Here's a few pics and info on a Yaesu FT-101EE I overhauled for a friend. These are GREAT rigs, I've owned and rebuilt several over the years. Beautiful RX audio, stable VFO, great TX audio. Lots of tricks and mods for them, not to mention the cool looks of this venerable rig.
I like to start off with a working radio, if even working poorly. If it's not working, repair it to a point where it is before getting too deep in the restoration. Typically I start by cleaning all of the card connections, rotary controls & switches, and air variable cap rotor wipers with Deoxit D5. Spray and clean all wafers of the band switch assembly. Next, I replace all of the electrolytic caps throughout the rig with new units, I think around 65 pieces. After rebuilding each board, I reinstall it in the radio and power up for a quick test. Replace all power resistors in the PA cathode and grid circuits. Install the driver coupling cap mod. Test and replace driver / PA tubes as needed. Using a service manual, install all documented mods and updates. Perform a full alignment on the RX & TX. Replace all indicator lamps. When finished, these radios will give a modern day rig a good run for the money, and provide many years of dependable service. Here's a few pics of the process...
On the bench, ready for surgery...
Some of the terminal boards have caps that have to be replaced, and aren't easy to get to...
PA compartment open, new filter caps installed (much smaller than the OEM HV caps!)...
Boards laid out, repopulated with all the new caps...
Some of the caps removed and replaced. Notice how tall the HV caps were. The new HV caps are about 1/4 the size, but have higher capacitance and voltage ratings!
Cleaning the rotary switch wafers...
The gray colored cap in the upper edge of the photo needs replacing...
Replacing more caps...
Bags of caps, awaiting installation...
Notice the burned resistors in the PA screen grid circuit...
Replacing more caps...
Notice the difference in the size of the old caps vs. the new caps...
Replacing the driver coupling cap under the trimmer board...
The old HV caps, awaiting replacement...
Getting alignment...
All completed and on the air!
A quick video after the overhaul...
I always say this...I LOVE these rigs :-) I was working in a 2-way shop in the 70's when these were popular. Being a young kid, I never had the money to actually own one, but I got to operate many on the air and loved them.
Dave WB4IUY
www.WB4IUY.net
