[TenTec] the VFO/PTO rebuild

[bill steffey]

TT 509 & 515 are two fantastic QRP radios from TenTec,,,, back in the 
70s, before anyone knew what QRP was !!!


After finding a used 509 in the QST classified ads, I drove 6 hours one 
night to pick up a set in Western Illinois.

Now after 40 years both sets have seized VFOs. TenTec had a MOST UNIQUE 
* TUNING ASSEMBLY consisting of about 18 small moving parts. All of 
which were coated in grease which after about 15 years turns into solid 
gunk. They ALL seize.

                                                        (picture here )


Before TenTec went out of Biz, I bought an official VFO 'rebuild' kit, 
preparing for the repair event, but OF COURSE COULD NOT FIND IT. So I 
used white lithium grease from Home Depot..


With the rebuild procedures estimated to take 6 hours to rebuild , I put 
this rebuild off for 15 years, UNTIL YESTERDAY.

The first set, a 515, did take about 5 hours as I repeatedly made the 
same assembly mistake. I kept assembling the ball bearings into the 
'core drive rod' forgetting the tuning shaft... finally getting it 
correct. When I eventually got to the Argonaut 509 I finally got the 
ball bearings & rod installed in the proper order on the first attempt.

The 515 is done, now I get to figure how I got the 509 dial going 
backwards,. probably a mis-stringing . A few hours later redoing the 
dial cord has it working properly.

First contact was on 20 meters SSB   ZAMBIA  Gunter in Namibia !!!!!  ; 
for the Daily WPA net on 3983, that dial is all the way to the right 
side of the dial, and the frequency readout ring is dead on ...




A GREAT SNOW WINTER PROJECT


bill NY9H/3