How to resurrect National NC-270 Ham Shortwave tube receiver

What a find! Real beauty of a cosmic blue National NC-270 receiver. This is the first one that has came thru D-lab's shop. When I was a kid, I always wanted this model. Seemed to be fairly rare compared to the NC-300's. So, I ended up with a 300, which I also loved. The days of quality builds are pretty much gone. Back in the 60's it wasnt just about performance, it was also a piece of art, a theme for the era. That is why I steer my videos that direction. To allow you and of course me to re-live those great days. D-lab restores vintage Ham receivers. Contact me if you have one in need! Thanks for being part of the D-lab team! Spread the word.

[@marshallanderson6329]

Hi. I enjoy these videos more than you can imagine. I'm a vintage radio nut also and do my own repairs and have learned a lot from you. Thanks much, wb0snf

[@TefCom12]

Thanks so much for putting this out here. I am about to get my hands on that exact model. Just seeing someone go through the process helps loads. Thanks again.

[@preiter20]

The clean up makes it look like a million bucks! Another great video Terry.

[@VintageTechFan]

An old collector once gave me a tip how to clean such knobs easy and efficiently. Use denture cleaner tablets in warm water, soak them and most of the crud will just fall off when you rinse them afterwards. I tried it 2 times and it works quite well.

[@davidhawley1533]

Awesome tip. I’ve got this same United I’m restoring right now. I’ll give it a shot

[@vtradio]

Terry Great job on a beautiful receiver! I have a Hallicrafters SX-100 here, also in the original box, sans dust. It has a frozen Sensitivity switch that I plan to take apart and free up. 73 Paul AA1SU

[@captlarry-3525]

Love my NC-270. National called it "cosmic" blue !

[@mbutts1139]

Outstanding video, ham radio as it should be. I can't wait to get my test bench back up and running after being down for a couple decades.

Gracias, Terry. Que agradable. Mis ojos hoy han recibido un regalo gracias a ti. JOsé Luís ea5bii 73,s

[@jimgiordano8218]

Woo Hoo! Nice old radio, can't wait for part two.

[@d-labelectronics]

I'm uploading part 2 right now

[@xnotx2]

She's a beaut! Nice color blue, too.

[@tomk1tl]

Nice job on the NC270...I lived in Fall River MA during my novice years and remember Beckman Electronics in New Bedford MA. Good luck with the remainder of the update...awaiting anxiously for Part deux ;-))

[@duanetrivett750]

I wood like to have a Heathkit Mohican gc 1a rebuild by you . you do good work !

[@superhet7281]

Great job, Terry, as always! There was a general-coverage version of this receiver, model NC-190. There was also a very good series of articles in Electric Radio some years back about the 270 and its ferrite filter. Good reading for owners of this radio.

[@hpelisr]

Wow that looks like a nice find. I'm not a Ham operator,but I do know one at work. I can see it is a great piece.

[@gearheadted9210]

Wow what a cool piece!

[@materialsguy2002]

Nice receiver, Terry and well done. 👍🏻

[@randymoyer5351]

Nice Radio there, I was wondering how is you're weather, here it's bad and very cold, so take care if in the cold ,.. Don't stay out long. And hope the radio works out and comes to Life. But take care if cold like it is here where i'm at.

[@PapasDino]

Good job as usual Terry...we're working on a friend's Hallicrafters SX-99 and experiencing some of the same issues and hopefully will have the same good results! 73 - Dino KL0S

[@JunHinagdanan]

Great sir, you got it working. Waiting for its testing in your next video. :::)

[@wklinger79]

Hey Terry, Good work on this really cool radio. I was off work today, and I heard those VE's that you were hearing on 7.290 AM today. Would love to hear you on the noontime forum or on 3.885 on day. 73--Wally W9BEA

[@alphabeets]

The voice in the beginning clip sounds great.

[@dhpbear2]

6:26 So I gather that paper caps were passe' by 1960 or was it re-capped with 'turd' caps? It's amazingly clean underside!

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!! Cool!

[@donaldwallace7934]

Nice!

[@nobodyyouknow222]

thats a lotta hum for an Nc-270

[@nobodyyouknow222]

WD-40 is a solvent, but not a lubricant. Tri-Flow is much better to use on bezels, bearings and shafts, it will clean and leave a long lasting lubricant and rust preventive coating. Use DeOxit on variable capacitor bearings, wafer switches, slide switches and pots, and on tube pins, and socket pins and connectors.

[@n8nkqrp595]

Spectacular work and equally spectacular Rx. Thank you for never doing a brainless DMM video. All the 'features and functions and fancy displays' are garbage. They cannot make for even a decent technician and troubleshooter, let alone a good one. And that's the moral of my whining, Terry - - you've got the skills. You apparently lack a fancy meter though. What a 'shame'

[@captlarry-3525]

WD-40 is not a lubricant. it is a solvent and water displacer. Tri-Flow is a good combo penetrating lubricant..which will not harm plastics, and leaves very reliable long term light lubrication for shafts and thier bezels and bearings. WD-40 will remove all lubrication, and let metal rust or weld itself together ! The only thing WD-40 is really good for is driving the moisture out of ignition wires. Otherwise, get a suitable product and you will find you can free up most controls without taking them apart. The black switch corrosion shows this has been in a damp and perhaps corrosive environment. I use a pencil type eraser to remove that oxidation, along with the DeOxit D5.

[@captlarry-3525]

unless you want to create corrosion, you won't use windex or any ammonia based product to clean your (aluminum) radio ! Use warm water and liquid dish detergent, followed by a rinse with fresh water. ( see W6WUH valiant overhual video series on youtube for details on materials and tools).

[@scole901]

can you show how to use one of those radios, I don't know anything about shortwave radios

[@jeromegrzelak8236]

FORGET THE RADIO ILL PLAY WITH THE BOX KG6MN

[@z95m]

A beautiful receiver. What's that "DEPTH" control for?

[@jonteske4267]

Usually that means the depth of a notch in the selectivity circuitry (normally in the i.f. stages) to remove a.nearby interfering signal

[@user-el8of6fo9z]

i need a mode switch for the nc270 i have a clean on but need switch

[@nobodyyouknow222]

what it the point of not shooting the controls with de-oxit first ? peak rf and antenna, set for medium band width... note that Am with AVC is Off with mode sw Clock wise, and ssb / cw in the middle AM with avc on CCW.

[@umajunkcollector]

I'd like to see it up against a Drake., could be very interesting.

[@superhet7281]

Good idea. IMHO the 2B is a better receiver. But you’re right, a side-by-side would be interesting.

[@animalcorvair]

try pb blaster on the shaft great stuff better than wd 40

[@billyrey9679]

Who does your nails?

[@d-labelectronics]

The real question is, who does my toe nails?

[@markcummins6571]

This set has had less than 24hour of run time. Everything on this set is oiginal. The is no sign of heat related stains or "use" tool marks on any of the terminal. I would also want to know what is the current capacitance and leakage at rated voltage. I submit the caps may be just fine. Leave the machine original at least for a few hundred hours of operation. I am ten years older than your radio...Yes I may leak a little too! But I have been working pretty much since I was made. You set hasn't been... Those are rodent urine stains on the top of the chassis it caused the rust on the transformer lid.

[@WApnj]

Nooooo... Not WD-40.... Really? You should know better.

[@ewerton8463]

first