This weeks challenge was a Hallicrafters S-38.  The owner purchased this radio as a victim of a flood (the radio is the victim).  He was a Novice Amateur operator at that time.  He washed it out with a hose, dried it off and used it as his first ham receiver.  He is now retired and the current president of Skyview Radio Society (2009).  

The owner is a skilled cabinet worker and is restoring the metal enclosure.  I restored the chassis.  When I receive some cabinet pictures I will be sure to add them here.

The restoration was relatively straight forward until the alignment.  Band 2 would not adjust in.  After hours of poking around, replacing mica caps I discovered an additional wire connected from the Antenna section of the wafer switch to the Band 2 oscillator trimmer.  The solder connection of the wafer switch looked factory and unmolested.  Once I removed this wire the oscillator snapped into alignment range and now all four bands are spot on.

I have discovered that Ham gear is usually modified in some way.  I have nothing against this.  Actually, I promote experimentation with gear.  However, it is always a challenge when I restore a piece of ham gear.  If I may paraphrase Forest Gump, "It is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're going to get." 

Schematic found here: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/862/M0008862.htm

I will add cabinet pictures later.

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