12-02-2010, 12:04 PM
Thanks, Ron for tolerating my ignorance, and for all of your good advice. I love tinkering with these old radios, but sometimes I think I should go back to flying jets, and other activities where I'm better qualified.
As to the matter at hand, I'm happy to report that my 295 appears to be functioning as it should. The annoying random crackling ended up being a single strand of a multi-strand B+ lead arcing over to a ground lug. Naturally, the arcing was occurring in an area that was pretty much hidden from view. Ended up finding it by turning the chassis upside down, in a dark room, where I was able to finally catch a glimpse of the sparking. No real electronics theory, here, but then I warned you that I'm a little short in that area.
Tried to align the set, yesterday, and am quite pleased with the results. I am using a Lodestar Signal Generator/Counter that doesn't have a provision to vary the output, so it tended to overdrive the system. Ended up adjusting the "Compensators" using a very weak station. The procedure that required using a loop on the generator, worked fine.
I live in the mountains, east of San Diego, where the AM reception isn't the best, so I'm looking for a better antenna system. Most of the stations I'm interested in are West or North of my location. The loop antenna originally supplied by Philco works pretty well, but needs to be rotated 90 degrees when I want to improve the reception from the North, and that, of course, isn't very convenient with present antenna location. Considering building a longwire antenna that will fit into my attic. The attic is "L" shaped, and will accommodate two 50' legs, oriented at right angles. Not sure if that particular configuration will be at all directional. May have to resort to one of the commercial amplified loop devices to solve my problem. Of course,there is a constant problem with stations on the Mexican side of the border over-riding some of the stations I'm interested in receiving. Are there systems available that are capable of effectively filtering or separation out some of those stations?
As to the matter at hand, I'm happy to report that my 295 appears to be functioning as it should. The annoying random crackling ended up being a single strand of a multi-strand B+ lead arcing over to a ground lug. Naturally, the arcing was occurring in an area that was pretty much hidden from view. Ended up finding it by turning the chassis upside down, in a dark room, where I was able to finally catch a glimpse of the sparking. No real electronics theory, here, but then I warned you that I'm a little short in that area.
Tried to align the set, yesterday, and am quite pleased with the results. I am using a Lodestar Signal Generator/Counter that doesn't have a provision to vary the output, so it tended to overdrive the system. Ended up adjusting the "Compensators" using a very weak station. The procedure that required using a loop on the generator, worked fine.
I live in the mountains, east of San Diego, where the AM reception isn't the best, so I'm looking for a better antenna system. Most of the stations I'm interested in are West or North of my location. The loop antenna originally supplied by Philco works pretty well, but needs to be rotated 90 degrees when I want to improve the reception from the North, and that, of course, isn't very convenient with present antenna location. Considering building a longwire antenna that will fit into my attic. The attic is "L" shaped, and will accommodate two 50' legs, oriented at right angles. Not sure if that particular configuration will be at all directional. May have to resort to one of the commercial amplified loop devices to solve my problem. Of course,there is a constant problem with stations on the Mexican side of the border over-riding some of the stations I'm interested in receiving. Are there systems available that are capable of effectively filtering or separation out some of those stations?
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