthless!!!
First order of business: clean the thing up. Also clean the
connections and contacts.
connections and contacts.
I have been using the FTDX401 almost daily now. I am going to save it for when I'm working
DX and want a little bit extra power.
Most of the time I operate 100watts, but with CW, I like the qrp contests. Trying to dig those
wee peanut whistles out of all the qrm is an interesting challenge. A qrp cw contest such
as the QRPARCI contests can be very enjoyable.
DX and want a little bit extra power.
Most of the time I operate 100watts, but with CW, I like the qrp contests. Trying to dig those
wee peanut whistles out of all the qrm is an interesting challenge. A qrp cw contest such
as the QRPARCI contests can be very enjoyable.