Introduction

An important part of amateur radio is servicing equipment--most hams are allowed to service their own equipment.  Fixing equipment can be an effective way to learn about electronics.

Additional information on this subject and related topics can be found in back issues of QST and the following:

The ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs

The ARRL has an extensive catalog of books and materials related to Amateur Radio.

Articles

Note: Some of the following articles are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To view and print these files, you'll need a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader program. (Version 7.0 or later required). More information here.

• Troubleshooting Your Radio Equipment (792,557 bytes, PDF file)
  QST November 1993, pp. 65-66
  Troubleshooting your equipment is easier than you think.
• Electronic Troubleshooting -- Lab Notes (26,358 bytes, PDF file)
  QST November 1995, pp. 87-88
  
• Some Basics For Equipment Servicing -- Part 1 (955,820 bytes PDF file)
  QST December 1981, pp. 11-14
  Costly repairs to amateur equipment can often be avoided if we do our own repair work. Knowing the nature of semiconductors is a vital means to that end.
• Some Basics For Equipment Servicing -- Part 2 (1,856,673 bytes, PDF file)
  QST January 1982, pp. 38-41
  Dc voltage measurements are fundamental to troubleshooting amateur equipment. We'll look at how to make these measurements and show you a "hi-Z" voltmeter you can build in a weekend.
• Some Basics For Equipment Servicing -- Part 3 (1,704,339 bytes, PDF file)
  QST February 1982, pp. 40-44
  Using the proper techniques can speed equipment servicing. The methods are easy, and you can build the test gear!
• Some Basics For Equipment Servicing -- Part 4 (2,962,839 bytes, PDF file)
  QST March 1982, pp. 40-44
  Knowing how to use the oscilloscope effectively as a troubleshooting tool will move you to the front of the equipment servicing class.
• How to Measure Large Direct Current with Common Meters (253,233 bytes, PDF file)
  QST January 1996, pp. 40-43
  Multimeters and panel meters seldom measure more than 10 A. Sense resistors and meter shunts can help -- for pennies apiece!
• Testing A Sideband Transmitter (1,259,822 bytes, PDF file)
  QST September 1965, pp. 14-18
  A primer of simple tests and adjustments.
  (This article is for those servicing vintage transmitters from the mid ‘60s and ‘70s. -Ed.)
• FT‑101 Power Amplifier Valves from Ham Radio Today (RSGB) April 1998
  Beware of changing the 6JS6C power amplifier valves in the venerable old FT-101 (this applies to direct replacement without circuit modification)
• Swept Receiver Dynamic Range Testing in the ARRL Laboratory (139,306 bytes, PDF file) QEX June 1996, pp. 3-12
• Improved Dynamic-Range Testing (899,952 bytes, PDF file)
  QEX Jul/Aug 2002, pp. 46-52

Note:

Contact information for suppliers mentioned in the above articles should first be confirmed using TIS Address Database Search.

Bibliography (Members Only)

ARRL Periodicals Index Search - This database contains the QST index from 1915 to the present and the QEX index from 1981 to the present. For QST issues from 1970 to the present, and some selected articles back to 1922 (when construction articles featuring tubes began in earnest), identifying keywords have been added to the technical articles. By entering keywords (ANTENNA) or combinations of keywords (CONSTRUCTION ANTENNA VERTICAL HF) into the Title words: field, you may create dynamic bibliographies.
Technical article KEYWORD list. Hints for more successful searching

Suggested keywords for more articles like the ones on this page are TROUBLESHOOT REPAIR

Web Links

• Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ
  This site features a series of comprehensive repair guides for consumer electronics equipment and other household devices. There is also a great deal of other information of interest to the electronics hobbyist, experimenter, technician, and engineer.
• Schematics of radios.

Article Reprints:

You can get a photocopy of any ARRL published article for $3 ($5 for nonmembers) for each article requested. Contact the ARRL Technical Department (reprints@arrl.org ), 1-860-594-0390, between Noon and 5PM, Tuesday through Friday, if you wish to get photocopies.

This information was prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0214. Email: tis@arrl.org (Internet). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information on the Web free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.

If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact:

TIS Coordinator
American Radio Relay League
225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111
Tel: 860-594-0214 Fax: 860-594-0259
(email: tis@arrl.org)