Hammarlund HQ-140-X Repair and Restoration

Everything you need to know about the Hammarlund HQ-140-X Receiver (and more) in one video. Included in this video: A correction to a mistake in Hammarlund's alignment procedure. Important "missing" instructions to the alignment procedure. Lots of troubleshooting tips and tricks. See the performance of this receiver as aligned to factory spec's. Follow along beside Paul through the entire alignment, troubleshooting, repair and restoration procedure of a fantastic communications receiver. FOR MORE information, click the "SHOW MORE" tab right below this box.

Heathkit signal tracer video:

Spectrum analyzer protection video:

Video Facts:

*Creation time: 1 month start to finish. (excluding editing time)
Video size as uploaded in MP4: 19.7Gigs. (before compression: 32 Gigs.)

*Individual video's within this video, edited together: 42

*Still pictures: 2. Taken by Marie (my other half :^)
*Still's camera: Canon 5D Mark II.

*Video Camera: Canon Vixia.

*Audio: XLR balanced to camera. Customized vacuum tube condenser microphone. Applied Research and Technology "ART Voice Channel."

[rubennbr]

Hello Mr. Carlson, I obtained my Associates Degree in Electronics about 40 years ago. I have been in the electronic/Electrical workplace for about 50 years.
I went into electronics in order to do the exact type of work you are doing. Board level repair. It seems I have been in Industrial Instrumentation, Telecommunications and general electrical.
Drat. I have retired now and found your channel. You are giving me great experience in troubleshooting and repair of an array of electronics. I probably won't do it professionally, but
I will do it for pleasure. I have two old receivers in upright wooden cabinets. I am ordering parts to replace the ones already there. Thank you very much. I don't have your test equipment.
I hope I have enough to at least do a fairly good alignment. Thanks again. Keep the video coming!!

[fbetti]

in spite of its length, this is by far the most enlightening video I've seen on the subject as he exposes rarely talked about intrincacies. worth watching every minute

[emailshafihusain]

I wish if we could have more people like you. This level of detailed knowledge about radio repair is just so rare to find..

[thomasmoore]

Thanks Paul, especially for the SSB tips on overdriving the sensitivity.

[TheHypogriphQc]

While sleeping, I was following a course about this in french with visual representations, once the video started my teacher restarted the whole course and started speaking english as in a new english student walked in the classroom then woke up to this video at 6 minutes. I'm mindblown.

[plumbersnightmare]

I have watch a number of Mr. Carlson's videos in the past few years. All of them are great, but so far, this one is the best of all. Having walked by many of these HQ-140's at Ham swaps over the years, I may just bring the next nice one home. :-)

[Johncalvin]

Just yet another find example, of the Mr Carlson letting up ride along in his time machine. Loved the part of him showing us what this beast will do. Thank you so much for all you do, I'm glad to support his channel and be a Patreon.

[jwingo]

I am in awe of the level of your knowledge, humbleness and genuine willingness to share, explain and teach this highly technical and unique skill set. Thank you. I find your videos highly entertaining and fascinating. I have no experience in ham radio or electronics but you make me want to learn more about how radios work and were made decades ago. It’s amazing what people have invented and created. It makes you realize the amazing gift we have been given. God bless you.
Jim Wingert
Jupiter, FL

[arctos]

Hello Paul - I just wanted to thank you for this excellent video. About 16 years ago I had an HQ-140X and it was one of the most enjoyable receivers I have ever used. It was just a lot of fun to operate and I remember how sensitive and stable it was. I was able to tune in a German ham operator on 10 meter SSB and even at that frequency it wasn't necessary to "touch up" the tuning to keep him intelligible. Very impressive.
Hammarlund did a beautiful job in the design and manufacture of this receiver and I would like to find another one but they seem to be getting fairly rare, especially in the condition yours is in. Anyway, thanks for the excellent tips on restoration and alignment and the trip down memory lane with the "band cruising". Your videos are excellent and very informative. 73, Bruce K6RQR

[FredGandt]

