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>From the files at the ARRL Automated Mail Server, (info@arrl.org): Prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service. file: manuals.txt updated May 26, 1993 Reprinted from June 1992 QST Lab Notes Copyright 1992 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All rights reserved. Thank you for requesting the following information from the ARRL Information mail server. ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs. For your convenience, you may reproduce this information, electronically or on paper, and distribute it to anyone who needs it, provided that you reproduce it in its entirety and do so free of charge. Please note that you must reproduce the information as it appears in the original, including the League's copyright notice. If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact Michael Tracy, American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (mtracy@arrl.org). This ARRL Technical Information Service handout has been derived from the June 1992 QST "Lab Notes" column. Information has been added to keep it current. You should also periodically check the ham-classified section of ham and electronic publications. How To Locate Manuals and Documentation "Excellent rig. Needs a little work." How many times have you passed up a good deal because you were certain you'd never find the service information? How often have you sent your rig to the factory for a bug that you could have fixed if you had the documentation? Mike Gruber, WA1SVF, one of our ARRL Laboratory Engineers, has searched high and low to find sources for service manuals and other useful information. In this month's column he gives you his results.--WB8IMY Q: Why do I need documentation for my radio equipment? A: Unless you're an electronics genius, proper documentation is often essential to the repair or restoration of any radio equipment. Even a simple schematic can save hours of time that would be wasted otherwise. Q: Okay, but is documentation readily available--even for my antique receiver? A: Believe it or not, there is a good chance that documentation still exists for almost any radio you're likely to encounter. Your success in finding it, however, depends on knowing what type of documentation might be available for your particular piece of equipment. Q: What types of documentation should I be looking for? Where can I find them? A: Let's save the names and addresses for later and begin by taking a look at the different types of equipment documentation available. There are several: Owner's Manuals: An owner's manual is supplied with the unit at the time of purchase. It's intended primarily as an instruction manual for the owner. It may not contain a schematic and service data is usually minimal. Although it's better than nothing, an owner's manual leaves quite a bit to be desired should a repair or alignment be required. Manufacturer's Service Manuals: Service manuals are usually sold by the manufacturer. They contain vital repair, service and alignment data. Most manufacturers supply service manuals for their products, although some may not provide manuals for obsolete equipment. If you're working with old equipment, it's possible that the manufacturer may have gone out of business. Keep this in mind the next time you purchase a new rig. Obtaining a service manual will take a little extra effort, but you'll be making a worthwhile investment in the future of your equipment. Third-Party Service Documentation: This type of documentation is is published by companies other than the manufacturer. It's available in several varieties from basic schematics to complete service manuals. While modern Amateur Radio gear is usually excluded, third-party documentation offers a wealth of information on antique receivers and modern consumer electronics. Q: Wait a minute. You mean that there are companies that publish and sell service data for another company's products? A: Certainly! Some of the most noteworthy publishers--past and present--include: Howard W. Sams & Company Photofacts: Sams started publishing Photofacts in 1946 with only 12 employees. Today Photofacts are accepted as the standard for accuracy. Complete chassis photographs are included and each component is clearly labeled. Alignment procedures and normal voltage readings are always provided. The extensive Photofacts library does not include modern amateur equipment, but you'll find service data for some of the classic shortwave receivers made by companies such as Hammurlund and Hallicrafters. Photofacts are sold in numbered folders and volumes. To obtain the correct Photofact, you must find the reference number for your particular piece of equipment in the Photofact Index. There is an interesting sidenote to the Photofacts story. Sams creates Photofacts from actual product samples. Instead of using the manufacturer's schematics, the circuits are analyzed and traced by Sams technicians! John F. Rider Perpetual Troubleshooters Manuals: "Rider's," as this series is commonly known, was first published in 1930 and covered radios back to 1926. The first numbered volume, however, appeared in 1933. New volumes were published at a rate of about one per year until the last one, volume 23, appeared in 1953. (Rider's for TVs, however, went from 1948 to 1957, volumes 1 through 18.) Rider's is