[TenTec] Omni V display cure

[Alex Mendelsohn]

Hi Charlie:

I had that problem with my Omni-V as well. I discussed it with Ten Tec
service but the guy I spoke with didn't have any idea about what to do. I
understood his position, because years ago I was a Heathkit service
technician, and there are a lot of problems that can only be solved when you
have the equipment in front of you (there's really no such thing as DX
troubleshooting).

In any case, about ten years ago I discovered something called Stabilant
22A. It's a clear, colorless fluid that comes in 0.5 ml glass "ampules." It
uses isopropyl alcohol as a carrier. It's billed as a "non-conductive block
polymer." However, when applied to contacts, it becomes conductive!

It only conducts on what should be conductive surfaces. Charlie, it's real
magic. I've used it to ensure that ICs are truly high-rel in some
applications (shock and vibration). I've used it on electromechanical
assemblies my 45 year old American Flyer toy trains. I used it on the
connectors on the display board on my Omni-V and the problem of display
intensity changes has NEVER recurred.

I removed the Omni-V's top cover, carefully pryed the display board header
connector assemblies apart, dabbed all the pins with Stabilant 22A, and
reinserted the headers. The problem disappeared!

Now, I didn't know if this wondrous stuff is still available, so I called
the vendor and the receptionist said it's still being offered and is "more
popular than ever."

I'll have more details about it for the thread when I get a return call on
price and small quantity availability. I'm a magazine editor and talk with
companies all the time, so I should get a good answer soon.

I did ask the secretary if the firm would sell "onsey twosey" bottles to
experimenters and small labs and the receptionist seemed to say the company
would. Howver, I'll know for sure when the marketing manager calls me back.

The vendor is: D.W. Electrochemicals Ltd., Ontario, Canada at 905-889-1522.

Vy 73, AI2Q, Alex

 .-.-.

-------

Alex Mendelsohn, Editor-at-Large
Portable Design
Tel: 207-967-8812
Fax: 207-967-9756
email: Alex_Mendelsohn@portable-design.com




-----Original Message-----
From: owner-tentec@contesting.com [mailto:owner-tentec@contesting.com]On
Behalf Of charles w burkhardt
Sent: Monday, February 22, 1999 9:54 PM
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: [TenTec] Omni V



Gentlemen: Used my 'new' Omni V in the recent  Arrl  cw  test.  WOW!  It
IS possible  to work strong stations a kc apart! One troubling note:
after the rig had been on for several hours the vertical elements in the
display  became  dimmer. Not  enough to lose clarity but enough to see.
No degradation in performance  but do I have an immanent problem? Thanks.
Charlie K0GPF

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