The Fisher 202-R Tuner

mrphilco

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Here's something I seldom ever see...a 202-R AM/FM tuner.

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This one was advertised as "working." Well...I received it and then I proceeded to do something that, after 43 years in vintage radios, I should know better than to do, and that was to go ahead and try it out.

After hearing no sound (yes, I had it connected to an amplifier), I noticed a small wisp of the magic smoke starting to come out, so I immediately disconnected power and pulled it apart.

A look inside:

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Notice that it still has its original full wave rectifier (right edge)...and very old green Micamold line-to-ground capacitors. The three-section electrolytic can also appears original. It does not look like this tuner has ever been serviced.
 
More problems at the back of the unit...

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Both the local-distance and 300-75 ohm switches are broken.

I have replacement switches on their way here. The replacements will not be original Fishers but they will perform the same functions.
 
I decided to go ahead and dive into this tuner.

The first things to be replaced were all of the lamps. The tuning meter and AM, FM, and AFC lamps were replaced by miniature bayonet LED lamps.

The original #47 FM, AFC and AM lamps:

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The LED replacements:

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The same lamps with the sleeves back in place:

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Even by modern solid state standards,that is still one heck of a tuner! Great score,and in very good condition for it's age.
The FM front end and IF sections are an engineering masterpiece,and the AM fidelity is almost as good as the FM.

Restore,realign,and prepare to be amazed:)

Now you just need to find an outboard multiplex.....
 
The dial glass lamps turned out to be a bit of a problem. While the modern LED 31mm replacement lamps were long enough, their end connectors were just a wee bit too large.

So...

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I decided to unsolder the caps from the LED lamps, remove the caps from the original lamps, and use the old caps on the new LEDs.

This required slight modification of the LED boards.

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After removing the end caps, I carefully ground the sides of each end ever so slightly...just enough so that the old caps would fit.

To be certain that I had enough clearance, I also ground the cone ends off the original caps.

Then I soldered the old caps onto the LED boards...

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Yes, they still work! :thumbsup:

I have found that these particular LED replacement lamps are very resilient and easy to modify. I have previously ground them down to fit the newer SS Fishers without any trouble. I would rather they were bright white instead of warm white, but I can live with warm white as long as they are so easy to modify.
 
Thanks, arts! :D

Next, I turned my attention to the capacitors inside.

The first to go were the death caps. The old green Micamolds have now been replaced with X1/Y2 safety caps.

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Then began the process of replacing the brown dipped "dog turd" caps.

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All of them have now been replaced.

Now, I need to see if I have all of the electrolytics I need or if I will have to make another Mouser or Digi-Key order...
 
Ron; The 202-R appears to have been the TOTL tuner FISHER made for the 1962 model year only. The only console I can find it in is the 1962 model year President although it appears to have been also sold as a stand alone tuner. An outboard MPX will be required for STEREO. It was designed to work with MPX-100 or MPX-200 or possibly(possibly!!!) the Crosby system due to the MPX output off the discriminator as the tuner was starting production before or while an onboard mpx design was finalized during the summer of '61. It was the last of the FM-AM simulcast type Stereo - Mono Tuners. The next model year, the R-xxx tuners came out with MPX built in.

Larry
 
The cap after the ratio detector (C109 8uf/50v in this case) seems to be the most problematic in Fisher tuners. Unless,of course,the filter caps are leaking magic smoke.
In my case,I always replace any ceramics in the audio path too.
 
Good call, arts, thanks. I have replaced the three .005 uF ceramics I found in the audio path (two on the FM side, one on AM) with .0047 uF film.

Also...

I looked...and if I can get that FP can out and open, I have the caps I need to restuff it. I also have the other electrolytics I need. I will replace the old Siemens bridge rectifier with individual diodes. Which means...I do not need to order anything for this tuner! :thumbsup:

Now, I did not have any axials with which to replace the 20 uF, 250V electrolytics, but I had some radial Nichicons in stock...so that's what went in.
 
Ron; The 202-R appears to have been the TOTL tuner FISHER made for the 1962 model year only. The only console I can find it in is the 1962 model year President although it appears to have been also sold as a stand alone tuner.

