Hi: I hope I can still get so help on this set. After going back into the RF chassis and replacing the micas I can only report that aside from a lump of solder shorting two terminals on one of the switch decks(B,I think) all connection checked out but I realized that when I had done this the first time I did not mark one of the switchs to indicate its position. All the switchs have to line up in the correct position in relationship to the shaft which passes from front to rear of chassis as there is a key way on the holes in each deck. This means they will all line up correctly on the shaft in relation to each other rotating disk. The problem is the switch position fricton devise that mounts to the front of the chassis has only two screws holding it to the chassis and can be mounted in two ways, 180 degrees from each other. If I mount it the wrong way none of the circuits will be connected correctly. What I'm saying is, number one: boy did I goof and number two: how to orient the shaft correctly in relation to the stationary decks of the switch? I hope someone out there can tell me, facing the front of the set and going by the clock which direction is the broadcast band and which is the second SW band and
does the band selector knob (its about and inch and a half long and shaped like a vee)pointing up (bottom of vee) or down when the radio is viewed from the front. I'm not crazy, the band switch control rod has two flat surfaces on it with a slight protrusion as a key but the shaft outside the chassis has only one flat and the knob fits on only one way, so if I can determine how its oriented I should be able to get the shaft back in correctly. Pat

Follow the schematic. The page shows the different switch segments and how their rotors should align, and the schematic shows what contacts are made when a certain band is selected. It should actually say in the schematic what band is selected. Make sure that when the selector is turned for that band, all connections shown in the schematic are made. A bit tedious. Don't do it when you're too tired. Get about 10 hours of sleep so that your brain is fresh....perhaps a bit less if you're one who gets groggy with too much sleep.

Thomas

Yes, the only way is to follow the switch deck pictorials on the service bulletin to re-align the switch contact relationship to the shaft as suggested.

I'm back again. I orient the band switch and have taken the voltages again as well as some that are not listed on the voltage chart. What I got was:
8mfd cap can to pos 307V, pos to gnd 292V 6A8 Osc plate 131V osc grid -30V screen 84.6V plate 270V RF 6K7 Sup grid -2.7V screen 84V plate 270V IF 6K7 sup grid .5V screen 85V plate 290V 6J5 grid -.42 plate -1.4 6K5 plate 224V left 6F6 grid -16V screen 290V plate 278V right 6F6 grid -16V screen 265V plate 277V.
At the speaker (field coil) Gnd to Grn/Wht 290V, Blu/Wht 333V green 280V White 282V. Also, as Noem suggested, I put my finger on the grid cap of the 6K5 and do get a noticeable hum which increase and decreases with the volume control. Still not receiving any station. I do not have an antenna on it but I would think a local station would pop up. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong. Bear in mind I only have a digital multimeter to work with.
Pat

Did you ever get rid of that other hum that was there when you didn't touch anything? The hum you get when you touch the grid of the 1st audio tube means that the amplifier is doing something good. It isn't necessarily working perfectly (without distortion), but it will put through at least a vague representation of whatever signal you happen to receive whenever you get the thing to receive signals. You will know whether it's working properly once you are able to receive stations. Be absolutely sure that it's wired exactly as the schematic says it should be, and the chances are that it will probably play well.

As far as digital multi-meters go, mechanical ones are nicer for reading purposes, but digital ones are nice. They're usually a bit more sensitive than the standard 20,000 ohms per volt mechanical meter. A VTVM (vacuum tube volt meter) is as sensitive as, if not more sensitive than, a digital meter. These are nice and can be found on eBay, swap meets, etc. If you'd like a regular 20,000 ohms per volt mechanical meter, Radio Shack sells a small one that's inexpensive and pretty reliable/accurate. It's somewhere between $15 and $25. For most voltage and resistance checks, this is all that you will need. Only when you check control grid and AVC voltages do you need a more sensitive meter.

Thomas

Tom: the hum is still there but you have to put your ear to the speaker to catch it. Actually its so low I can't hear it if there is any background noise. I don't think thats a problem and I don't believe i'll get rid of it entirely. I am starting to check each switch position on the band switch for continuity in the broadcastband antenna, RF and osc sections through to the 6A8 Det/Osc tube and see if that turns up something. I had to make up 6" long extensions for my meter leads from coat hanger wire covered with shrink tubing. Pat

If the hum is that quiet, then all is well. I have some radios which are dead silent, but most hum a little bit. Increasing the primary electrolytic's value will reduce hum. Don't go above 40 MFD with a filamentary rectifier, and 30 with an indirectly heated type rectifier like the 6X5. A 5V4, which is also an indirectly heated type, can handle 40 or 50 MFD, though. 6X5 tubes, on the other hand, are weak tubes. ....You can also increase the values of the secondary electrolytics if you wish....say to 30 or 40 MFD.

Regarding the RF section, make sure that all coils have continuity where they should. Make sure that none of the condensers have leakage or shorts. Make sure that all RF tubes are fresh and strong for now. You can try weak ones later once you get the set running. With the band switch, set it for one setting and follow the wiring, contacts, etc. Follow it as it would be connected in the schematic for any one band. This will help you figure out whether it's all connected properly or not. To give you a bit of a hint regarding coils, generally, the higher the frequency range, the fewer the turns on the coil. The wire's gauge (thickness) may or may not increase for the smaller turn count coils.

Thomas