How to replace a Vintage Ham Radio power transformer National NC-173

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ต.ค. 2024
  • This fine receiver came to the shop in need of a new life. Normally these units are in poor cosmetic condition. This ones a solid 8, well worth restoring. As you can see, it is quite the undertaking if you do not have the original type transformer. Lucky D-lab has a mill in the shop. Makes easy work out of chassis modification. If you have one of these radios and the original transformer is installed and operational, word of advice, change the filter cap and those negative bias caps! A little preventative maintenance will save you a world of stress & work. As always, D-Lab changes out caps on all these old rigs that enter the shop. They have done a great job for 50+ years. They will last an easy 50 more with TLC. Thanks to all that have been supporting my efforts. This piece was purchase with donation funds, so you can enjoy the results.

ความคิดเห็น • 63

  • @preiter20
    @preiter20 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Great video Terry! Love the troubleshooting of the cause of the initial failure.

  • @kornami8678
    @kornami8678 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Dad had a NC-173. I loved it. Wish I still had it.

  • @materialsguy2002
    @materialsguy2002 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice work, Terry. Great to see the National rx working again rather than scrapped. 👍🏻

  • @83roadstar
    @83roadstar 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Love the vertical mill for projects needing machining! Great vid Terry!

    • @d-labelectronics
      @d-labelectronics  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes Sir, very handy instrument

    • @drtidrow
      @drtidrow 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Seems like overkill to me, when a sheet metal nibbler would work just as well.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@drtidrow 1- THAT'S TOO MUCH WORK, AND 2- IF YOU HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, USE IT!!!

  • @themongoloid8944
    @themongoloid8944 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You seem like good people Terry, if you ever drive through Cincinnati or Corbin, KY. Give me a shout and I will buy your dinner if I am in town. I am waiting for some mulberry wine from a friend of mine, it’s like nectar from the gods. I will send you a bottle when it’s ready this year.

  • @rciancia
    @rciancia 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Terry, that radio chassis looks like a first cousin to the Hammarlund HQ129x.. What a great job retrofitting the new transformer.. and even better job finding the root cause... that sets you apart from alot of other folks I watch... well done my friend. P.S... You may want to check my latest video... LOL

  • @8xlaxx
    @8xlaxx 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great video Terry! Keep them coming.

  • @wolfhawg
    @wolfhawg 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great job Terry.

  • @JWimpy
    @JWimpy 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Good idea using a mill. I miss having access to a lathe and mill. But I retired.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ...NOTHING SAYS THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR OWN MACHINE TOOLS-(!)

    • @JWimpy
      @JWimpy 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@daleburrell6273 IF ONE HAD THAT KIND OF MONEY.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JWimpy ...THAT'S THE TRUTH- AND YOU'D NEED A DRY PLACE TO KEEP THEM: A DAMP BASEMENT IS A DEFINITE NO-NO!!
      I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT-!

    • @JWimpy
      @JWimpy 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@daleburrell6273 Yeah, didn't think about the dry area. My workshop is a back room of my barn. It gets very humid in there being in the South.

  • @javierbiaggi3072
    @javierbiaggi3072 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Beautiful job, its looks like factory.

  • @crosleyfiver8686
    @crosleyfiver8686 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Really enjoy your posts.

  • @SteveHacker
    @SteveHacker 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Fantastic video as always! Always something new to learn. I just wish more actual “how to” was shown instead of just “here’s what I did” (after the fact) though; longer videos with less editing (which would actually be easier to make - less editing, less labor time) and actually showing more “how to” would be amazing. And remember, boys and girls, “EK-specially” is not a word; not in any language, region, dialect, accent, state or nation...
    LOL! 😂😂😂

  • @dneitzke
    @dneitzke 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Dr. D-lab, Do you offer DVD's on all your repair you tube Vids? many thanks!

  • @sennevilleeify
    @sennevilleeify 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    New to your Channel. Great work great guy great familly and surely great wine

  • @msaradio7455
    @msaradio7455 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Awesome Terry, 73.

  • @evananderson8452
    @evananderson8452 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Another great job

  • @Justplast
    @Justplast 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Good Job

  • @geoepi321975
    @geoepi321975 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    you are great amp doctor

  • @jimgiordano8218
    @jimgiordano8218 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice heart transplant. Seeing these old rigs, brings back memories. Question, have you ever worked on a Heathkit HW-100 or HW-101.

  • @fabinhoosmar
    @fabinhoosmar 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Mais um bom trabalho colega. Parabéns !!!!!

  • @generator73
    @generator73 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have another oscilloscope that powers up fine but CRT screen is not illuminating ! Do you know why ? Can you give me an idea please ?

  • @brianbloom1799
    @brianbloom1799 29 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Hi Terry, I just Bought The same Radio, and I'm picking it up On, this Saturday14TH, I'm Just Learning are these a good radio, for picking up shortwave, The Person selling His father owned it since new, and has been sitting in attic for 40 years, he said he has extra tubes and other parts Paying 50 dollars is that a good price, thanks for any help

    • @d-labelectronics
      @d-labelectronics  วันที่ผ่านมา

      They are great RX's but require quite a bit of work to get them operating properly

  • @renegade44040
    @renegade44040 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Oh yeah broke out the milling machine. A milling machine will fix anything 🍷

    • @douglasjude714
      @douglasjude714 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      i realize I'm kind of off topic but do anyone know a good website to watch new tv shows online ?