indexed by a system that is very similar to the Photofacts. Several index volumes were published, such as volumes 1 to 7, 1 to 10, 1 to 15, 16 to 22 and 23 only. Unlike Photofacts, however, Rider used service data provided by the manufacturers. RCA Victor Service Data Books, commonly called "Redbooks." These cover RCA receivers manufactured from 1923 to 1950. The first volume covered receivers from 1923 to 1928. A new volume was published each year until 1950. Supreme Manuals: Compiled by M. N. Beitman, these first appeared about 1930 and covered radios made as early as 1926. One volume per year was published until the company went out of business in the 1950s. These generally contain only schematics; Riders and Photofacts are far more complete. Hugo Gernsback's Official Radio Service Manuals: Six volumes were published from 1929 to 1936. Mallory Radio Service Encyclopedia: First published in the early '30s, the Mallory Encyclopedias contained a very complete listing of radios by manufacturer and model number. In addition, an exact tube complement was given for each product. This information can be very useful if you are seeking service data for an old radio with an unknown model number. Q: Speaking of tubes, what about vacuum tube data? Is that kind of information still available? A: It sure is! Data for Eimac tubes, frequently found in amateur amplifiers and other high-power RF applications, is currently available from the manufacturer. Transmitting tube data can also be found in the ARRL Handbook; look for it in Chapter 35 if you have a recent edition. Data books for other tube types, such as receiving tubes, have been published by several companies. Most of these data books are no longer in print. Copies, reprints and even old originals can still be obtained if you know where to look. Two of the most popular data books for tubes are: RCA Tube Manuals: These are probably the most common tube manuals -- especially for receiving tubes. Separate manuals were also published for transmitting, special purpose and industrial tubes. These manuals first appeared in the 1930s and were frequently updated. General Electric Essential Characteristics Tube Data Books: These are similar to the RCA Manuals. Tube substitution guides have also been published by Sams and John F. Rider. Q: Now that I know what I'm looking for, where can I find the documentation? A: If you prefer the manufacturer's service manual, start by contacting the manufacturer directly. If the manufacturer is out of business, or no longer supplies the manual you need, you have other options. For example, try obtaining a copy from a manual- supply company. If you're working with military gear, manual-supply companies are also good sources. And, some military equipment manuals can still be obtained from the government. (More about that later.) If you think a Photofact or Rider might be available based on the age and type of equipment involved, check with your local library. Many city and university libraries have them and will let you make photocopies provided that no copyright laws are violated. If your local library can't help you, try one of the "schematic services" that cater to antique radio buffs. Their prices are generally quite reasonable. Don't forget to check the hamfest flea markets and yard sales. Service information can turn up in the most unusual places! For a difficult case, you might try a classified ad in QST. A classified ad in a publication that specializes in the type of equipment involved (such as Electric Radio Magazine\1/ or Antique Radio Classified\2/ for surplus or antique rigs) may be very effective. ADDRESSES Q: Come to think of it, I have several radios that could be put to good use--if they were working! How about those addresses you promised? A: Here they are. Good luck with your projects! Alinco Electronics, Inc 438 Amapola Ave Suite 130 Torrance, CA 90501 tel 310-618-8616 Supplies Alinco manuals only. --- Amateur Wholesale Electronics PO Box 224 1040 Industrial Dr Watkinsville, GA 30677 tel 404-769-8706 (technical service and orders) Manuals and replacement parts for Azden Radios. --- Antique Audio 41560 Schoolcraft Plymouth, MI 48170 Older factory manuals for RCA, Zenith (including Transoceanics) and several others. Riders volumes 1 through 22, Sams Photofacts 1 through 600, Beitman's volumes 1 through 10 and Sams Transistor Service Manuals volumes 1 through 90. The price is $5 per schematic up to 8 pages. Fifty cents for each additional page. Written inquiries for schematics preferred. --- Antique Electronic Supply 6221 South Maple Ave Tempe, AZ 85283 tel 602-820-5411 Antique Electronic Supply supplies pre-1960 service manuals for many electronic products, including communications receivers. The cost is $4.50 each. A catalog of antique radio parts and books is also available. They offer reprints of some older service manuals, tube manuals, a tube substitution guidebook and even a ballast tube manual. --- Ardco Electronics PO Box 95 Berwyn, IL 60402 Manuals for 95% of the Hallicrafters product line. The company was founded by Anthony Dambrauskas, the Hallicrafters service manager, when Hallicrafters went out of business in 1978. Today, the business is being carried on by his son Robert. Manuals range in price from $7 to $20. --- Brock Publications PO Box 5004 Oceanside, CA 92052 Manuals for for all amateur