Darryl, I cannot say with any real certainty but I ran into a similar situation. I used just a tiny amount as I have for years but the Drake TR4C did not react kindly. Now a bit on your main problem; I also have trouble on 40M but I am certain it is the contacts for 40M on the band switches. I cleaned all the contacts with alcohol and it worked ok for a while but then back to same ole same ole. I am convinced that this is not uncommon for the Drakes. Those bandswitch contacts seem to be a recurring problem but the cure is worse than the status quo. Forget about removing the switch wafers for ANY reason. I, like most true hams, never give up and never will. One way or another I will fix it before I go to the great shack in the sky.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 73, Dick KF4NS St Petersburg, FL 33714 USA Keep The Glow! ----- Original Message ----- | | Message: 3 | Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:44:53 -0500 | From: kb8bku <[email protected]> | To: [email protected], [email protected] | Subject: [Drakelist] problem with deoxit | Message-ID: <[email protected]> | Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii | | Dale, | | I had a somewhat similar experience. I hadn't written, as I was reluctant to badmouth the De-oxit, as that seems to be the cleaner/lubricant of choice with the Drake crowd. I just figured it must be something else, and it probably is. I got some of the tiny pink $3 tubes (D-100L) at hamvention to see what all the crowing was about. My R-4A would cut-out on 40 intermitantly, but rocking the bandswitch would restore operation. It had been ~5 years since I had cleaned and lubed it with Blue Shower cleaner and lubed with Blue Stuff for tuners. I very carefully cleaned the bandswitch with Q-tips and alcohol, then lubed very sparing with De-Oxit on a Q-tip. I was very careful to avoid leaving cotton fibers in the switch mechanism. When I powered up the next day I had lost sensitivity according to the S-meter (signals from antenna as well as calibrator were reduced from S9 or ten over 9 to S5-S7). I checked for lose tubes, etc., but found no cause. I rechecked the sensitivity | adjustment, but no soap. | | I had begun experiencing audio hum, so while I had the radio opened, I re-caped the three sections of the electrolytic can at the same time as I cleaned the bandswitch. The hum do go away, and I looked for any big DC changes (due to the re-cap) that might throw things off, but didn't see that. | | I have been unable to conclude that I have AGC problems, which is what I might first expect. One good thing, my 40mtr xtal osc. circuit works better than ever. It has always been iffy, and I usually used the FS-4 when I was on 40 for that reason. | | I will let you know if I figure anything out. Suggestions welcome, although I realize this isn't much to go on. My first second, and third assumptions were that I disturbed something to cause my problem. This is my first experience with De-Oxit. I am quite experienced with these types of radio repair. I've tried to imagine what I disturbed and check that, but to no avail so far. | | Working at a relaxed pace, | | KB8BKU, Darryl in Dayton | _______________________________________________ Drakelist mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.zerobeat.net/mailman/listinfo/drakelist
