in Fact, I will relay what our lab and Tektronix, the maker of top of the
line oscilloscopes found out back in the height of the tube operated days.
Many oscilloscopes would come in for calibration. Tek and other firms came
up with a washing technique with distilled water and detergent to remove the
grundge from tube chassis terminal strips, resistors, and tube sockets and
tubes. The chassis would be stripped of tubes and washed with a spray much
like a kitchen sink spray hose. Then, the chassis would be baked at low
heat for a couple of days. The switch contacts would be relubed, and the
tube sockets contacts sprayed with a cleaner and deoxidation spray. The
tubes would be plugged back in, and the unit would be found to be in perfect
calibration without touching a capacitor trimmer, pot or other variable!
Now it is not as dirty to operate solid state gear, but cleaning around
ventilation areas, fans, and dust bunnies may improve the operation and it
may be found that more recent rigs do not need recalibration unless they
have been operated mobile or in some extreme environment.
73, Stuart K5KVH
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