equipment sold by Swan Electronics. Also stocks manuals for Cubic Communications, Astro and Siltronix products. Brock Publications is a home business owned by Grace Brock who retired from Swan Electronics/ Cubic Communications in 1990. ___ Cardwell Condenser Corporation 80 East Montauk Highway Lindenhurst, NY 11757 tel 516-957-7200 FAX 516-957-7203 Manuals for Hammarlund equipment. In addition, they also have a limited supply of components for Hammarlund receivers and transmitters. They also manufacture roller inductors and variable capacitors. --- Center For Legislative Archives National Archives Washington, DC 20408 tel 202-501-5350 (Record Group 287) US Army Technical Manuals for radio equipment manufactured from 1940 to 1979. Photocopies can be obtained at a cost of 25 cents per page and a $6 minimum order. A "Reproduction Service Order" must first be completed by the National Archives to determine the cost of the specific manual you desire. The manual on this form must be identified by its proper Army Technical Manual number. If this number is not known, contact your nearest US Government Depository Library for assistance. (These are usually the main public libraries in large and medium-sized cities.) A booklet entitled Indexes and Lists to Army Technical and Administrative Publications 1940-1979; The National Archives Microfilm Publications Pamphlet Describing M1641, also available from the Archives, describes this procedure. ___ Dean K Kidd, W7TYR 27270 SW Ladd Hill Rd Sherwood, OR 97140 tel 503-625-7363 Manuals and data for older Tektronix test equipment. --- Eico Electronics Instrument Co, Inc 363 Merrick Rd Lynbrook, NY 11563 tel 516-599-5744 Eico manuals for the last 25 years. Calls are accepted on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM Eastern time. --- Fair Radio Sales Co, Inc 1016 East Eureka PO Box 1105 Lima, OH 45802 tel 419-223-2196 Manuals for surplus equipment. Also some Tektronix manuals and vacuum tube data. Catalog available. --- Hi-Manuals PO Box 802 Council Bluffs, IA 51502 Extensive collection of manuals from the mid-30s to the 70s. Amateur Radio equipment is included. You must order from a current catalog and "dropped list." The cost is $3 for both. Many Heathkit manuals in stock. They also supply vacuum tube data from the RCA Receiving and Air Cooled Transmitting Tube manuals and the Rider #35 Tube Substitution Guide. The cost is $5 per tube plus a business-size SASE. Your check will be returned if the tube data is not available. Hi-Manuals cannot accommodate technical correspondence, quote requests or telephone calls. --- Howard W. Sams & Co 2647 Waterfront Parkway East Dr Indianapolis, IN 46214-2041 tel 800-428-7267 tel 800-428-5331 You can order Sams Photofacts through your local distributor (saves postage and handling costs), by mail or by phone. Sams covers most consumer electronic items manufactured since 1945. A photocopy service for manufacturer's manuals and Rider's data is also available. --- ICOM America, Inc 2380 116th Ave NE PO Box C-90029 Bellevue, WA 98009-9029 tel 206-454-7619 Manuals and parts for ICOM products. Call for prices. Most service manuals cost around $25 for base and mobile units; $20 for hand- held units. --- Kenwood (East Coast) East Coast Transistor Parts, Inc 2 Marlborough Rd W Hempstead, NY 11552 tel 800-637-0388 (orders only) Kenwood (West Coast) Pacific Coast Parts Distributors, Inc 15024 Staff Ct Gardena, CA 90248 tel 800-421-5080 (Outside CA) 800-262-1312 (CA only) Kenwood product manuals only --- Japan Radio Company Service manuals are available from JRC dealers. The three companies likely to have JRC manuals in stock are: Electronic Equipment Bank 323 Mill Street NE Vienna, VA 22180 tel 800-368-3270 Gilfer Shortwave 52 Park Ave Park Ridge, NJ 07656 tel 800-445-3371 Universal Shortwave 6830 Americana Parkway Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 tel 800-431-3939 --- Jim Farago 4017 42 Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55406-3528 A complete set of Riders, Volumes 1 through 23, covering radios from 1924 to 1954. The cost is $3 per copy plus SASE. The customer must provide the unit name, brand name and model number. --- Land Air Communications 95-15 108th Street Richmond Hill, NY 11419 tel 718-847-3090 Authorized dealer for Kenwood, ICOM and Yaesu manuals. Also carries Collins, Johnson, Hallicrafters, National and other manuals. Can provide schematics on most equipment dating back to 1945. --- Peter Markavage 27 Walling St Sayreville NJ 08872 908-238-8964 Extensive collection of Laffayette manuals, also some Nation, Clegg, Heathkit, etc. Send SASE for list. --- Musty Manuals HamHeaven Communication Corp 645 Wheeling Rd Wheeling, IL 60090 tel 708-634-6467 An extensive collection of owners manuals, service and maintenance manuals, catalogs, magazines and other technical facts on all types of early and late model radio equipment--including ham gear. Manuals come with updates or articles, product reviews and other tidbits of information. Catalog available. --- MECCA 1132 Conway Dr Newark, OH 43055 tel 614-522-4944 Used manuals for test equipment, amateur equipment and early receivers. Prices range from $5 to $35. Send an SASE with your request for price and availability. --- Olde Tyme Radio Company Suite 317 2445 Lyttonsville Road Silver Spring, MD 20910 tel 301-585-8776 Some RCA Tube Manuals