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Restoring a Collins 30S1

A Tribute to Bob Crawford, K8VFV

In the beginning there was ...

Bob, K8VFV became a silent key on xxxxx. His amateur gear estate was handled by Al, K8SIX. I purchased Bobs 30S1 as it was...in pieces. This is what I brought home.

I estimated it would take me 160 hours (4 X 40 hr weeks) to rebuild the amplifier. I would start on it in the new year (2020) as my winter project.

Well I couldn't wait till 2020. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided I would read through all the literature and notes that Bob had accumulated while he was restoring the amplifier. And then I came across the eBay advert from which Bob purchased the 30S1 and my aspirations took a step back.

"This amp working and in daily use until May 2001 - according to what Joe, W4CTG told me (the estate seller), it started showing grid and screen current with low voltage turned on and pins when HV turned on - symptoms present with or without tube"

As a result of reading this disappointing news, I added another 80 hours onto the estimate to rebuild the Collins 30S1.