DanO55
Radar - BSFR
Griefkits
Evening Folks,
Well after pm'ing the master on this model I found the thread I knew existed and here it is!
I have been know to dabble around on Heathkit gear from time to time. It might have been Gordon who I once read referred to them as "Griefkits". Yep they can be.
Anyhow I recently came across a mint, yes mint Heathkit AA-50. You folks may recall earlier this year I picked up a pair of Heathkit EA-2s they were never finished by the original builder. One did not work and the other was still in parts. Seem Uncle Joe, or who ever, made a critical mistake on the first one, never got it to work, and therefore just gave up.
This AA-50 was in same situation. Several critical steps were not done when whoever build this thing many moons ago tried his/her hand at kit building. I actually found the main grounds to the second filtering cap just laying underneath one of the resistors attached to the cap. Never pulled thought the ground lug and solder, just laying they for 50 plus years waiting for someone to find them.
Anyhow. Now that I found this thread I will get going on the mods and get this thing up to full potential. You can see in the provided pictures just how clean this unit is.
I have already replaced the filter caps, installed new Russian caps for the output tubes, and will get on with the rest of restoration. Restoration may not be the correct word in this case. This fricker is 50+ years new now.
There was one broken part. One of the lunar lander style feet was broken. I have plenty of spares.
Evening Folks,
Well after pm'ing the master on this model I found the thread I knew existed and here it is!
I have been know to dabble around on Heathkit gear from time to time. It might have been Gordon who I once read referred to them as "Griefkits". Yep they can be.
Anyhow I recently came across a mint, yes mint Heathkit AA-50. You folks may recall earlier this year I picked up a pair of Heathkit EA-2s they were never finished by the original builder. One did not work and the other was still in parts. Seem Uncle Joe, or who ever, made a critical mistake on the first one, never got it to work, and therefore just gave up.
This AA-50 was in same situation. Several critical steps were not done when whoever build this thing many moons ago tried his/her hand at kit building. I actually found the main grounds to the second filtering cap just laying underneath one of the resistors attached to the cap. Never pulled thought the ground lug and solder, just laying they for 50 plus years waiting for someone to find them.
Anyhow. Now that I found this thread I will get going on the mods and get this thing up to full potential. You can see in the provided pictures just how clean this unit is.
I have already replaced the filter caps, installed new Russian caps for the output tubes, and will get on with the rest of restoration. Restoration may not be the correct word in this case. This fricker is 50+ years new now.
There was one broken part. One of the lunar lander style feet was broken. I have plenty of spares.