Random Radio From The Vault, Will it Work ? Smoke Alert 

Thanks for featuring the Swan on your video. I bought a Swan 350C way back in 1969 at Henry Radio in Anaheim when I was a teenager bagging groceries. I still have it today and still use it today. I also use it with a D104. I went off the air for 29 years and went back on a few years ago. I brought it up on a variac and a dim bulb tester with a current meter. I also checked the electrolytics with a capacitor checker and they all checked good. High quality Mallory filters in the power supply. Anyway, after cleaning the switches and potientiometers, it fired up just fine. The 350C's have 6LQ6 finals in them. They have great matching networks in them. They spec it at 520- watts PEP and 360 CW and I've seen 200 watts output DC on mine. I use it for both SSB and CW. When I was a kid we showed up at the Swan manufacturer in Oceanside, California and knocked on their door. The gentleman there invited these 17 year old kids in and gave us a tour of the facility. If you google about, there's a "Swan Compendium" out there on the web that has a lot of historical and technical information on the Swan rigs. I'll have this rig until my final days and after that, make sure it goes to the local radio club to be appreciated further. By the way, I noticed the Hammarlunds. I started out with a HQ110 and a Drake 2NT.

I am in total awe of your knowledge and skills with electronics.

Form Gardner it is so nice to see people working on tube tipe equipment buddy keep on the valt

I love the storage exploration and picking a unit to restore and bring up to date. You pick them!

Awesome collection of transceivers and receivers Buddy! Think Paul Carlson has you beat , but I think he has everyone beat on his stuff regardless of equipment. Swam 350 with a little smoke released. I'm almost as old and every now and then I do the same. LOL Cleaning with Q tips is not a good idea. They make smaller diameter precision tip cotton buds for this work, great for cleaning phenolic wafers. Like your demostrated troubleshooting techniques on this unit Buddy.

I like the random selection. I also very much liked the smoke coming out, and the explanation. Thanks!!

I got started in ham radio with a Swan 260 transceiver. They are drifty but still fun to operate and fairly easy to repair. Over the years I collected 5 or 6 Swan rigs including 260, 270, 250, 350, 1011B and a TV2 2 meter transverter. My favorite is the 250 (6 meters), which I used for many contests and 6 meter band openings. Overall I think Swan was way ahead of its time in the day. Thanks for the video, it brought back memories of reviving some of my Swan rigs!

Love Tarnex, I have been using it since I discovered it as a teenager in the 70s! Yes, must be washed well, if I remember right Phosphoric acid is the main ingredient. BTW I love all your repair videos, but do prefur start to finish ones. Old CB's are cool too, I just went through a clean Roybn Range Gain supressed carrier 23 channels. Next is my TS-820...

Thanks for all you do. Every video is a learning experience.

New audio for the entrance. I kinda liked the old version better. It really identified you to me, especially at the beginning of each video. W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee

Will be nice to see the Swan fully up and running.👍🏻

Oh the look at your vault was a treat. I really like picking one unit out of there and doing an evaluation. Can’t wait for the next in the series.

I always learn from your trouble shoot vids. My TS520S (bought new back in the day) was in storage for many years and now I've been trying to make it work again. You always give me ideas of what to look at. Got a new set of caps for it last week so I can get back at it when the weather warms up, and with it my shop. THANKS MUCH!

I love that rising and diving whistle sound when the radio is close to tuning in. 26:26

Wow, another great instructional video. I'm an old ham and have tinkered around with this stuff for may years but never really studied. Now at 67, I'm really starting to get into it. I've always been fascinated with this field and between you and another gentleman, I am soaking this in like a sponge. Thank you so much for the way you explain what you are doing. I know a lot, but know nothing comparable to your genius. I was gifted a Kenwood TS-50 that needs some work, so I'm watching your video series on that rig. Those have really helped me a lot. Thank you again.

that intro, so many nice radios! Love the FRG7's, the rci 2950, superstar, and all those 2510's!

Random grab is a great idea, very enjoyable to watch. I learn so much from you. Thanks for your efforts.

Tarn-X contains sulfamic acid and thiourea according to the manufacturer's SDS. An excellent cleaner for copper as well as silver. BUT I would be VERY wary of breathing in the smoke caused by a HV arc tracking through the Tarn-X.

Really liked to see some of the collection. 👍

Great radio to rebuild! Glad you took time to get back to restoring radios! Great selection, love the walk through the vault….love to see ya pull an old Tram D201A or Browning Mark IV as a future product! I use to enjoy watching Mike restore those radios!

Gosh you have some cool older stuff there that's awesome brings back memories

Another great video Buddy, Thanks!

I had a 350 back in the late 70s, cool rig but drifted all over the place. Love that 457. Thanks for the video, and the tip on using Tarn_X . Cheers

Tarn-X. That tip was worth the price of admission. Thanks Buddy.

