[Ron Ramirez]

So...I looked around in my stash of stuff...and discovered that I had the capacitors to replace electrolytics C701, C703 and C704.

I replaced C701 (0.47 uF) with a stacked ceramic unit. The other two are Nichicon electrolytics. I prefer to not use electrolytics when the value is 1 uF or smaller, but I only had 1 uF (C704) in electrolytic form.

I also discovered that I had a bag of fifty 2N2925 transistors. I further discovered that 2N2925 would substitute for the original 2SC828 transistors.

Here's my replacement work under the PC board - I used less solder and tried to be neater in my work, including trimming excess lead lengths.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum/STA225_029.jpg]

If you look closely in the picture, you will notice one lead that is not soldered or trimmed - the emitter of TR701.

There's a story that goes along with that...

I did this work, which did not take very long.

I then tried the receiver out.

The Auto Magic still wasn't working correctly - the meter still remained green when I touched the tuning knob!

So...

Having returned upstairs to my home office to post the last three pictures I have posted in this thread, I noticed that unsoldered lead in this last photo just above.

I returned to the basement workbench, plugged the soldering station back in, waited a few minutes, and set out to solder that unsoldered transistor lead.

The pad where the emitter lead should have been soldered promptly came off. Not the entire trace, just that pad. Probably too much heat was used on it by the sloppy repairman previously, damaging it. Fortunately the emitter lead was more than long enough to go to the other component in that short trace, so I merely cut the lead long enough to extend to the next point in the short trace and soldered it at that point.

I then flipped the receiver right side up, plugged my set of cheap test headphones into the receiver, plugged the receiver into my test bench power strip and...

Auto Magic now works as it should! When I touch the tuning shaft, the meter turns white and AFC goes off, allowing me to tune in a station. When I let go of the tuning shaft, the meter turns green again and Auto Magic locks the station into place.

A big thanks to Mondial for all of his help with this receiver.

I just wish I had those 3mm LEDs so I could replace the pointer lamps and put it all back together. They will arrive, eventually.

...I wonder if 5mm LEDs would fit, or if they would be too big...I have some 5mm LEDs in red and in white...

Edit: No, 5mm LEDs will not fit. I took the pointer apart to check. They will have to be 3mm. I will have to be patient and wait.