An offering to the SX-28 Gods

[The Slab Bacon]

Since this is one of the receivers that is most dreaded to recap, and some people (like Bear) are chicken to even attempt it. I figgered I would post this.

I have had another SX-28 at the shack for a few months now that was awaiting a recapping and going through. I decided that I would somewhat keep track of the time spent working on it.

Ya know, if you approach it with an open mind, it really isnt all that bad to do. Time consuming, yes. A fate worse than death, nada!!

Keep in mind that I work at my own leisurely pace while smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, and listening to the radio, and even occasionally stopping all work for a qso or 2.

With approximately 10 hours of actual working time, I am at this point:

1. the first and second racks of coils removed from the coil 
    catacombs.
2. all of the "hard to get to caps" and a couple of resistors in the
    front end replaced.
3. ALL of the rest of the paper caps throughout the entire chassis
    and a few more resistors replaced.
4. most of the existing wiring dressed out and tydied up.

I am now at a temporary standstill awaiting a rendezvous to pick up a replacement rf amp coil (for the band that includes 160m) from a friend that has a parts junker. Once I get this coil, I will be able to reassemble the catacombs and fire it off.

This goes to show that it really isnt all that terrible to do if you really put your mind to it.(I didnt even invent any new cusswords this time)

Its looking like by the time I finish it up, pull the front panel and clean up the dial glasses and do the alignment, I'll probably have somewhere near 20 or so hours tied up in it. This isnt all that horrible for the restoration of one of the greatest pre war receivers ever built. So if you have one that needs some TLC, just go ahead and dive into it. Its well worth it!!

                                                   The Slab Bacon

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Thanks for the rundown, Frank -

I betcha could start your own little cottage industry recapping those things and do quite well. Shipping would be the killah, of course. But you're right - folks are either terrified of them or, like me, lack the time to properly disassemble, re-cap, and reassemble. On the one hand, I really want the experience of doing it, like climbing the proverbial mountain. OTOH, it's been waiting nearly 10 years for that time to arrive.

It's a '28A also, so a bit 'easier'. Got it from Frank's old schoolmate Gary Sarra down in CT, December of 1997. Used it with no problems for years, then started to get nervous that it would zorch. Sure is purty. 

Looking forward to hearing about the final assembly and test run.

[WA3VJB]

I betcha could start your own little cottage industry recapping those things and do quite well.

GAWD !   
Don't tell him THAT, then he'd be like Howard Mills with a three-year wait list and no time to get on the radio.

[w3jn]

from a friend

You have friends?!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
What's it like??

[WBear2GCR]

CHICKEN!!!???

Who ya callin chicken ya slab o' bacon!! 

I ain't chicken! Got no time for such a foolish undertaking! 

Show us the PICTURES!!

WE WANT PROOF!!

                _-_-bear

[The Slab Bacon]

Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck.

 For your insult to the SX-28 gods you will fall short of the joy of having one of the finest pre war receivers made. (not to mention the good audio of Push pull outpoots with faze inverter coupling!!) 

[The Slab Bacon]

CHICKEN!!!???

Who ya callin chicken ya slab o' bacon!! 

I ain't chicken! Got no time for such a foolish undertaking! 

Show us the PICTURES!!

WE WANT PROOF!!

                _-_-bear

ok-fine, you want pictures: TAKE THIS!!

[N3DRB The Derb]

Bear, you're pwn0rzd. 

never challenge the slab when it comes to radio work. I think I'm the only regular here thats fixored more than him, and thats only because I had a job doing it in the daytime for about 2 years. Even then, it's a toss-up I think.

Frank, what r u doin dude, using up your Vitamin Q cap stash? Those thangs looks funky.

[The Slab Bacon]

Frank, what r u doin dude, using up your Vitamin Q cap stash? Those thangs looks funky.

Timmy,
          Those aint Q's they're russian made "tootsie roll" caps supplied by the radio's owner. I still have my stash of "Q's"

[kb3nqd]

CHICKEN!!!???

