The Cly Institute for Radio Research Repair started as a complete joke between two hams. Ironically we try to do actual research but often times make repairs. The purpose of this site is to educate as well as entertain. The station of N3FIX is located in view of 3 Mile Island on the western shore of the Susquehanna river near the town of Cly named for an early merchant Clymer Shelly.
In an email exchange the jokes started to fly and the concept for a "Research Institute" was formed. The fictitious staff of the institute includes but is not limited to:
Jess Holdis - high voltage electrician
Manny Bounce - RF propagation expert
Lee Kerr - Plumber and PVC pipe expert
Noah Hare - Barber
Moe d'Gras - Landscaper
Doug A. Grave - test subject Funeral Director
Blinky - the three-eyed fish
Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe - Legal Council
Dr. Stringfellow Armstrong - Director of Antennas
Lucy Lipps - Confidential record Archivist
Abi Normal - Quality Inspector
Seriously though, its an operation of one guy.
N3FIX will take on repair jobs and restoration work for friends around the area.
- repairs from surface mount to vacuum tubes
- repair linear amps
- repair manual antenna tuners
- test vacuum tubes
- repair / restore broadcast receivers
- re-cap tube radios
- repair HF rigs (Any Kenwood equipment model year 2000 or older, we charge double. Ha Ha)
- repair VHF/UHF mobile radios
- repair HT's (new keypads, volume controls, batteries, clips, etc)
- We can evaluate your HF antenna and tune it to resonance
- Help erect antennas and terminate coax
- We will build you an antenna or other equipment based on your specifications or requirements.
- Tower climbing services are also available
- metal lathe work and custom threading
- We can also do brazing and MIG welding
- We can even mount tires on cars and motorcycles
- If you can break it we will do our best to fix it.
Any repairs that cannot be successfully executed we only charge for parts that had to be ordered. Sometimes repairs get to be economically unfeasible. If we have to spend too much time on a repair then it gets to be more than the radio is worth. We will do our best, but sometimes its just broken. Sometimes the parts are no longer available with older equipment.
Sometimes its not worth fixing. Sometimes repairs could endanger a radio that otherwise works. Its like the patient that complains it hurts when he moves his arm like this. The doctor says, "Well, don't move your arm like that." If the radio works on most of the functions, we get nervous about a repair that could be invasive enough that something else could break during the diagnostics or repair, we will decline the repair job. We don't want to make it worse.
Tools have been lent out in the past; they have not been returned. When we need a tool for repair, it needs to be available. The Institute policy it that there will be no tools or test equipment loaned.
The Institute will not program, repair, or modify transmitting equipment for non-licensed individuals.
Small repair jobs are payable in the form of adult beverages.
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