At 09:08 AM 3/5/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>I am about to acquire an Alpha 86 which has some bandswitch damage. Can
>anyone
>comment on experiences replacing bandwitch wafers in this amplifier? I've
>checked with Alpha and parts are available.
>
>Any comments in general about the 86?
Hi, Vic,
Been some time since we "spoke". I always make the
analogy that changing a band switch is about like open-heart
surgery. It is the toughest thing to do in an amp. Certainly not
impossible, Alpha/Power's assemblers did it but it took a few
hours and they built the assemblies every day--so they knew
what they were doing. No trying to scare you off--just that it
takes a lot of slow and methodical work.
The key is the right soldering iron! (Same goes for doing a
professional job with PL-259s.) The iron of choice is the
Weller W100P with the CT6F8 tip. This iron has the capacity
to do tank coils and the tip is an 800 deg one and is also
large enough to have some real thermal mass. But most
people aren't willing to spend the money on the right tools.
And make sure you use silver solder also. You might consider
taking a few "before" photos in case you have any questions
during the rebuild! Digital cameras are wonderful tools for this
sort of thing.
Good luck--John W0UN
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