Hammarlund HQ 145

[W4RFM]

I need someone who is good on the bench to go thru my 145 and make it work again!  I have replaced all the tubes, checked this and that, and I am thinking it needs an alignment.  I will send it and the manual to you and pay what you ask (within reason). To talk about it,email me,  call me toll free 877-391-2650. Thanks

[w5gw]

Why do you think it needs alignment?  Many times suspicion of an alignment points to other issues that need to be resolved first. Shipping of an HQ-145 both ways is going to be expensive.  Suggest you either do it yourself or find someone local.

Alignment of a HQ-145 is not that hard, but, be sure to follow instructions in the HQ-145 manual.  I also check any crystal filters for their frequency and adjust accordingly since they typically age to a different freq.

Equipment needed: High quality RF signal generator with ability to vary signal levels as well as CW and AM mode.  Frequency meter (to read frequency of RF generator).  VTVM (can use the S-Meter in lieu of this).

I just aligned my son's HQ-145 and it took me no more than an hour or two, but that was after fixing all the other issues it had.

[WA5VGO]

Unless it has been tampered with, alignment isn't the problem. Even a 50 year old receiver should only require a very minor touch up.

Darrell, WA5VGO

[WQ9E]

I agree with the previous posters.  Describe the current symptoms and you will receive guidance on the best course of action.

Of the many radios I have restored, the only receivers that needed a significant alignment are those where someone tried to align away another problem.

Ship gear only when absolutely necessary.  Several years ago I aligned a SX-117 and sent it out to the owner double boxed and very well packed but it was still severely damaged in shipping.  A few months later I received a HT-32B that was thrown in a box with a few pieces of wadded newspaper and it arrived in perfect shape.  There is a lot of "luck-of-the-draw" with shipping. 

[ashart]

Beware of shipping anything with transformers inside, or if necessary, I suggest a great deal of shock-absorbent packing material.  And double that!

Years ago, I UPS-shipped a newly-built (and expensive!) instrument to a customer across the country - he returned it with disgust - and when I removed the rear panel, I simply poured out all of the parts.  The power transformer had broken loose, and banged around the inside, scraping all the other parts off the PCB.

Incidental to that event, I once read that cargo shipped by rail can experience up to 40G shocks during "humping" operations (by the cars, not railroadmen).  A 3-pound power transformer is equivalent to a 120 pound weight during the duration of the shock, and can easily shear light mounting screws or rivets.

Sometimes, I've just had to learn the hard way.

-al hart, w8vr

[w4bfs]

Beware of shipping anything with transformers inside, or if necessary, I suggest a great deal of shock-absorbent packing material.  And double that!

Years ago, I UPS-shipped a newly-built (and expensive!) instrument to a customer across the country - he returned it with disgust - and when I removed the rear panel, I simply poured out all of the parts.  The power transformer had broken loose, and banged around the inside, scraping all the other parts off the PCB.

Incidental to that event, I once read that cargo shipped by rail can experience up to 40G shocks during "humping" operations (by the cars, not railroadmen).  A 3-pound power transformer is equivalent to a 120 pound weight during the duration of the shock, and can easily shear light mounting screws or rivets.

Sometimes, I've just had to learn the hard way.

hear hear ....haven't we all

-al hart, w8vr

[W4RFM]

One of our members has contacted me about looking in to it, and I will be sending it to him later on.  The reason I want someone more learned than I am, is because, I replaced all the tubes, with new and it will not make a sound.  We have a 5KW AM on 570 in my town that you can pick up very well on a guitar amp with a finger tip on the input cable, and even IT does not get a giggle out of the boy! Also, the guy before me had hooked in take off points for scopes and analyzers, etc, which with the help of the manual I was able to remove those and put the wiring back to where the Hammar folks intended,(I THINK) but it still aint cooking.

[w5gw]

Your symptoms are NOT an indication that all this receiver needs is an alignment. It has a failure in one of the critical building blocks. Basically there are only a few major building blocks of a receiver: (power supply)(rf amp)(oscillator)(mixer)(IF amp)(detector)(audio amp) - you could have issues in any of these but from what you have stated and since you have checked voltages I'd focus on the osc, audio, and IF stages first.  If these fail to reveal then dig deeper.

I hate working on a receiver that someone has cobbled up.  You are on the right track by getting it back to its initial circuitry.

Here are some things (not all inclusive) to check:

1. Assuming there is some noise when you turn volume up, You need to check the osc first - it could be dead. 

2. Another possibility is an IF can that has opened up, but with a strong AM station - you can usually get enough feed thru to get some kind of signal. 

3. Do you get any noise at all with volume up?  Then work back from the audio stage with a pencil (wooden) and touch the lead to control grid.  If that stage is alive you will hear it in speaker/headphones.  I really recommend speaker for testing. 

4. If there is no noise, then its likely the audio transformer is kaput.



Again,  one can probably pick up a good working 145 in the neighborhood of $100-$150 - the expense you have in shipping this rx back and forth may not be cost effective...