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ..."IF YOU'VE GOT IT- FLAUNT IT"-(?)

  • @clydedenby1436
    @clydedenby1436 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice job, though I was more impressed by the presence of a milling machine in an electronics shop. I'm guessing that you have a few other areas of interest.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ...MILLING MACHINES COME IN MANY SIZES, AND MANY PRICE RANGES- MAYBE TERRY WAS EXTRAORDINARILY LUCKY ENOUGH FIND AN INEXPENSIVE MACHINE-(?)

  • @douro20
    @douro20 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I wonder how that mill compares to an actual RF-45.

  • @RobertKohut
    @RobertKohut 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice!! Great work... :-)

  • @АлександрТом-щ6ю
    @АлександрТом-щ6ю 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Благородное дело... Спасибо! Привет Вам из Москвы, UA3KBD (60 годы..)

  • @scole901
    @scole901 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    so the original owner replaced the cap backwards?

  • @gbowne1
    @gbowne1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My favorite was the HRO-50T1

  • @DeadKoby
    @DeadKoby 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The average nerd would be trimming that cavity with a dremmel tool. A super nerd owns a bridgeport.

    • @ZenithClarity
      @ZenithClarity 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I keep wishing for one of those.
      Hows it go? Wish in one hand and ...

    • @lwilton
      @lwilton 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      You could do it with a $9 saber saw with a metal cutting blade and a hand file about ten times faster than a dremmel.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ZenithClarity ...MILLING MACHINES COME IN MANY SIZES AND MANY PRICE RANGES-!!!

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@lwilton ...THAT'S THE TRUTH- BUT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF WIRES THAT YOU HAD TO STAY AWAY FROM WITH THE SAW BLADE-!!!
      A MILLING MACHINE ALLOWS YOU TO STRICTLY LIMIT HOW DEEP YOU ARE CUTTING INTO THE CHASSIS.

  • @bobl1636
    @bobl1636 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Terry
    It looked like there is enough height that you could of placed the transformer on standoffs that would miss the chassis

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      YOU'RE FORGETTING THAT THE TRANSFORMER IS A VERY HEAVY COMPONENT- AND STANDOFFS MIGHT NOT BE UP TO THE JOB OF SUPPORTING SUCH A HEAVY PART.
      WHAT'S MORE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE LEADS ON THE TRANSFORMER WERE TOO SHORT TO REACH VERY FAR...

  • @generator73
    @generator73 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i have a question, i have vintage vacuum tube oscilloscope and it keeps blowing fuses away, how can i fix that

    • @d-labelectronics
      @d-labelectronics  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hi Bob, sounds like a very leaky power supply capacitor. Have you looked over the caps? Are any leaking? Try pulling the rectifier tube, see if the scope powers then, if not the power tranny may be bad. TD

    • @generator73
      @generator73 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@d-labelectronics I have no idea how capacitors and rectifier tube looks like.
      I think I am gonna send it back to eBay and get my money back. There is no way I can fix that because I have no special tools for that. I am musician, I make music . I have no idea what leaky cap is and how to tell if it leaks or not. I am also know how to lift heavy weights at the gym but nothing about capacitors.

  • @daleburrell6273
    @daleburrell6273 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    5:35...that's called the "quill"-!

  • @daleburrell6273
    @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    0:51...WHO TOOK IT?!!

  • @adrongarretson6195
    @adrongarretson6195 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love your videos dude you need to use a vacuum cleaner instead of sweeping that crap down inside that chassis what the heck are you thinking of

    • @d-labelectronics
      @d-labelectronics  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Always sweep the shavings onto the mill table, then vacuum. The chassis bottom was open. No worries

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ...I'M PRETTY SURE THAT TERRY KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING-(!)

  • @stevec5000
    @stevec5000 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    But now there is a National 240D without a transformer!

  • @langhilau
    @langhilau 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Terry is it worth the time and expense to do all this time consuming work for what could be called at best a mediocre receiver. The labor alone on your part had to be very expensive.

    • @ianbutler1983
      @ianbutler1983 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, but then we would not be able to watch his fix it...lol.

    • @daleburrell6273
      @daleburrell6273 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      ...WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS: "TIME IS MONEY"- BUT WHEN IT'S A HOBBY, TIME AND MONEY ARE A HECK OF A LOT LESS IMPORTANT-!!

  • @stormchsr101
    @stormchsr101 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i hate theses things! the cabinet was a bear to get off and the layout was icky!. i guess its cuz im not fond of national stuff. so my repair for mine was.....i sold it

  • @nor4277
    @nor4277 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Cant you get a new one.

    • @d-labelectronics
      @d-labelectronics  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Nope, those transformers were specific for the receiver back in 1950

    • @nor4277
      @nor4277 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@d-labelectronics thanks for the info I had no idea,it's a shame you just can't buy new transformers as needed,but I understand now .