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Re: [Amps] Repairing early Alpha Amp pushbutton switches

To: Amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Repairing early Alpha Amp pushbutton switches
From: Larry Dighera <LDighera@att.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 15:09:11 -0800
List-post: <mailto:amps@contesting.com>
Hello Lon,

Thank you for this information.

Are you able to provide a link to the Walmart page that has the switches you
used?

Thanks again.

Best regards,
Larry
WB6BBB


On Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:32:37 -0600, K5jv <k5jv@kingwoodcable.com> wrote:

>Greetings to all,
>
>       After a long search for a replacement for the  push-button switches in 
>my  Alpha 78, I thought I had found them at, of all places, Walmart.  You can 
>not just go pick them up.  You must order them online.   After a three week 
>wait, the switches finally arrived.  They are the  modern version for the 
>Alpha switch, but not an exact replacement for the 50 year old switches.  
>However, the internal switch contacts in the new switches are exact 
>replacements for the contacts in the old switches.  These new contacts appear 
>to be silver ( at least in color) plated.  The contacts in the 
>old switches appear to be made of copper, or bronze, and, in my case, were 
>badly pitted from nearly 50 years of use.
>
>       The new push-rod will slide into the old switch body but will not larch 
>properly.  Two tiny contacts and springs are  attached to the internal 
>push-rod. The springs and contacts must be removed from the new push-rod and 
>installed on the old push-rod.  Do not cut any wires. Do not remove the small 
>circuit board attached to the bottom of the switches.  Just remove the 
>meters.  The entire switch assembly can then be unscrewed from the chassis and 
>rotated up through the meter hole for relatively easy access. 
>
>       It is not an easy job, in fact, it was a very meticulous job for me.  
>If I can do it at 81, you youngsters should have no trouble.  It might take a 
>little practice and I suggest you get a magnet on a stick to retrieve the tiny 
>springs that will shoot all over the room.  Be careful, the springs are 
>magnetic, the contacts are not.
>
>       The project is really worthwhile.  After several hours of quite 
>meticulous work, the multi-meter switches on my Alpha 78 works like new     
>
>73 de Lon, K5JV
>281-795-1335
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