01-23-2014, 11:12 PM
You can often align AM acceptably by ear. I don't think the exact IF frequency matters too much as long as all the IFs are peaked the same as each other. I did several radios this way before I had the signal generator and VTVM.
Warm up your radio. From the alignment instructions that came with the schematic figure out which IF compensators to adjust and in what order. Tune to a medium strong station. Peak each compensator in the order given to find the highest audible signal. Do this several times. Then find a weaker station and do it two or three times more. It goes pretty fast once you've done it the first time. You have to wait until there is some steady music or someone talking without much dead air, but you can get close.
To align the dial, follow the instructions for the dial alignment except instead of injecting low and high frequency RF from the signal generator, use a high and low station near the frequencies they suggest. Adjust the compensators as instructed. If the alignment instructions say to set the signal generator to 700 KHz and 1500 KHz for alignment, and you can pick up stations at 680 and 1530, no big deal, just use them and set the dial appropriately at 680 and 1530 or whatever station you use. Again, peak by ear, and you should be close enough.
I'm not sure if you can align FM by ear or not. The only FM receiver I've aligned was difficult even with a signal generator and VTVM. A scope might make it easier.
Warm up your radio. From the alignment instructions that came with the schematic figure out which IF compensators to adjust and in what order. Tune to a medium strong station. Peak each compensator in the order given to find the highest audible signal. Do this several times. Then find a weaker station and do it two or three times more. It goes pretty fast once you've done it the first time. You have to wait until there is some steady music or someone talking without much dead air, but you can get close.
To align the dial, follow the instructions for the dial alignment except instead of injecting low and high frequency RF from the signal generator, use a high and low station near the frequencies they suggest. Adjust the compensators as instructed. If the alignment instructions say to set the signal generator to 700 KHz and 1500 KHz for alignment, and you can pick up stations at 680 and 1530, no big deal, just use them and set the dial appropriately at 680 and 1530 or whatever station you use. Again, peak by ear, and you should be close enough.
I'm not sure if you can align FM by ear or not. The only FM receiver I've aligned was difficult even with a signal generator and VTVM. A scope might make it easier.
John Honeycutt