Who ya callin chicken ya slab o' bacon!! 

I ain't chicken! Got no time for such a foolish undertaking! 

Show us the PICTURES!!

WE WANT PROOF!!

                _-_-bear

I was sitting in his shack offering to assist if he wanted it and doing a face to face QSO.....will that suffice as proof?  FWIW Frank had most of the really hard caps replaced within 3 hours and was ready to put everything in the catacombs back together (minus the one coil that looks like someone tried to transmit into it) that night.

[KA8WTK]

Slab you are inspirational! I might get this one done this winter.

[The Slab Bacon]

Slab you are inspirational! I might get this one done this winter.

Bill,
     You really ought to!! You wont regret it when your done. The first one is always a little more difficult. But once you figger out how it comes apart, it really isnt all that bad to do. Each one after that gets easier.

With the first one, you will spend more time pondering how to get at those caps in the front end then it actually takes to remove the coil racks. Trying to play "surgeon" and do it with hemostats and other long tools is a royal pain in the a$$! It is definately much faster and EASIER to remove the coil racks!! If you (or anyone else) wants some pointers on how to do it, feel free to contact me.

                                                    The Slab Bacon

[KB2WIG]

    "  It is definately much faster and EASIER to remove the coil racks!! "

yeah, what he say.....   

Get a cheep digi camera ( ~$50 at wal mart, etc ). and photo before/during/after shots... great for working with this stuff... make ur own griefkit manual fer the '28

klc

[N3DRB The Derb]

the 28 is a cool radio, but I'll still take the SX-16/17 with the "big h" speaker anyday.
There just aint no cooler looking receiver in the world.



had 4 of them through the years. always my favorite reciever, even if the performance was not as good as others ( and here's plenty that are better) Any Super Pro will blow it away. Just the look I guess.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Got both and I concur.

the 28 is a cool radio, but I'll still take the SX-16/17 with the "big h" speaker anyday.
There just aint no cooler looking receiver in the world.



had 4 of them through the years. always my favorite reciever, even if the performance was not as good as others ( and here's plenty that are better) Any Super Pro will blow it away. Just the look I guess.

[The Slab Bacon]

Just FWIW, I figgered I would post a progress report for those that were following this thread. I finally got some time to get back to this project the other day.

An hout and a half or so reinstalled the coil racks and shield covers.
About 2 hours or so did the IF and RF alignments and as the saying goes: IT IS ALIVE!! The sensitivity is very good and now the dial tracking is dead nuts on!

All that is left is a little cleaning and cosmetic repairs and it can go back into the case. All that I got to say is that this job is nowhere near the ordeal that some make it out to be.

Again as I have said before, if you have one of these wonderful receivers sitting around, dont put it off, it isnt that hard to do once you put your mind to it.

                                                the Slab Bacon

[WQ9E]

Congratulations on getting it going again!  I put my SX-28 together back in 1996 and it was my first difficult project as mine is a "Frankenradio" assembled from 3 different parts radios.  The only thing that was missing from all of the parts boxes was the RF coil for the BCB band so I acquired a 4'th parts set and one day I will make a second radio from the additional parts I have acquired.  I have a lot of pieces of gear now but my SX-28A/Viking I combo is my most "classic looking" setup.

I also agree with the previous posters about the SX-16/17; I have one of each and I love the looks of these-the spiral bandspread dial in particular.

Rodger WQ9E

[The Slab Bacon]

Roger,
        The uncalibrated bandspread dial was the only thing that I didnt like about my 17. Other than that it was a most incredible radio for something from that era. However I like the 28 much, much more.

                                                 the Slab Bacon

[KB2WIG]

  "  Again as I have said before, if you have one of these wonderful receivers sitting around, dont put it off, it isnt that hard to do once you put your mind to it.  "

Now you ruined it!!!  No soup for you.... ..         klc