Racal RA-17: Help needed! - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Sean Williams · 13th Jul 2006, 10:44 pm

No trickery really - I just set the TB on the scope to a suitable speed so I end up with no more than 2 complete "humps" - then just fiddle with the triggering so that I get a stable trace, then adjust the IFTs one at a time

As I say, very crude, but it seems to work - When I do my B40 I will try to photograph the results and setup to try to help others have a go.

Cheers
Sean

XTC · 13th Jul 2006, 10:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

Would a television style wobbulator be good enough for sweeping around 40MHz? Definitely cheap and cheerful compared to decent professional sweepers but ample sweep frequency range.

I don't know. I've never taken any interest in TV. However, it's a worth a thought and I'll investigate it.

The problem with this sort of gear is that it's alright forking out £300 for something you're going to use, but for a job like aligning a comms receiver which probably needs doing when you buy it, then every ten years, it's a lot of money to sit on the shelf for most of us.

However, when I bought the 8640A I thought it was an incredible extravagance, but it's so stable and pleasant to use anything else is just horrible. It was a couple of hundred.

As you need a sweep generator to align the IFs of any serious comms receiver, AR88s , Eddystones on upwards, I might just bite the bullet and get a proper one.

Pete.

Skywave · 14th Jul 2006, 1:24 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by XTC

As you need a sweep generator to align the IFs of any serious comms receiver, AR88s , Eddystones on upwards, I might just bite the bullet and get a proper one.
Pete.

Quite: me too! And of course, if you have an interest in things Amateur - like ssb generators, et al - then it's a must!

Al / G8DLH

Skywave · 15th Jul 2006, 12:19 pm

Re: fixing my Racal RA-17.

I am pleased to report that my RA-17 is now OK

Thanks to everyone who made constructive input.

The drift of this Post is now completely OT.
Therefore, may I suggest it is closed now and the "how to fix" bits are safely stored in Archive ?
The sub-topic of sweeping SGs could be developed further: obviously in a new Thread.

BTW I am NOT trying to do an Administrator's job here!

I am simply trying to contribute, since I started this Thread.

Rgds.

Al / G8DLH

13th Jul 2006, 10:44 pm	#21
Sean Williams Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW Posts: 3,517	Re: Racal RA-17: Help needed! No trickery really - I just set the TB on the scope to a suitable speed so I end up with no more than 2 complete "humps" - then just fiddle with the triggering so that I get a stable trace, then adjust the IFTs one at a time As I say, very crude, but it seems to work - When I do my B40 I will try to photograph the results and setup to try to help others have a go. Cheers Sean __________________ Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished

15th Jul 2006, 12:19 pm	#24
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: Racal RA-17: Help needed! Re: fixing my Racal RA-17. I am pleased to report that my RA-17 is now OK Thanks to everyone who made constructive input. The drift of this Post is now completely OT. Therefore, may I suggest it is closed now and the "how to fix" bits are safely stored in Archive ? The sub-topic of sweeping SGs could be developed further: obviously in a new Thread. BTW I am NOT trying to do an Administrator's job here! I am simply trying to contribute, since I started this Thread. Rgds. Al / G8DLH