[TenTec] TT 509 Argonaut Sticking Relay

[Stuart Rohre]

Karl,
I have seen cases of reed relays in general getting magnetized thru use 
over time.  Maybe remove the relay and pass it thru a degaussing coil.  
A way to make one is to use some no. 12 solid copper wire in an old 
soldering gun in place of the regular bit. 
Form the wire into a circle big enough to pass the body of the reed 
relay without touching it.  (The bus wire will be hot of course).  If 
you have access to a tape head degausser for a tape recorder like a 
cassette or quarter inch model, that would work also.  Pass it along the 
body of the reed relay even if it is on the board, for say 10 seconds.  
Power must be on the degausser before you approach the board reed relay, 
and it must NOT be turned off until you are a foot away from the reed relay.

If you want to check for lingering coil voltage to the reed relay before 
going thru this degaussing sequence, then simply put a DVM on the reed 
relay actuator coil winding and see the volage and if it decays 
instantly or not.

Ten Tec should be able in a phone call, tell you the maker of the relay 
or look in any catalog of makers of reed relays.  One of the big makers 
was Coto who now has a web page under Testco.
Google "reed relays" to find catalogs.  Sometimes surplus electronics 
parts houses carry reed relays.  They are common surplus items.

73,
Stuart Rohre
K5KVH