Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Line whistle · 24th Oct 2010, 4:57 pm

Hi,
Due to a "noisy" tuner I cleaned the contacts on my Ferguson 606T. They appeared very dirty and responded well to a claen with meths. Upon reassembly and switching on the cleaning appeared to have worked but now I have a fault of a weak smeary picture and the contrast control has no effect. I have tried adjusting the local oscillator and fine tuner with no improvement. It is possible to lock the picture.
Any help gratefully received.
Thanks.
Des.

Heatercathodeshort · 24th Oct 2010, 5:13 pm

This is the old saga that never goes away. What have you done? I would suggest that you remove the tuner disc and make sure the spring contacts are all 'proud' enough to make contact with the studs. When you say 'smeary' do you mean low gain, grainy or just low contrast. If you have a weak signal due to a tuner fault the contrast control will have little if any effect. There are other possibilities but I don't think it will go that far. Check the I.F. output cable from the Fireball and make sure the inner wire is still connected....It fell off a few times when I used to service these many years ago.
It's a simple fact that it worked before you cleaned the tuner so you will have to examine everything you have touched or moved during this operation. It's a simple one but simple faults can be annoying to solve. Don't jump in the deep end, it will be an easy one. Good luck. John.

murphyv310 · 24th Oct 2010, 5:17 pm

If the set was OK prior to you cleaning the contacts, you may have disturbed something, recheck inside the tuner for broken wires. Did you touch the coils at all?
Meths though is not the best contact cleaner as there is no lubrication on the contacts after cleaning, a tiny amount of vaseline on the contacts should put things back to rights there though. Meths may take a while to dry out though and that will effect the tuning, it may be an idea to give the tuner a blast with a hairdryer.

Line whistle · 24th Oct 2010, 6:41 pm

Hi John and Trevor,
Thanks for your replies. I have had a quick look. I have no continuity from the PCF80 (mixer/osc) pentode anode pin 6 to the point where the i.f cable goes into the receiver deck nor at the tuner end of the cable. When I get more time I'll open up the tuner and have a look inside and apply a little vaseline.
Thank you,
Des.

Heatercathodeshort · 24th Oct 2010, 7:00 pm

The probable reason is that the thin wire from the I.F. output coil is O/C. It passes in a tiny length of plastic sleeving behind the PCF80 socket. It is difficult to see. It usually 'rots' inside the sleeve. Give it a very gentle tug with a probe and if it just pulls through you will have to extend it with 5amp fuse wire or similar, re thread it and solder it back onto pin 6. Failing that you may have dislodged the H.T. supply to the other end of the I.F. output coil but I doubt it. Repaired dozens! J.

Line whistle · 27th Oct 2010, 9:58 pm

Hi john,
It looks as if what your'e saying is right. Tonight I thought I would get a picture of the set working before further work. I did apply a little vaseline to the contacts. Contact F seemed not to be fixed down as well as the others at its base and feels looser and not as proud. It was making contact with V1b anode. Admittedly I didn't check if contact was good to the relevent coil.Upon first power up I forgot to connect the speaker to its' transformer. I had smoke coming from somewhere below the receiver deck and from I think R5 in the tuner. This resistor does look burnt. The transformer looks ok and felt cold.
Secondly I think I'll have to remove the tuner as there is no way I can see to repai it in situ,
Any views / ideas gratefully received.
REF: Trader sheet 1494 T202.
Thanks,
Des.

Line whistle · 3rd Jan 2011, 1:23 am

Hi,
Unfortunately I had to admit defeat on this one. I knew if I attempted to continue I would cause even more problems. It's not always easy to give in but I really struggle with fiddly jobs such as this.
A forum member very kindly did an excellent job in repairing this and the set is now working really well.
Cheers,
Des.

Heatercathodeshort · 3rd Jan 2011, 11:28 am

Hello Des,
I presume it was the thin wire from the I.F. output coil? If it was I know exactly what you mean. The first time I repaired one of these coils was around 1964 when I 16! I had 100% eyesight then and much thinner fingers to say nothing of a huge enthusiasm and a lot more patience! J.

Tazman1966 · 3rd Jan 2011, 11:44 am

Hi Des.

Glad it's tip-top now. Was John right?

Line whistle · 3rd Jan 2011, 3:39 pm

Yes.

murphyv310 · 3rd Jan 2011, 3:50 pm

He usually is

Heatercathodeshort · 3rd Jan 2011, 7:18 pm

Now you know what happens when you over inflate a balloon....J.