Hey Larry...are you sure you didn't mean to type 1961? It seems to me that when the 1962 model line came out, that the FM Stereo standard had by then been finalized and there would be no further need of AM-FM simulcast tuners. Although I am aware that the 800-B receiver retained this simulcast capability. My 202-R has the older style 1959-61 knobs, also.

I've seen a couple ads for the 202-R. One was from December 1960, another from late spring-early summer (don't remember which month) 1961. This would indicate a 1961 model.
 
I was going by the '62 president page on Fisherconsoles. If you've got ad's from Earlier, even better. Sept. 61 would be the start date for selling the 1962 models and I was going on that.
 
Top of the line I should say! That puppy appears to have 6 FM IF stages -- putting it on par with the FM-1000, and 2 AM IF stages, which Fisher's very best AM efforts always included. Add in muting and Microtune, and you definitely have the launching pad for the 1000 -- at least on the FM side anyway. If it needs alignment, be very careful as it is easy to get the IF strip and Microtune feature out of whack with each other so that it actually detracts from the tuning function rather than aiding it.

Great find, and nice job restoring it!

Dave
 
Philco, how do the lights look with the new LED's installed? Been thinking about doing my 200B and X202B. Source for the lamps? Thanks and yours is beautiful! Al
 
Al, thank you! (And just call me Ron.) :) I think the LEDs look very well indeed. The edge dial LEDs are a bit brighter than the original incandescent festoons, which I think is a good thing. I purposely used dim LED lamps to replace all of the #47 lamps as I did not want the tuning meters and the FM - AFC - AM indicators to be too bright.

Look for projectblk86 on the auction site for the LED fuse lamp replacements. Good prices, great service. the seller seems to be a very good fellow. Now as for the #47 replacements...I must apologize but I do not remember from whom I purchased them. They also came from the auction site. I had originally bought them for some of my Philco radios but I was disappointed in their (lack of) brightness. They are perfect for the Fisher application, though.

Dave - thank you also, I really appreciate the kind words from a true Fisher guru!
 
And so...

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I have replaced all of the brown dipped caps. I have also replaced three ceramic caps in the audio path with film caps. All electrolytics are also now replaced save for the three in the FP can which I have pulled from the chassis:

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I believe that the radial 47 uF 450V Nichicons I have on hand will fit inside this can. Now to decide how to open it up...whether to cut around the bottom of the smaller diameter of the can, or to grind off part of the flange underneath, unfold what I do not grind off, and proceed that way.
 
One of our guys (wish I could remember who) showed us his trick of grinding away the folded-over portion of the flange,which is conveniently hidden by the chassis when the cap is installed,restuffing the cap,then folding over a new flange.He showed his work,which was absolutely beautiful,and unlike cutting the can,was totally invisible when in situ. I believe he gained enough material for the new flange by eliminating the now unneeded rubber gasket.I haven't tried it yet myself,but it certainly looks like the way to go.

Do you have any alignment gear Ron?
 
Yes - a Sencore SG165 AM-FM Stereo generator and a Heathkit IM-13 VTVM, among other things. Remember, I've been in the vintage radio hobby for 43 years, so I was bound to accumulate a little bit of test equipment along the way. :)

Thanks for the idea of grinding away the folded-over portion of the flange completely - I was leaning towards that anyway, and if I can eliminate a rubber gasket to gain enough material to create a new flange, then that sounds like a winner.
 
Just be careful if you pry up that rim. I can see that as an easy way to drive a screwdriver through your hand.
 
...indeed...

I think I am going to grind the rim/flange off and not take any chances with prying. Maybe tonight after work, we'll see.
 
Another point which might need attention is the little (Microtune AFC switching) relay. These usually fails in the FM-1000 which uses the same type. Careful cleaning/burnishing the contacts is needed to restore reliable operation. (don't use sandpaper or any highly abrasive material on the relay point contacts !). And don't forget to replace the small electrolytic cap on the secondary of the FM discriminator xfmr.
 
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