Specifications

In Fig.8 you see an example of the panel rocker switches.
After I examined the switch, I found that the blade of a small screw-driver could be inserted
on each side of the switch, which opens the switch plastic frame enough to allow the rocker
to be removed, exposing the internal parts of the switch. The red dots show the position of
the center pivots, care should be taken not to push the blade in at these points. The blade
should be placed at points "A & B".
Now that I had removed the switch internal parts, I could see that they had become badly
oxidized.
The parts are mostly copper, so they can be cleaned. There are two small strips that move
when the rocker is moved. Behind the rocker are two spring-loaded pivot points that fit into
indents in the copper strips. The fixed contacts in the back of the switch housing are also
copper. I cleaned all of the green oxide off the strips and contacts. I used Pro-Gold®
to
prevent re-oxidation or all the parts, and lubricate the rocker points. Then I carefully re-
installed the switch back into the housing, and tested its operation. They have not given me
any trouble since. It was a lot easier than replacing the entire switch, much cheaper too.
ALC on the 86
The ALC system of the 86 is not what you will find in most other amplifiers. It has no
adjustment. The level is factory set at between -7 and -10Vdc. This level of ALC feed-back
voltage will be much to high for some exciters, especially ICOM radios.
The 86 derives ALC signal from grid current flow, so it is more accurate and consistent than
RF drive signal derived ALC voltage.
In Fig.9, "A", you can see how I installed an adjustment pot to control the ALC voltage.
Fig.9
The pot I used is a 2watt, 100k ohm, with a short shaft. I installed it into the hole vacated by
the "Key out" jack, seen in Fig.7 "B", which was removed during the vacuum relay