Specifications

modifications. The pot is placed in series with the ALC line to the ALC jack, seen just below
the ALC pot.
I can't stress this topic to strongly you MUST use ALC with this amp! Not using the ALC
WILL result in damage to the tubes.
Many operators don't use ALC feed-back with their amps, saying that they can control RF
output with the controls on the radio itself, but this does not protect against "accidental"
over-drive, high SWR, etc. Anyone that does not use ALC is a FOOL!!
Finishing touches
The top cover for my 86 had a lot of scratches and oxidation on it, so I stripped it down to
bare metal, sanded it smooth and repainted it with satin black, it looks really nice now.
Prior to repainting, I did a little detail work on the cover. I chamfered the holes of the air
exhaust ports, both inside and out. Not only will this detail make the cover look good, it will
lower the resistance of the air-flow through the holes.
The cover screws were a mix-matched hodge-podge of various types of screws. I replaced
all of them with hex drive button-head screws with a black oxide finish, making the cover
look very nice.
The rear panel looked good, only needing a little cleaning with 409®.
The front panel looks great, near mint. The most unique part of the front panel is that it is
entirely covered with a protective plastic shield. The shield protects the panel paint and
lettering from everyday wear and tear that your hands would normally do to it. The plastic is
not shiny, but has a textured surface that does not reflect light like a shiny surface would do.
I like this feature a lot!
About the Power transformer
The main power transformer is the true heart of the 86. These units are high-silicon, grain-
orientated, steel cores (Hipersil®), wound with Teflon® insulated copper tape (flat wire).
Finally, the entire transformer was fully encapsulated in epoxy resin.
The transformer has 120 & 240Vac primary, but even the operations manual discourages
using the 86 on 120Vac mains. I have permanently wired mine for 240Vac operation only.