Nice video Buddy. Those old Swans and a D-104 made a nice combo. Thanks. 73 de KB7ICI...Bill

Love these video's, learning so much... thank you sir

Hi Buddy, happy -23! Remember the SBE/Frontier 500D? Mine had _exactly_ this carbon tracking in the drive circuit wafer! I subbed the rotor from another deck, and it worked fine

Thanks Buddy for another great video. Keep the coming. 73s

That is an amazingly cool stash of radios. I'm happy with my Drake R4A and T4X though. I wouldn't even know how to start storing a collection like that.

Yes indeed carbon tracking is a real problem and if any little bit is left it will arc over again. Definitely that wafer switch as to be replaced and underneath where it was has to be cleaned to eliminate any carbon residue. Great video Buddy. You do have a large warehouse of receivers and transceivers to work on for sure.

Happy New Year Buddy! Hoping for a FT-101x maybe next time. Thank You for showing us .... I'm a fan

Thanks Buddy. My last radio project was a Swan drifty 250. Swan kept the same layout on most rigs. It is hard to tell one from another looking at the under side. I think they changed the company's name more times then the design. Adding a fan helped my drift. No sweep tubes in the 250, 6146. They are fun and I am running a Heathkit power supply. 73

Great radios...like the 101 Yaesu radios,cobra 2000, and amateur radios

Teflon tape, good for plumbing and electronics!

Another great video Buddy, Like to see a couple radios repaired like the FT-102, Ft-101E calibration and the FTdx401 When and if time permits. Thanks for the TarnX tip.

good morning buddy just to let you know there is a boat anchor Swan net on 7.202 Thursday at 9:00 PM EST. Great video can wait to see the restore on it the Swan 350 is my next radio I am working on a swan 250 C now and a Swan TV-2B 2 meter transverter then it is time to find the 350. good luck with this one and will be watching for the video

I have the Swan 600 R/T twins. Thinking about doing this to them. The papers on them says there are a lot of problems. I may save them for retirement when I will have a lot of time.

Well buddy.... thanks for the memories... Keeping these radios alive is not that popular and I congratulate you for reaching back to give them a hand. I know that you have a handful and its hard to pick one.... Just wanted to say any one of them would be a great pic... thanks for the memories..

Thank you, Buddy! Quite a rig that is! Edit - I wish I had a chance to deoxit the aluminum grill too, with diethylacetate... And lacquer... Phenolic plates are hard to bare, really. To make that early-80s look and smell when heated...

Nice video never saw that particular issue on Band Switch but great to see on an old "Drifty" 50. I have the Swan 700cx and Swan MKII linear amps hope to see more real soon

Thank you again

Loved the video Buddy, keep up the great content.

Thanks for the cleaning tips, Buddy. I have always shyed away from Tarnex except for cleaning blank or empty circuit boards.I have a tired old HW-01 that really needs all those rotary switches cleaned. I may just jump into it with some Tarnex and try to clean them up. I love your Vault! Did I see a Yaesu FR-101 in there? That or the CB rig you mentioned would be my vote for the next video. Thanks again and stay safe. 73 de K7RMJ Frank

Sweet

Most people don't know that rotary switches had silver contacts and the black is tarnish.

The way radio prices have been climbing, it's not a vault, it's a nest egg...

I enjoyed that. Thanks for the video. It's appreciated. Do you have any Lafayette CBs such as a HE-20c laying around? I have two of those that are candidates for a refurb and could probably use one as a parts donor for the other.

Perhaps a steering diode is breaking down in receive.

Thanks Buddy, another great video! Just ordered some Tarnex 😀 Is IPA good to clean the Tarnex off? You were using a spray, but i couldn't make out what it was. Your videos on cleaning everything from wafer switches to relay contacts are fantastic, thank you!

Magic Smoke

Buddy, can you look at a Sonar FS-2340 that I have, Looks original, like new . she been sitting a long while? thanks.

Buddy, Did you have an opportunity to get back into this radio? I'd love to see it finished and have you go through an alignment. Thank you for all the great videos!!! 73 Jim KE8LMQ

Isn't it always safe to ground out the tubes before touching Buddy.... 😮😮😮.... Joke Joke Joke PS.... The volt looks nice i think i saw a newer version Tram in there!!

DO THE TRAM D201A''''''thanks buddy

Nice Radio, and thanks for the tip with the tape - what kind of tape was it - phenolic? Like the plumbing tape or is it something else? Also did I see an FT401 in there as you were browsing the shelves? If so, dig it out - first rig I ever had and I wish I'd kept it. Fond memories...

Drifty 350!

I didn't paint the covers, the original owner did. I'm not sure what the original color was but you can always sand it and repaint it. Enjoy.

I can’t find anyone to fix my 138 xlr 😢😢😢😢