24th Oct 2010, 4:57 pm	#1
Line whistle Hexode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 341	Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hi, Due to a "noisy" tuner I cleaned the contacts on my Ferguson 606T. They appeared very dirty and responded well to a claen with meths. Upon reassembly and switching on the cleaning appeared to have worked but now I have a fault of a weak smeary picture and the contrast control has no effect. I have tried adjusting the local oscillator and fine tuner with no improvement. It is possible to lock the picture. Any help gratefully received. Thanks. Des. __________________ www.freewebs.com/405tv

24th Oct 2010, 5:13 pm	#2
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. This is the old saga that never goes away. What have you done? I would suggest that you remove the tuner disc and make sure the spring contacts are all 'proud' enough to make contact with the studs. When you say 'smeary' do you mean low gain, grainy or just low contrast. If you have a weak signal due to a tuner fault the contrast control will have little if any effect. There are other possibilities but I don't think it will go that far. Check the I.F. output cable from the Fireball and make sure the inner wire is still connected....It fell off a few times when I used to service these many years ago. It's a simple fact that it worked before you cleaned the tuner so you will have to examine everything you have touched or moved during this operation. It's a simple one but simple faults can be annoying to solve. Don't jump in the deep end, it will be an easy one. Good luck. John.

24th Oct 2010, 5:17 pm	#3
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. If the set was OK prior to you cleaning the contacts, you may have disturbed something, recheck inside the tuner for broken wires. Did you touch the coils at all? Meths though is not the best contact cleaner as there is no lubrication on the contacts after cleaning, a tiny amount of vaseline on the contacts should put things back to rights there though. Meths may take a while to dry out though and that will effect the tuning, it may be an idea to give the tuner a blast with a hairdryer. __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

24th Oct 2010, 6:41 pm	#4
Line whistle Hexode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 341	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hi John and Trevor, Thanks for your replies. I have had a quick look. I have no continuity from the PCF80 (mixer/osc) pentode anode pin 6 to the point where the i.f cable goes into the receiver deck nor at the tuner end of the cable. When I get more time I'll open up the tuner and have a look inside and apply a little vaseline. Thank you, Des. __________________ www.freewebs.com/405tv

24th Oct 2010, 7:00 pm	#5
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. The probable reason is that the thin wire from the I.F. output coil is O/C. It passes in a tiny length of plastic sleeving behind the PCF80 socket. It is difficult to see. It usually 'rots' inside the sleeve. Give it a very gentle tug with a probe and if it just pulls through you will have to extend it with 5amp fuse wire or similar, re thread it and solder it back onto pin 6. Failing that you may have dislodged the H.T. supply to the other end of the I.F. output coil but I doubt it. Repaired dozens! J.

27th Oct 2010, 9:58 pm	#6
Line whistle Hexode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 341	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hi john, It looks as if what your'e saying is right. Tonight I thought I would get a picture of the set working before further work. I did apply a little vaseline to the contacts. Contact F seemed not to be fixed down as well as the others at its base and feels looser and not as proud. It was making contact with V1b anode. Admittedly I didn't check if contact was good to the relevent coil.Upon first power up I forgot to connect the speaker to its' transformer. I had smoke coming from somewhere below the receiver deck and from I think R5 in the tuner. This resistor does look burnt. The transformer looks ok and felt cold. Secondly I think I'll have to remove the tuner as there is no way I can see to repai it in situ, Any views / ideas gratefully received. REF: Trader sheet 1494 T202. Thanks, Des. __________________ www.freewebs.com/405tv

3rd Jan 2011, 1:23 am	#7
Line whistle Hexode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 341	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hi, Unfortunately I had to admit defeat on this one. I knew if I attempted to continue I would cause even more problems. It's not always easy to give in but I really struggle with fiddly jobs such as this. A forum member very kindly did an excellent job in repairing this and the set is now working really well. Cheers, Des. __________________ www.freewebs.com/405tv

3rd Jan 2011, 11:28 am	#8
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hello Des, I presume it was the thin wire from the I.F. output coil? If it was I know exactly what you mean. The first time I repaired one of these coils was around 1964 when I 16! I had 100% eyesight then and much thinner fingers to say nothing of a huge enthusiasm and a lot more patience! J.

3rd Jan 2011, 11:44 am	#9
Tazman1966 Nonode Join Date: May 2006 Location: St Albans, Herts, UK. Posts: 2,193	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Hi Des. Glad it's tip-top now. Was John right? __________________ All the very best, Tas

3rd Jan 2011, 3:39 pm	#10
Line whistle Hexode Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 341	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Yes. __________________ www.freewebs.com/405tv

3rd Jan 2011, 3:50 pm	#11
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. He usually is __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

3rd Jan 2011, 7:18 pm	#12
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Ferguson 606T weak,smeary picture. Now you know what happens when you over inflate a balloon....J.