0:00:00 - 0:01:30 | Intro
0:01:30 - 0:09:12 | First look outside
0:09:12 - 0:12:25 | First look inside > top
0:12:25 - 0:16:21 | First look inside > bottom
0:16:21 - 0:23:33 | Testing paper caps for leakage
0:23:33 - 0:25:05 | [SPOILER] Replacing caps
0:25:05 - 0:31:37 | First power up, functionality walkthrough and rough diagnosis
0:31:37 - 0:35:28 | Testing broadcast band alignment
0:35:28 - 0:37:58 | Looking at engineering-porn tuning capacitors
0:37:58 - 0:40:49 | Cleaning the dials
0:40:49 - 0:41:28 | Aligning the dials with their windows
0:41:28 - 0:45:58 | Looking at the schematic and notes on test gear connection for alignment
0:45:58 - 0:47:55 | Attaching spectrum analyser
0:47:55 - 1:12:23 | Initial spectrum analysis of IF alignment
After many hours of IF alignment...
1:12:23 - 1:33:42 | Explaining the IF alignment procedure with spectrum analyser and manufacturer spec. sheet
1:33:42 - 1:37:22 | Explaining the Beat Frequency Oscillator alignment
1:37:22 - 1:40:54 | Beginning the aligning of the Antenna, RF and Oscillator sections
1:40:54 - 1:52:54 | Notes on manufacturer's published alignment procedure including their error and omission
1:52:54 - 1:56:14 | Setting up for alignment
1:56:14 - 2:03:22 | Alignment using an oscilloscope or Vacuum Tube Volt Meter
2:03:22 - 2:08:59 | [SPOILER] Something's not right
2:08:59 - 2:24:09 | Troubleshooting with RF probes and a signal tracer
2:24:09 - 2:26:25 | Ready to test the restored receiver
2:26:25 - 2:30:03 | Listening from .54 to 1.32 Megacycles
2:30:03 - 2:31:42 | Listening from 1.32 to 3.2 Megacycles
2:31:42 - 2:33:00 | Demonstration of noise limiter
2:33:00 - 2:34:37 | Listening from 3.2 to 5.7 Megacycles
2:34:37 - 2:36:36 | Using the BFO to tune in on side band
2:36:36 - 2:37:44 | Listening from 3.2 to 5.7 Megacycles cont.
2:37:44 - 2:38:38 | Manually tracking a moving signal
2:38:38 - 2:39:48 | Listening from 3.2 to 5.7 Megacycles cont.
2:39:48 - 2:45:02 | Listening from 5.7 to 10 Megacycles including more side band and noise limiter action
2:45:02 - 2:50:51 | Listening from 10 to 18 Megacycles
2:50:51 - 2:54:14 | Listening from 18 to 31 Megacycles including using the BFO to tune in on a Morse code beacon
2:54:14 - 2:57:35 | Final notes and reminders for alignment
2:57:35 | Outro

[josephhammond]

Sir just want to convey my extreme oppression for the time and effort you put in all your video's. love of the craft really comes through
and it's that same love of watching my father work on the electronics of my youth this is where my love of all things electronic. Thank you the craft you teach in invaluable too us all and is very much appreciated. God bless you and yours. Thank you for giving so much of your time.

[TheRadioShop]

Paul, that was simply amazing. The knowledge you have and the way you present your repairs are incredible.  I started watching this video right after you posted it. Was working in the shop while doing so and just found it astonishing. Very well done on this relic.

[radicalham]

Once again Mr. Carlson you blow us away with your meticulous work and have uploaded yet another historical document! It's bittersweet for me because months ago I saw in one of your videos that you had an SP-210 sitting around, the radio I own, and I had been meaning to ask you to document and work on one of those early Hammarlunds. I was encouraged on your video to hear you've got a couple pending on the bench, so brother I hope you work on and upload an SP-210 as there are substantial differences in the older sets that could help many of us out. That's my X-Mas wish!

[orange]

Let me say that Mr. Carlson you do much more than give generously of your electronics knowledge, you bolster ones faith in their fellow man. Your teaching is very much appreciated on many levels, Thank You'

[stuartthegrant]

The "Tuner Capacitor" is a work of art Paul. I think you have a unused receiver there. Any drift can be put down to age. My word you don't muck about with your vidio's. 10 out of 10 for expertise and just about everything else.Stuart.

[shanookflc]

What can I say Paul the amount of work you put in to all your projects you are truly a perfectionist at what you do. The best three hours watching a genius at work. thank you so much Paul for sharing all this with us. You just amaze me all the time you treat all you projects with the respect they deserve you have some lovely radios they don't make them like that any more. I honestly I don't think there is nothing you can't fix. and when it comes to restoration you are number one the work to details is perfection.

[stefflus]

It's been a wait, but it was worth it! The last couple of videos I've actually started worrying about you a few days before it came out; "what if he got a shock, or there's a forest fire and so on and so forth.."
High point for me was the finding of the noisy part. I'd love a video on that probe.

[miked.]

You know, I've had, HAD, near every piece of great vintage gear from flea markets and repaired them. Rented semi trailer space for all of it, till I got to old age, then it was only right to pass them on to good homes. Even though rigs got highly complex, I worked rcv/xmit combos and worked 100 countries with boat anchors. Your intellect and magic you do to the past is commendable .

[hankus]

Having built almost every Heathkit receiver made, it was fun to watch the alignment on this Hammarlund. The principle and tools used brought back a lot of memories.  Good job Paul.

[wansolve]

I've been using and repairing old radios like this for years and I absolutely agree with you. There's several things I do as a matter of course in troubleshooting, diagnostic, or repair that I'm not sure is documented anywhere. Just some tips I got along the way from my Elmer or others kind enough to share. Thank you for taking the time to do this, I enjoyed every minute of it, especially the Crystal Filter and IF Alignment. I'm getting ready to revive an old BC348 and was dreading working on the Crystal Filter section. You provided a great refresher!