and Riders for sale. Catalog available. --- Puett Electronics PO Box 28572 Dallas, TX 75228 tel 214-321-0927 or 214-327-8721 Schematic diagrams "for nearly any radio receiver." Cost is $5 with manufacturer and model number; $15 plus drawing and description if the manufacturer or model number is unknown. Reproduction manuals, Rider's indexes, RCA Vacuum Tube Manuals, and many other service/instruction manuals for classic radios and related equipment are available. Some amateur equipment manuals including Collins. Test equipment manuals include Hewlett Packard, Tektronix, Hickock and others. Also supplies recordings of old radio shows as well as tubes and other antique radio components. Catalog available. --- Radio/TV/Ham Schematics Alton H. Bowman 4172 East Ave, RD 2 Canandaigua, NY 14424 A large collection of manuals and schematics for Amateur Radio equipment and other electronic products from 1920 to 1970--many unusual. Welcomes requests for odd-ball material with and without model numbers or labels. Prices are $5 for schematics and $7.50 to $10 for manuals. An SASE is appreciated. Alton emphasizes that this service is his hobby and not a business. --- R. L. Drake Company 230 Industrial Drive Franklin, OH 45005 tel 513-746-6990 Drake product manuals only. --- Robot Research Inc 5636 Ruffin Rd San Diego, CA 92123 tel 619-279-9430 Robot manuals only. --- Slep Electronics Co PO Box 100 Otto, NC 28763-0100 tel 704-524-7519 Operation and service manuals; schematic service for old and new amateur radios, commercial and military surplus test equipment, commercial and surplus military radios, antique radios and equipment manuals. Catalog not available due to large stock. Send an SASE for price and availability. Include make and model of each unit. --- Sony Publications PO Box 20407 Kansas City, MO 64195 tel 816-891-7550, extension 33 (Customer Service) Manuals for Sony shortwave receivers and other products. --- Steinmetz Electronics 7519 Maplewood Ave Hammond, IN 46324 tel 219-931-9316 Schematic copies from a complete set of Rider's and Beitman books, some older manufacturer's manuals (consumer radios only) and Sams Photofacts. The cost is $3 for the first schematic copy, $2.50 for the second and $1.50 for each additional copy. Include an extra dollar for research if the model number is unknown (SASE preferred). Also carries vacuum tubes and other parts. Catalog available. --- Surplus Sales of Nebraska 1502 Jones St Omaha, NE 68102 tel 402-346-4750 Stocks a complete line of manuals for Collins amateur equipment and partial collection of commercial equipment. Call or send an SASE for price and availability. Collins parts are also available. --- Ten-Tec, Inc PO Box 8010 Sevierville, TN 37864 tel 800-833-7373 Manuals for Ten-Tec products only. Most older manuals are available and they will make photocopies. Call or write for specifics. --- US Army Military History Institute Carlisle Barracks, PA 17013-5008 tel 717-245-3611 Technical manuals for military radio radio equipment. If possible, include the manual number with your request. If this is unknown, include a complete description of the equipment including the model name, model numbers and the time period in which the equipment was in use, if known. Once a specific manual is identified, it may be obtained in one of two ways. If the Institute possess three or me copies, one may be borrowed through interlibrary loan procedures. This process must be initiated at the your local library. Alternately, photocopies can be purchased. The minimum cost is $6 for up to ten pages. Each additional page is 25 cents. Each patron is allowed up to 300 pages per calendar year. Selected bibliographies of Institute holdings are available through interlibrary loan. --- Varian Associates, Inc 301 Industrial Way San Carlos, CA 94070-2682 tel 800-432-4422 EIMAC tube data for tubes from 1-kW to 1.5-kW plate dissipation including all glass-envelope tubes. 200-watt, 800-watt and larger tubes are manufactured in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can use the telephone number shown above to access either plant for data on any EIMAC tube. --- VISTA Technology Inc 3041 Rising Springs Ct Bellbrook OH 45305 tel 513-426-6700 Newly published manuals for selected models of Rockwell/Collins Amateur Radio equipment. Authorized by Rockwell International. --- W7FG Vintage Manuals 3300 Wayside Dr Bartlesville OK 74006 tel 918-333-7893 They have almost all of the old Collins, Drake, Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, Heathkit, Johnson, National and swan owner's manuals. They also have a fair selection of many other brands. Western Nebraska Electronics HC-84, Box 1 Potter, NE 69156 tel 308-879-4552 A complete collection of Collins manuals. The cost is $12.50 for a reprint copy, or $35 for a printed copy. Also carries a large supply of Collins parts. --- Yaesu USA 17210 Edwards Rd Cerritos, CA 90701 tel 310-404-2700 Owners and service manuals for Yaesu products. Also sells components. ---Notes: \1/Published monthly by Barry Wiseman, N6CSW, 4 Aspen Pl, Durango, CO 81301. \2/Published monthly by John Terrey, 498 Cross St, PO Box 2, Carlisle, MA 01741, tel 508-371-0512. The members and HQ staff would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this information file: WA1SVF Send any additional information or changes to mtracy@arrl.org. 73 from ARRL HQ.